Science Behind Procrastination

Procrastination is the avoidance of work or necessary tasks by focusing on more enjoyable activities. Procrastination stems from lack of self-motivation, lazy habits or incompetence. However, procrastination is a chemical reaction in the brain encapsulated by a battle between the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex. The limbic system is the emotional center of the brain containing pleasure centers and the prefrontal cortex is the rational part of the brain, which controls planning and decision making. Many times the prefrontal cortex is less developed and weaker, leaving the limbic system to take over leading to procrastination.  Sometimes procrastination is rooted in perfectionism and having the ability to reprogram these perfectionist habits into "good enough" work tends to help individuals let go and move on to greater goals. For me, perfectionism is a huge obstacle I face when overcoming procrastination. In school, I tend to procrastinate studying for an exam because I want to study the material from the beginning to end of the subject matter in totality and with primal sufficiency. In reality, studying for about one to two hours each day about two weeks in advance to an exam allows for maximum competency and adequate retrieval of important material for my exams. 

Another essential aspect of procrastination patterns involves accountability. When procrastination, distractions, or inability to tap into our intuition comes up how do we take action, find clarity, and navigate this road map? Tara Swart explains that we must initiate a sustainable behavior change where you are able to naturally behave in the way that you desire through a four step process; 

1. Raising Awareness

• Unblocking subconscious beliefs to make these thoughts conscious 

2. Focused Attention 

• Looking out for examples of you doing things based on your subconscious blocker or finding opportunities to behave differently

3. Deliberate Practice 

• Reprograming neural pathways with your new way of thinking by no longer believing what you were wired to believe. 

4. Accountability 

• Holding yourself accountable and sometimes allowing another person, workshop, or therapeutic practice to help you hold yourself accountable provides immense benefits. Accountability partners can include a friend, sibling, coworker, partner, or even technology can assist you in staying consistent and keeping on track to accomplish your goals. 

"The way that you think determines your life" -Tara Swart

To learn more about reprogramming subconscious habits and specifically finding clarity, listening to intuitive "pings", and overcoming procrastination listen to the To Be Magnetic EXPLAINED episode:

Behind the Scenes

"Brains of procrastinators have a larger amygdala, which is part of the limbic system known for fight or flight" 

Called the "Amygdala Hijack," the brain of the procrastinator reacts emotionally followed by a coping response to escape the stressor. This hijack signals our brains to escape these negative emotions experienced during the activity and avoiding the task. The brains' perception of the future is another important brain reaction. One study conducted by Hal Hershfield at UCLA found that the brain views our future self the same as viewing another person. 

Another important brain reaction is how it perceives the future. Research done by UCLA social psychologist Hal Hershfield found that the brain views our future self in the same way it views another person. The researchers utilized a functional MRI to look at the brains of people when they thought of their present self, their future self, or others. They found that the same part of the brain lights up when we think about our future self as thinking about another person. "Temporal discounting" is the idea that characteristically people care less about future outcomes than about present ones. Mischel et al. found that children are better able to postpone a desirable reward when they think about the informative and "cool" parts of the object rather than the consummatory "hot" aspects of the reward. The children were offered two sets of reward object options; either one small marshmallow or two marshmallows and a bell. The experimenter indicated guidelines that if the child would wait until they returned, the child would receive the preferred object of two marshmallows. If the child did not want to wait, they could ring the bell during the 15-20 minute period at any time and receive the less preferred single marshmallow. 

It’s also human nature to seek pleasure. “We want to feel good now,” says Pychyl. “It’s hedonistic over eudaimonic, which is the happiness we feel when we achieve meaningful goals. 

How to Reprogram Procrastination  

Though overcoming procrastination is difficult, it is possible with a few habitual changes. The most effective method is taking preventative measures. Schedule and complete tasks ahead of time. For instance, work a little bit on a project each night, you’ll have much less to do when the deadline comes. 

Don’t focus on a perfect, finished product, but rather getting a head start; all of the free time you have later can be dedicated to refining the project. Here are some simple, streamlined steps to avoid and overcome procrastination;

1. Recognize Procrastination Patterns

• After re-prioritizing your work, you may run into some procrastination where you have delayed important tasks and switched focus because you want to avoid something or are fearful of a tremendous workload. 

• Some signs of my procrastination patterns include; 

a. Filling day with low-priority tasks

b. Leaving items on a to-do list for prolonged periods of time

c. Re-reading emails, text messages, or important calls because one is unsure what to do or how to respond

d. Filling time with favors that others ask you to do

e. Waiting to be in the "right mood" or waiting for the "right time" to take on an awaiting task

2. Find Out Why You Are Procrastinating 

• Understand why you are procrastinating; is the task boring or unpleasant? Use Mel Robbins' Five Second Rule to help jumpstart your morning and dive into a productive day. 

• Poor organization may also lead to procrastination and those who maintain to-do lists and create effective schedules have better success prioritizing and meeting deadlines

• Being overwhelmed may also lead to procrastination. Do you doubt your ability or are you afraid of failure? If so, you may put off important tasks and seek comfort in doing more simplistic and pleasurable activities. Some may even fear success as much as they fear failure, which requires vast unblocking, expanding, and action in order to overcome 

• Poor-decision making is a main contributor to procrastination. One may be indecisive on what to do or find comfort in what they are doing already, which leads to submitting to their default pathway.

3. Try Anti-Procrastination Strategies 

• Procrastination is a habit – an ingrained pattern of behavior, meaning it is difficult to break these patterns overnight. Habits only stop being habits when you avoid practicing them, so try these strategies for success in breaking negative habits;

a. Forgive yourself for procrastinating in the past. Self-forgiveness can help one feel more positive and reduce procrastination events in the future.

b. Commit to the task. Focus on doing, not avoiding. Write down the tasks that you need to complete, and specify a time for doing them. This will help you to proactively tackle your work.

c. Promise yourself a reward. If you complete a difficult task on time, reward yourself with a treat, such as a slice of pizza or your favorite candy from 7-Eleven. Take in the how good it feels to be done after fulfilling your goal. 

d. Find an accountability partner. As mentioned previously, holding yourself and having someone to hold you accountable is essential to overcoming procrastination. If you don't have anyone to ask, joining a program like To Be Magnetic could be your gateway to success. 

e. Complete your tasks one step at a time. Sometimes compiling several tasks on top of one another leads to overwhelming feelings and giving up. Try taking simple steps each day that help on your journey towards your goals.

f. Rephrase your internal dialog. "Your body hears everything your mind says" -Naomi Judd.  Also, sometimes phrases like "need to" and "have to," indicate that you have no choice in what you do. This can make you feel restricted and might result in self-sabotage . Try saying, "I want to," to imply that you own a decision, project, or habit and will make you feel more in control of your life. 

g. Minimize distractions . Turn off your text messages, email, social media, and avoid sitting near a television while you work. This optimizes focus and promotes a continuous flow of ideas. 

You might hesitate for a just nanosecond, but that's all it takes. That one small hesitation triggers a mental system that's designed to stop you. And it happens in less than—you guessed it—five seconds.”  -Mel Robbins