The spring holidays are over, and many of us have ambitious plans to adopt healthier lifestyles, such as eating better and exercising regularly. However, as the routine sets in, reality teaches us that it is difficult for us to commit to such goals. According to Sigismund Freud's Pleasure Principle, it is much more tempting to stay at home with air conditioning on – which gives us immediate gratification – than to go out and exercise outside, because, our natural instinct is to try and avoid what pains us. On the same scale (pun intended), we may also want to get some cheesecake, rather than be overly strict with our diet. Those resolutions often fall by the wayside due to a phenomenon known as procrastination.
We all suffer from it, and for one out of every five people (20% of us), it's chronic. Procrastination occurs when we set a goal but are lazy about completing it. This contrasts with laziness, which refers to a state where no goal has been identified or established. Procrastination exists in all aspects of life. Procrastinators get sicker due to delaying medical appointments and routine tests like mammograms and colonoscopies. Medical procrastination can stem from fear of testing or lack of awareness. Procrastinators are also less efficient at work – a recent study found that at least 88% of employees tend to spend at least an hour a day procrastinating. It can also cost you money through late payment of fines, for example.
Procrastination is very common and affects many of us, but the underlying reasons can vary. According to Dr. Alan Hendrickson, there are three distinct types of procrastinators, each driven by different motivations.
The first type is the anxious procrastinator, whose behavior is fueled by fear or overwhelming pressure. These individuals may delay important tasks, such as undergoing a medical test, due to the anxiety surrounding potential outcomes.
In contrast, the optimistic procrastinator is characterized by an overconfidence in their ability to complete tasks quickly or a belief that they have ample time remaining. This false sense of security leads them to postpone tasks until the last minute.
The third type is the hedonistic procrastinator, who primarily engages in activities they find enjoyable or pleasurable. For these individuals, committing to tasks they perceive as unenjoyable, such as a weekly exercise routine like running, can be particularly challenging.
How do we deal with procrastination? If it stems from a fear of failure in not meeting a goal, like weight loss or healthy eating, we can break the goal into small tasks with short, defined time frames. For example, if the goal is to attend weekly yoga classes, we can break down the task into components – we'll get home half an hour before the class, change into yoga clothes, and then plan how to get to the class. To help us meet our goals, we can schedule the yoga classes with a friend, so we're mutually committed to it. If we successfully meet the weekly goal, we can reward ourselves with a treat, like going for coffee together, and if we don't meet it – we can decide on a penalty. It's also advisable to choose a physical activity we enjoy because the path to success depends on finding value and pleasure.
Meeting short-term goals is also a good way to boost self-confidence and self-efficacy, which will contribute to our success in other tasks – known as the "spiral of success." Dr. Piers Steel suggests the "procrastination equation" to predict the odds of overcoming procrastination. He says the main predictive variable is distractibility. Those with a genetic tendency for distractibility are more prone to procrastination. In an era where technology causes distractions, we may need to enlist artificial intelligence as a tool to promote our productivity.
