The Psychology Of Procrastination And How To Stop Procrastinating

Procrastination, or the act of delaying tasks that need to be accomplished for short or prolonged periods, can significantly impact productivity and overall mental health. While many people procrastinate occasionally, persistent procrastination can be the result of unhelpful thought patterns, emotional factors, or an underlying mental health condition. In any of these cases, working with a licensed therapist can be beneficial. An easy way to connect with a mental health professional may be by joining an online therapy platform.

What is procrastination?

The American Psychological Association defines procrastination as “the unnecessary and voluntary delay of intended tasks despite awareness of potential negative consequences for oneself or others.”

Why people procrastinate

People may procrastinate for a variety of reasons, many of which are not cause for concern. Boring tasks, tight schedules, and a desire to use one’s time for something else can all lead to putting off important responsibilities. It’s also possible for a person to be more likely to procrastinate because of their personality type. Emotional and cognitive factors or mental health symptoms can also lead to this behavior. 

Emotional factors

Negative or difficult emotional aspects of daily life might make it harder to focus on accomplishing tasks, or they might incentivize a person to procrastinate for a different reason. As one example of an emotional component leading to procrastination, feeling stressed or anxious in general or about a specific task might make it harder to actually do it. Or, a person may avoid a certain task that might be challenging or frustrating in order to avoid discomfort and preserve their mood.

Cognitive factors

Certain types of thought patterns may lead to procrastination, such as:

• Self-doubt, low self-esteem, or a lack of confidence in your own abilities
• Perfectionism, or fearing that you won’t do the task “just right”
• Fear of failure

Personality traits and behavioral tendencies

It’s also possible for individual differences in personality traits to lead to procrastination behaviors. For example, research suggests that low levels of the personality trait of conscientiousness may make a person more likely to procrastinate. A tendency toward daydreaming and trouble saying no are other examples of traits that might lead to more frequent procrastination.

Mental health challenges

Finally, what some researchers call “habitual procrastinators” may sometimes be living with certain mental health challenges, which could lead to procrastination in various ways.

Coping with symptoms of any mental illness may take time and energy, which could interfere with your ability to complete tasks. Also, some symptoms specifically may make it harder to get things done. For example:

• Depression can cause a sense of hopelessness, slowed thinking, and trouble concentrating, often making it harder to get started on any task 
• Anxiety can cause worry (such as concerns about your abilities or the outcome of a certain task) that’s difficult to control, potentially leading to a downward spiral of anxiety and procrastination
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a form of neurodivergence that can make organizing and focusing on tasks more difficult because of symptoms related to executive functioning and impulse control

Addressing any underlying conditions with professional support may help reduce procrastination.

How can procrastination affect mental well-being?

While avoiding difficult tasks may provide some immediate relief in the moment, it’s likely to cause more stress and additional challenges in the longer term. As a result, procrastination can have negative mental health consequences, especially when it happens often. 

Waiting until the last minute to do something can cause heightened stress, pressure, and anxiety. The time constraints procrastination causes might also lead to lower-quality work on a given task, which could contribute to low self-esteem.

This tendency may also have practical impacts that can affect mental well-being. For example, in an employment setting, rushed, lower-quality work or missed deadlines might jeopardize your job, which can be highly stressful. Or, in interpersonal situations, a loved one might feel deprioritized and disappointed if you don’t follow through on tasks you committed to. Missing these personal deadlines can potentially harm the relationship and cause increased stress for the procrastinating individual.

Quick strategies for avoiding procrastination

If you’re experiencing persistent procrastination caused by emotional or mental health challenges, seeking help from a therapist is recommended. Otherwise, there are several tips you can try implementing right away to potentially help with your task avoidance.

Timeboxing

Timeboxing is when tasks are broken down into manageable chunks with designated time slots for completion. This can make overwhelming projects seem more manageable, possibly reducing the impulse to procrastinate.

Prioritizing tasks appropriately

Before you start your tasks for the morning, the day, or the week, take a few minutes to pick out the most important ones. Designating high-priority vs. low-priority tasks might help you plan accordingly. Plus, working on the high-priority ones first might allow you to complete them while you have the most energy, which may help you avoid procrastinating and potentially achieve better outcomes.

Following the two-minute rule

The two-minute rule says that if a task you need to finish can be done in two minutes or less, you should complete it immediately instead of putting it off. This method might be useful for those who have trouble starting tasks, as it can reduce the backlog of work that tends to pile up while procrastinating. 

Using to-do lists and habit trackers

A to-do list can help you keep track of the tasks you have to complete. Plus, the immediate gratification of the dopamine release that comes with checking completed items off the list may help you stay motivated. 

For tasks that you want or need to repeat regularly (such as exercising or practicing a new hobby), you might also consider using a habit tracker so you can build momentum. Research suggests that app-based habit trackers may help increase motivation.

Long-term strategies for breaking a procrastination habit

There are also strategies you can practice and implement gradually over time to address the root causes of procrastination and support new habits. A therapist can help you work on them.

Thought reframing

The thought reframing technique comes from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It involves questioning potentially distressing thoughts to see if they’re helpful and if there’s real evidence to support them. If not, this strategy encourages shifting the thought in a healthier direction. 

For example, you might have the thought, “I got a low grade on my last research paper; this one will probably be the same,” which may make you feel demotivated and procrastinate on starting the assignment. To try thought reframing, you might:

1. Notice the thought without judgment
2. Identify the distorted pattern behind it (in this case: overgeneralization)
3. Shift the thought to something more realistic and helpful, like, “I don’t know how this paper will turn out, but I can incorporate the feedback I got on the last one to improve it.”

Emotional regulation techniques

If emotional factors contribute to your procrastination, it might be useful to work on emotional regulation skills. Techniques and tools that may help include:

• Mindfulness, which can help you allow emotions to arise without judgment 
• The feelings wheel, which can help you identify exactly what you’re feeling in a moment of procrastination so you can address it
• Strategies for reducing stress, like deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, to help avoid overwhelm-related procrastination 
• Positive self-talk, or replacing self-defeating thoughts (like "I can't do this") with positive phrases (like "I can handle this one step at a time”) to equip yourself with a sense of confidence and positivity that may make it easier to start tasks

Self-compassion

Instead of jumping to self-criticism and guilt, embracing self-compassion and self-forgiveness may be helpful. This process usually involves acknowledging that everyone struggles and that it's okay to not be perfect. Recognizing that procrastination can be a common human experience may help you reduce self-blame and potentially alleviate the pressure to be continuously productive, which might reduce the impulse to add unnecessary delay.

A supportive environment

This step can involve surrounding yourself with positive and supportive people. For example, it may help you avoid procrastination if you have friends who respect your time boundaries. This step It could also mean making physical changes to your work environment to reduce distractions and promote focus, such as: 

• Leaving your phone in another room while working on a task
• Clearing away clutter from your workspace 
• Using noise-canceling headphones

Self-care

Finally, consider how taking good care of yourself may help with procrastination issues. Habits like getting enough sleep, eating nutrient-rich meals, and taking regular breaks may help support your mental health and energy levels. As a result, you may be less likely to avoid tasks because of fatigue or trouble with mood regulation.

Addressing procrastination with a therapist

Whether it stems from an underlying mental health condition or avoidance of unpleasant tasks, procrastination can be a challenging habit to address on your own. If you find yourself putting off important tasks and see that this habit is negatively impacting your life, a mental health professional can offer support. They may equip you with strategies to improve motivation and self-discipline, manage your time, and create a healthier relationship with work and tasks. If mental health symptoms are affecting your ability to complete the tasks you need to, a therapist can also offer effective treatment options.

Considering the option of online therapy

If you’re already pressed for time, it may be difficult to make it to in-person sessions with a therapist each week. With online therapy platforms like BetterHelp, you can meet with your providervirtually instead, at times that suit your schedule. With the ability to connect through video chats, phone calls, or in-app messaging, online therapy can empower you to take the therapeutic experience into your own hands. The flexibility and convenience of this format may also allow you to attend sessions more consistently, which can help you stick to your treatment plan for best results.

Exploring the effectiveness of online therapy

A growing body of modern research points to online therapy as a viable alternative to in-person therapy in many cases. For example, experts who studied procrastination published a paper on the topic of online therapy in the Journal of American College Health. It suggests that a web-based therapy intervention resulted in “a significant reduction in procrastination and a significant improvement in committed actions” in participating college students.