Why do I procrastinate? And can I do anything about it?

Can you only start a boring admin task once your house is clean? Do you leave the trickiest emails to the end of the day?

Delaying a goal or task, usually to do something less important instead, is known as procrastination, and it affects many of us. Most people report procrastinating some of the time, but for others, it can be chronic.

While procrastination is common, it can be frustrating and lead to feelings of shame, guilt and anxiety.

Here’s why you might be avoiding that task – and five steps to get on top of it.

Am I procrastinating?

You might find yourself putting off starting something, abandoning it before it’s finished or leaving it to the very last minute.

Thoughts such as “I can catch up later” or “I’ll turn it in late” can be telltale signs of procrastination. Maybe you’ve Googled “Why do I procrastinate?” while procrastinating and have come across this article.

Other times, you might not even be aware you’re doing it. Perhaps you look up and realise you’ve been scrolling online shopping and kitten videos for the past hour, instead of doing your assignment.

Procrastination is not a character flaw, and it doesn’t mean you’re lazy or even bad at managing time. Framing it this way can make you feel even worse about the behaviour, and stop you from learning the real reasons behind it.

If you want to stop procrastinating, it’s important to understand why you do it in the first place.

Why do I procrastinate?

Procrastination can be a way of dealing with tricky emotions. Research shows we put off tasks we find boring or frustrating, as well as those we resent or that lack personal meaning.

We may avoid tasks that create stress or painful emotions, such as completing a tax return where you owe a lot of money, or packing up a parent’s house after their death.

There are a few deeper reasons, too.

Procrastination can be a sign of perfectionism. This is when an intense fear of failure–of getting something wrong–creates so much pressure to be perfect that it stops us from even getting started.

People with low self-esteem also tend to procrastinate, whether or not they experience perfectionism. Here, it’s a negative self-view (“I’m not good at most things”) coupled with low confidence (“I probably won’t get it right”) that gets in the way of beginning a task.

Distraction can be a factor, too. Most of us battle constant interruptions, with pings and alerts designed to redirect our attention. But being very easily distracted can also be a sign you’re avoiding the task.

For some people, difficulty completing tasks could be a sign of an underlying issue such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. If you’re worried that procrastination is affecting your day-to-day life, you can speak to your doctor to seek help.

Is procrastination ever helpful?

It depends.

Some people enjoy the pressure of a deadline. Leaving a task to the last minute can be a strategy to improve motivation or get it done in a limited time.

Procrastination can also be a coping mechanism.

Delaying unpleasant tasks may make us feel better in the moment. Avoiding the task may mean we don’t have to face the possibility of getting it wrong, or the negative emotions or consequences it involves.

But this usually only works in the short term, and in the long term, it’s more likely to cause problems.

Procrastination can trigger self-criticism as well as negative emotions such as guilt and shame.

In the long term, it can also lead to mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. Procrastinating has even been linked to poor outcomes in education, such as being caught copying in exams, and at work, including lower salaries and a higher likelihood of unemployment.

So what can we do about it?

Read more: Conscious breathing can reduce anxiety and depression – tips for how to do it

5 steps to tackling procrastination

1. Face it – you’re procrastinating. Being able to identify and name these patterns is the first step to overcoming procrastination.
2. Explore why. Understanding the underlying causes is key. Are you afraid of getting it wrong? Is your to-do list unrealistic? Or do you just love a tight deadline? If your procrastination results from perfectionism or low self-esteem, you may wish to explore evidence-based treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy, with a therapist or through self-guided activities.
3. Start prioritising. Take a good look at your to-do list. Are the most urgent or important things at the top? Have you given yourself enough time to complete the tasks? Breaking a task into smaller chunks and taking regular breaks will help prevent you from becoming overwhelmed. If you’re not sure what’s most important, try talking it through with someone. If you tend to leave the most boring things to the last minute and then never get around to them, set some time aside at the start of each day to get these tasks done.
4. Avoid distractions. Set your phone to “do not disturb”, hang a sign on the door, and tell those around you you’ll be “offline” for a little while. Setting a clear start and end time can help you stick to this rule.
5. Build in rewards. Life is hard work – be kind to yourself. Whenever you complete a difficult task or cross something off your to-do list, balance this by doing something more enjoyable. Building in rewards can make facing the to-do list a little bit easier. DM 

This story first appeared in The Conversation. Catherine Houlihan is a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at the University of the Sunshine Coast.