Procrastination - The Thief of Time

Procrastination
…the thief of time

Defining
Procrastination
The act of delaying something that
must be done, often because it
is unpleasant or boring
– Cambridge Dictionary

Procrastination is a Cycle
The Procrastination Cycle is a series of
thoughts, feelings and behaviours
procrastinator’s go through as they work
towards commencing or completion of a
project.
Each person has their own experience of
the Procrastination Cycle and it can be
drawn out over a period of hours, weeks,
days, months and years.
(Source: https://www.habitsforwellbeing.com/the-procrastination-cycle/)

Types of
Procrastination
• The Perfectionist
• Pays too much attention to minor details
• Afraid to start task because they get stressed
out about getting every detail right
• The Avoider
• Scared to take on tasks that they think they
can’t manage
• Rather put off work than be judged by others
if/when they end up making mistakes
• The Dreamer
• Enjoys making ideal plans more than taking
action
• Highly creative but find it hard to finish task
• The Crisis-Maker
• Deliberately pushes back work until last
minute
• Believe they work best under pressure,
causing them to manage their time poorly
(Source: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/types-
procrastination-and-how-you-can-fix-them.html)

Reasons Why We
Procrastinate – The Science
• On a neurological level,
procrastination is not the slightest
bit logical — it’s the result of the
emotional part of your brain - your
limbic system, strong-arming the
reasonable, rational part of your
brain - your prefrontal cortex.
• The logical part of your brain
surrenders the moment you choose
Facebook over work or decide to
binge another episode of your
favourite show.
(Source: https://hbr.org/2017/10/5-research-based-
strategies-for-overcoming-procrastination)

Overcoming Triggers - The task
is boring or not intrinsically
rewarding
• Humans are driven by the neurotransmitter dopamine – the
“happy chemical” – used for positive reinforcement in the
pleasure center of the brain. When you complete a task,
your brain releases dopamine to reward you for your
success, perpetuating your motivation.
• You can gamify your tasks by adding elements such as
checklists to mark the completion of each subtask, points,
competition, and a reward system with small, tangible
perks. Gamification can stimulate dopamine and make the
completion of your task engaging on a chemical level.
(Source: http://focusongoodhealth.com/wellness/overcoming-the-7-deadly-
triggers-for-procrastination)

Overcoming Triggers - The
task Is frustrating or difficult
• In addition to structuring and gamifying your
tasks, you can make tasks less challenging by
alleviating subconscious strains on your brain.
Your willpower is a finite resource that’s
expended throughout the day, which is why you
should always tackle the most challenging
subtask first thing in the morning when it’s
peaked.
• Another culprit for procrastination can be your
ego projecting frustration and difficulty to mask
a fear of failure. We can be completely unaware
that the true reason we feel aversion towards a
task is because trying and failing can be more
damaging to our ego than not trying at all. To
counter this, write out the consequences of not
trying versus trying and failing.
(Source: http://focusongoodhealth.com/wellness/overcoming-the-7-deadly-
triggers-for-procrastination)

task lacks personal meaning
• When a task is framed as a steppingstone towards a greater
purpose, accomplishing it becomes its own reward.
• If you’re struggling to find meaning in a task, document how
this task benefits you or others in both the short and long-
term, as well as the repercussions if it’s not completed.
Many tasks, no matter how small, can be opportunities for
self-improvement and altruism when framed to highlight its
contribution towards a larger goal.
(Source: http://focusongoodhealth.com/wellness/overcoming-the-7-deadly-triggers-for-
procrastination)

task is unstructured or
ambiguous
• Getting started can be challenging when a task
is poorly defined. To create structure, first divide
up the primary task into reasonably sized
subtasks, then create checklists outlining every
step for each subtask, and finally set deadlines.
• Doing so can resolve ambiguity in what needs to
be done, set clear expectations for what needs
to be accomplished, and make you accountable
for your time.
• In addition, by creating numerous items on your
task list, you’ll trigger a dopamine release with
every step of progress you make.
(Source: http://focusongoodhealth.com/wellness/overcoming-the-
7-deadly-triggers-for-procrastination)

Bonus Points – Just Get Started
• Do something — anything — to get started. It’s easier
to keep going with a task after you’ve overcome the
initial hump of starting it in the first place. That’s
because the tasks that induce procrastination are
rarely as bad as we think.
• Getting started on something forces a subconscious
reappraisal of that work, where we might find that the
actual task sets off fewer triggers than we originally
anticipated.
• Research suggests that we remember uncompleted or
interrupted tasks better than projects we’ve finished.
It’s like listening to a catchy song, only to have it
unexpectedly cut off in the middle and then have it
stuck in your head the rest of the day.
• Starting a task means you’ll continue to process it —
and this makes you more likely to resume the work
later on.
(Source: Chris Bailey - https://hbr.org/2017/10/5-research-based-strategies-for-
overcoming-procrastination)

Beating Procrastination – Manage your Time
• If you find that you procrastinate due to an
overwhelming schedule, such as multiple tasks with
competing priorities, utilize the Eisenhower Matrix to
categorise and prioritise your tasks by urgency and
importance.
(Source: https://medium.com/@zubair4485/eisenhower-matrix-600c9f3a8bb2)

Bonus Point – Turn off your
distraction devices
Structure, structure, structure!
• Commit a total timeframe for working on the
task for the day. (e.g. – 6 hours total)
• Then commit to at least 30 minutes, at a time,
on the task that requires your attention with
zero distraction apps and devices (smart
phones, IM, Social Media, emails, TV etc). Delay
Gratification!
• Then reward yourself after the 30 minutes (or
longer) with 2 minutes only of checking your
device, but don’t get bogged down (Note: 2
minutes after every 30 min, over 6 hours is
approx. 24 minutes total of “distraction”)

Procrastination - The Thief of Time

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