Procrastination makes no sense logically. Why do we put off undesirable tasks and incur stress when we could finish off the undesirable task as soon as possible to eliminate the dread and stress of doing it? Another question is why do we procrastinate tasks that are not even stressful, or tasks that might even be considered desirable?
Before we can answer why we procrastinate, we need a way to measure it. Believe it or not, scientists have created a formula (formally known as Temporal motivation theory) that calculates motivation. Procrastination occurs when motivation is low.
We don’t need any numbers explicitly to figure out what increases motivation. If we increase the top part of the formula, we can increase motivation. Expectancy refers to the probability of success for a task, and value refers to the reward earned for that task. If we increase these values, we increase motivation. This makes sense with the example of food. The probability of successfully eating food is very high, and the value/reward is a nice burst of culinary pleasure. This is probably why no one procrastinates eating. The expectancy value also explains why it is easy to procrastinate studying for a very difficult exam due to a lowered chance of success. Easy but low reward activities like laundry also decrease motivation and lead to procrastination.
The values on the bottom of the formula’s fraction are specific to the individual. Impulsiveness refers to how easily someone’s attention is shifted from a long-term goal. Very impulsive people can become distracted from a long-term goal and increase the probability of procrastination. Delay refers to the amount of time between the present and when the task is due. A closer due date will reflect in a shortened delay and increase in motivation reducing the likelihood of procrastination. Decreasing these two values will increase motivation whereas increasing these two values will probably lead to procrastination.
Procrastination (and laziness) may actually be a biological adaptation. The reason we do not just develop large muscles automatically and the reason that our body converts every extra calorie into fat has to do with energy conservation. While we have an abundant supply food energy today, that was not always the case. Our ancestors (and many people in the world today) had to be very conservative with food. Their bodies would follow suit by storing any extra calorie they get for use some other time. Their bodies, and our bodies, would not dare add any extra muscle without effort and extra calories as to not divert energy from vital processes. Procrastination and laziness could be the psychological manifestation of this inherent energy-conserving attitude.
If procrastination is truly wired in us biologically, it will essentially be impossible to completely defeat. Instead, we can mitigate its effects with a few strategies. One dangerous consequence of procrastination is that it results in many tasks due all at the same time and will overwhelm the person. Using a calendar or a planner is the best way to combat this as it will allow you to see how far any task is due from the present date. This can even serve as a motivator to do things early if you see an especially difficult week coming up. Procrastination also often results from very large tasks. Just thinking about a 15-page paper can raise your blood pressure. The best solution is to temporarily swallow the dread and start the task. Even if it is just a few sentences, getting past the starting barrier takes away a lot of the intimidation of the assignment. I can personally attest to this strategy because this is how I write all of my articles.
(Author’s note: This article may or may not have involved procrastination during the writing process)
