Why Do People Procrastinate?
Procrastination is a frustrating human tendency, and almost everyone succumbs to it occasionally, as if a devious alter ego lures us away from things we need to accomplish. Procrastination replaces things that need attending with what feels like temporary relief, only to leave us stranded with stress as deadlines loom closer.
At its core, procrastination is not laziness; it’s avoidance, a powerful Antivalue (a negative value we don’t want). Avoidance is a value that may have held some value thousands of years ago, as a way to keep away from dangerous situations, but in the 21st century there are fewer and fewer dangerous situations that really need to be avoided and more and more boring, repetitive tasks and situations most people would simply like to avoid, we can see why it only appears useful.
On the outside procrastination can appear to be laziness, but in reality there are several reasons why we procrastinate:
- It's a way to escape from overwhelming tasks or decisions
- You experience doubt that you can actually do what is asked of you (fear of failure)
- It’s a way to alleviate a fear of success
- It’s a desire to maintain our freedom to do what we want, when we want
Ask any chronic daydreamer and they might tell you that their delay stems not from laziness, but from a desire to escape whatever they don’t want to experience. Viewing procrastination from this perspective allows us to understand it as a coping mechanism: an attempt to avoid negative emotions tied directly to our tasks. This means prioritizing immediate comfort over long-term gains. How fascinating is it then, that the roots of our delays are woven deeply into complex human values? By recognizing these underlying cognitive narratives, we can start reframing them; turning procrastination into productive action.
Therefore, while society may view procrastination as a negative trait, this seemingly unproductive habit can harbor deep insights about oneself. By observing our habits during periods of delay, we gain a better understanding of who we truly are: our values. If procrastination is creating problems for you, maybe it's time to look at your values. So instead of condemning procrastination outrightly, let's perceive it as a unique mirror into our psyche - one that reflects not just our actions but also illuminates the values we hold at the deepest levels. How do we get rid of procrastination? I’ll get to that later.
What values trigger your procrastination?
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