Do you have an essay due tomorrow? A science project due in a week? Or, have you just been putting off cleaning your room for a month now? We've all done it, and we all hate it. Procrastination. Whether you’re doom-scrolling on Insta, or staring into space instead of doing your math homework, procrastination is likely a huge part of your life. But you’re not the only one. Have you ever wondered why we procrastinate? 

Sure, we don’t want to do our work, but even then, why? We know procrastination is bad, and that if we procrastinate, you’ll end up submitting your essay at 11:58pm and only getting six hours of sleep for school the next day. You promise yourself that the next time you get an assignment, you'll start immediately after it’s assigned, yet you find yourself submitting your project at midnight, over, over, and over. Why? Why do we procrastinate when we know it is bad for us? Well, to make you feel better, it isn’t entirely your fault. It’s your brain, or rather, what your brain does. If you want to figure out why you may put things off till the last minute AND how to avoid it, join me as I dive into the science behind procrastination.

Let’s set the scene: Your history teacher assigned you an essay about the rise and fall of the Roman Empire a couple weeks ago. In class, you did some research and took a few notes, but overall you told yourself, "I've got two weeks! I’ll be fine.” And then, before you know it, two weeks turned into two days. Your procrastination got the better of you, but it's okay! You still have two days, wait why are you opening Instagram? Why are you starting the new season of Wednesday Adams? Why are you still procrastinating?! Your essay is due tomorrow!!! We have all been here, and we have all been stressed, procrastination, our mortal enemy, or is it? Well funny thing actually…

Procrastination is actually your brain trying to protect you. Crazy, right? Procrastination makes us more stressed and worried, so how is our brain “protecting” us, by making us procrastinate? Well let me explain, when we see something like a deadline due for our essay, our brain treats it like an “ incoming threat”. Your amygdala, which is a set of neurons or a section in your brain, that can be responsible for your strong emotions and threat identification, releases hormones. These hormones consist of adrenaline and even cortisol, which create stress and induce a fear response. These hormones can override your prefrontal cortex, which is a section in your brain that is usually more logical, and can then cause you to procrastinate. This seems a little overdramatic, after all, it's just an essay, not a horror film. So why is your brain scared? 

When our brain sees a task that we know we won’t enjoy, it tries to make you avoid it. Your brain doesn’t want to evoke negative feelings, like dread, doubt, or even insecurity. Maybe you feel like even if you try your best, your essay on the Roman Empire still won’t be very good. Or if you try to attempt a task, you think it'll take forever and you won’t finish it, so why bother?

Most of the time, we think procrastinators are lazy, but actually it is quite the opposite. Procrastinators may procrastinate because they care too much. Lots of people who procrastinate tend to struggle with regulating their emotions, and even their self-esteem. They will take up other unnecessary tasks to put off what really matters because they believe their work won’t hit their high standards. The worst part? Procrastination hurts us in the long run, but short-term, it can reduce our stress, making it more addictive by the second.

So, how do we solve it? We used to think that time management, schedules and discipline, was the solution. While that can apply, some researchers have found that the opposite works better. When we make a schedule or be too strict with ourselves, we increase the pressure, making the task even more stressful and making us feel like we are not good enough. Instead, try calming your brain down and countering the stressful and negative emotions. Some find breaking the task down is helpful, like instead of cleaning your entire room, say, “I am going to start with picking up my clothes off the floor first, then I’ll try and see if I can organize my desk.” Others find that journaling about why the task feels stressful or talking about their feelings can help them feel more confident before tackling the task. 

One thing I like to do is play a little game called “Worst Case Scenario, Best Case Scenario, and Most Likely Scenario”. For example, the Worst Case Scenario is that I do my essay on the Roman Empire, it sucks, I turn it in, and I fail. The Best Case Scenario is that I do my essay, turn it in, and get the highest score in that class. The Most Likely Scenario? Well, if I start my essay now, it may not be the best since I only worked on it for two days, but, my previous essays have been really good, and I know I am a good writer, so I can probably get a passing grade on the assignment if I focus, and will probably get a few corrections and some points marked down, but overall I should be fine. 

There are many other tactics to deal with procrastination, like meditation, working with others, and more. The most important thing is to be compassionate with yourself, and understand how you work best. Prioritize rest and a healthy mindset to tackle your goals. A mix of these strategies and more works great, and can really help you deal with procrastination, which will improve your mental health overall in the long run. Also work on your self-esteem and regulating your emotions, be confident in yourself, and understand it is okay to feel your feelings. In conclusion, procrastination is not entirely your fault, and you aren’t the only one out there, but, with the right mindset, ideas and strategies, you can tackle your goal, one task at a time.

References

TED-Ed. Why do you procrastinate even when it feels bad [Internet]. www.youtube.com. 

TED-ED; 2022. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWTNMzK9vG4