Why Procrastination is Your Enemy, and How to Overcome It

Chronic procrastination keeps you from achieving the best you're capable of. 

That's enough reason to overcome it, in my opinion.  But if you need more, consider that chronic procrastination drains your energy.  It creates guilt, stress, and mental exhaustion that feels heavy – almost like depression.

Procrastination isn't the same as laziness or even lack of willpower.  It's a symptom of low dopamine or of an addiction to frequent dopamine hits.  Your brain can get stuck in a cycle which causes you to struggle for long-term focus.  This cycle drains motivation and leaves you feeling aimless and powerless.

What is procrastination?

Procrastination is "the voluntary delay of a planned action," according to insightspsychology.org.  This can happen even when you know the results will be negative, such as missed deadlines, increased stress, feelings of inadequacy, and fewer accomplishments.

At its core, procrastination is a coping mechanism – a way to avoid discomfort.  While we often put off tasks that are challenging and strenuous, we may also avoid chores we deem boring or trivial.  And it's not just a bad habit; it's actually a clash between two parts of the brain.

1.  The limbic system

This is the brain's emotional hub.  The amygdala processes emotions like fear and anxiety, and when something about a job triggers those feelings, the amygdala drives you to seek relief.  Once you engage in an alternative activity – such as scrolling social media, playing a video game, binge-watching Netflix, or shopping – the immediate gratification triggers a release of dopamine, the "feel good" chemical, which reinforces your avoidance habit.

2.  The pre-frontal cortex

This is the rational part of your brain, responsible for decision-making, planning, and impulse control.  It helps you prioritize long-term goals over short-term comfort.  When you procrastinate, the pre-frontal cortex struggles to override the limbic system's push for ease and pleasure.

Of course, while avoiding a difficult or unattractive task reduces stress for now, a looming deadline or the difficulty of living with unfinished responsibilities increases anxiety later.  And chronic procrastination literally rewires your brain, strengthening avoidance pathways while weakening your ability to undertake or complete projects.  You wind up feeling useless and incapable – feelings your procrastination was meant to protect you from in the first place.

It's a self-defeating cycle.

7 ways to break free

All of us procrastinate sometimes.  As a perfectionist, I sometimes put things off because I fear I won't do them well or that I'll make a mistake.  Other times, something that needs to be done doesn't strike me as "fun" or interesting, so it stays on my to-do list way too long.  I've also found that getting started can be the hardest part.  Once I'm over that hump, I'm able to get something worthwhile done.

1.  Use my dad's "one minute rule."

I used to hate this, but now I live by it.  If your task only takes a minute (or two), do it now.  Take out the garbage, put your shoes and purse away, hang up the towel, wash the dish, delete promotional emails, file the important paper.  You get the idea.  One minute is easy and makes a surprising amount of difference!  And completing these short tasks provides a shot of dopamine just like scrolling and clicking do.

2.  Take just five minutes.

On larger tasks, set a timer for five minutes and get as much done as you can.  Your commitment is small, but it's a way to get started on a job instead of letting it dangle indefinitely.  In fact, the short deadline may motivate you to work with great concentration and efficiency.  This hack works particularly well for home care/cleaning, paperwork, reading a book, and decluttering.

3.  Break the task into small steps.

This idea works because it lessens anxiety about a big project.  Making a list of tiny steps that can move you forward is like giving yourself a roadmap to success.  You feel less like you're wading through an immense task and more like you just have to follow a clear, manageable trail.  Plus, crossing off each step activates your dopamine response, strengthening the satisfaction you feel as you gradually complete the process.  Another bonus is that you don't have to finish the job in one sitting, but you know right where to begin again when you come back to it.

4.  Remove distractions.

When you want to be creative and productive, you need to become immersed in your task so you can do your best work.  So remove text alerts from your phone, and put it in your bag or another room.  Close extra browser tabs and remove email alerts from your computer.  Check texts, voice mail, and email only at specific times during the day.  Consider implementing a screen-free period every day, even if it's just 30-60 minutes first thing in the morning and before bed.

Many of us live and work with the constant background noise of radio, TV, or traffic.  Especially when the sounds are those of people talking, such as with news, ads, or co-workers, there's a constant drag on our brain's ability to focus.  Question your need for constant stimulation, and consider removing these noises if you can, since research shows that most people are more productive when working in silence.  If you feel you must have accompaniment, choose purely instrumental music.

5.  Reward yourself (but do it right!).

To make any task more pleasant, reward yourself for doing it, choosing something that you know you enjoy doing instead.  There are two ways to do this:

• Reward yourself after you finish – for example, allow yourself some social media time only after you finish cleaning the bathroom and taking out the trash.

• Reward yourself while you finish – for example, listen to your favorite podcast only while taking a walk or working out at the gym.

6.  Increase the challenge.

This idea comes from writer and productivity expert Chris Bailey.  While it sounds counterintuitive to make something more challenging (Won't that just lead to more procrastination?), this works well with tasks you put off because they sound boring or repetitious.  Instead, add a level of difficulty that not only makes the chore more interesting, but increases the dopamine reward when you complete it.  For example, try to set a new record for every ten minutes of data entry you do, or make a bet with your family about how long it will take everyone to wash the dinner dishes and tidy the kitchen.

7.  Make the task "stupidly simple."

This idea comes from best-selling author James Clear.*  He understands that once you start doing something, it's much easier to continue doing it.  Rather than making a project feel like a challenge, Clear recommends that you make it seem so easy there's no way you can fail.  "What you want," he explains, "is a 'gateway habit' that naturally leads you down a more productive path."

* This blog is reader-supported.  If you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission.

This is not about being perfect at any task, but about consistently showing up for it.  Until you do this, you have no hope of accomplishing anything.  So "Run three miles" becomes "Put on my running shoes and walk out the door."  "Fold the basket of laundry" becomes "Fold one pair of socks."  "Practice the piano" becomes "Play one scale."

This might seem like a mind game, but this "game" can actually reshape your thoughts and habits.  Of course, no one becomes a decent pianist by playing one scale.  But what you're really doing is reinforcing your identity as a pianist.  If you show up to play that scale five days in a row, you're creating your new identity as a person who practices every day.  This tiny action confirms the type of person you want to be.

Clear reminds us how powerful this is:

When we promise ourselves something small and then deliver on it, over and over again, our brains learn that we're capable of choosing and behaving the way we want to, and that those behaviors are worth the effort.

Use this idea to help your child become a better reader or to excel at basketball.  Use it to become anything you want to be – a writer, an artist, someone who is grateful.

Becoming the best you can be

Procrastination may be a natural protective response to fear and stress, but it does more harm than good.  It does nothing to lessen your responsibilities, yet makes you feel even more overwhelmed.  Over time, it even alters the structure of your brain and makes you less capable of focusing, making decisions, and controlling your impulses.

What a waste it is to let your natural gifts be eclipsed in this way!  Don't sell yourself short.  You can overcome this habit to become the person you long to be.

For more on this subject, read:

• Just Start – Become Who You Want to Be with New Habits
• One Tip for Success – Pretend You Are Who You Want to Be
• 4 Powerful Steps to Limit Stress and Get More Done