Beating procrastination

Procrastination is not laziness. Researchers increasingly see it as a way of avoiding uncomfortable feelings about a task. Understanding that makes it much easier to fix.

Why we procrastinate

• Psychologist Tim Pychyl of Carleton University describes procrastination as a problem of managing emotions, not time.
• We put off tasks to escape unpleasant feelings linked to them, such as anxiety or boredom. The task does not disappear, so we end up with the same feelings plus time pressure.
• Pychyl also points out that you do not need to wait until you 'feel like' doing something before starting.
• Common triggers: a task that feels huge or unclear, fear of doing it badly (perfectionism), or a task that seems boring or pointless.

Why it is worth tackling

• A Durham University study led by Fuschia Sirois, with Pychyl and others, followed 379 university students over five months.
• Students who procrastinated most reported more stress, more frequent illness such as headaches and colds, and fewer healthy habits like eating well and exercising.
• The researchers suggest procrastination raises stress, which in turn affects health.
• The good news: these are habits, and habits can change with practical strategies.

Start smaller than you think

• Focus on the next action. Pychyl suggests asking: 'If I were to start, what would the very next step be?'
• The University of Bath advises breaking work into chunks, and if a step still feels too big, making it smaller, such as reading an article's abstract for two minutes.
• Make it easy: download the readings, open the document and lay out your materials in advance so only the actual work remains.
• Use free writing for essays: set a timer and write a rough draft without worrying about style or accuracy. You can fix it later.
• Set mini-deadlines working backwards from the real deadline (see the planning lesson).

If-then plans and your environment

• Bath recommends 'implementation intentions': if-then plans that say exactly when and where you will act.
• Example: 'If it is 4.30 pm on Monday, then I sit at my desk and do 10 maths questions.' Or: 'If I start revising, then my phone goes in another room.'
• Pychyl notes that social media is especially tempting because it meets social needs, so put distractions away rather than relying on willpower.
• Find an accountability buddy: agree to check in with a friend or sibling about progress. They do not need to study your subject.

Be kind to yourself

• Bath suggests forgiving yourself for past procrastination: self-criticism adds negative feelings and makes avoidance more likely.
• Sirois suggests mindfulness techniques can help: notice the uncomfortable feeling without judging it, then take the next small step.
• Connect the task to who you want to become (a future engineer, doctor or designer), not just to what you 'have to' do.
• Embrace imperfection. A finished rough draft is more useful than a perfect plan in your head.
• If avoidance is linked to constant worry or low mood, see the Stress, Resilience and Mental Health modules and talk to a trusted adult.