Ah, that behavior that we can’t seem to rid ourselves of!

Procrastination--the behavior in which we delay or postpone for the future. 

That paper we wait till the last minute to write, that talk we wait till the last minute to prepare, or putting off a good workout--I’m sure we can all relate!

A survey in 2015 found that the average person loses 55 days a year by procrastinating. This is 218 minutes per day!

By procastinating, we are valuing our short term satisfaction over caring for your future selves.  

In addition, procrastination often results in poor quality work or performance. In one study, college students who procrastinated had lower grades. By procrastinating, we increase stress and anxiety levels at the last minute, and give ourselves less time to create a high quality product. Cramming at the last minute may result in a low quality product or result that is not reflective of our highest potential. 

Procrastinating on more serious issues (like personal health screenings/preventative care) could have much direr consequences, such as missed/late diagnosis for medical conditions. Procastination as a behavior has even been associated with hypertension and cardiovascular disease! 

But it’s a behavioral trap that many of us have fallen into. And reinforced over time, procrastination can become a habit.

Ultimately, time is our most precious (and non-renewable) commodity. You never get back procrastinated time and energy!

We (myself included) tell ourselves many lies to rationalize our procrastination:

“I’m too busy”

“I will do it tomorrow”

“I don’t feel inspired”

“I’ll start once X has happened or I have X”

“I work better last minute/under pressure”

A few strategies that have helped me avoid procrastination:

1. It is worth looking at why you’re procrastinating. 

-Are you enjoying what you’re doing?

-Does it create flow or serve your ultimate purpose and goals? 

-When your activities don’t align with your goals and passions, it is very easy to procrastinate (because the activity feels like a slog/work) (See ikigai)

-Are you engaging in analysis paralysis or decision paralysis?

-Is it a lack of organization?

-A lack of self-discipline?

-Are you waiting for inspiration to “strike”?

2. Remember that discipline >>motivation. Our emotions and energy levels will vary from day to day. Motivation and inspiration will not be at optimal levels every day, but train yourself to develop healthy habits and self-discipline.

3. The reward system. Having something to look forward to can encourage you to take action (“If I study for 3 hours, I’m allowed to have 15 minutes on instagram, etc”) 

4. Overcome just the activation energy needed for a task. In chemistry, the activation energy is the minimum amount of energy required to start a task. (Ever feel like the first paragraph of a paper/just getting started is the hardest part?). Focus on the smallest step first, rather than the full product.