Why do We Procrastinate?

I’m going to put off answering this question for a moment. Instead, let’s take a step back and ask something more basic: why do we do anything at all? Or more precisely, why do we bother doing things that require any amount of effort? 

When all options seem otherwise equal, our instinct is to avoid mental and physical exertion. So why not avoid these tasks altogether? 

The answer is pretty straightforward. Getting what we want requires effort. Sometimes the reward is direct, such as receiving money or impressing someone, but other times it's indirect and builds over time, like advancing in a career or earning a good reputation.

But merely being aware that a reward is available isn't enough; we have to be interested in it and really acknowledge it. If a reward seems irrelevant, or if we don't think we will get it, then we won't bother trying. This might sound a bit obvious, but it is crucial if one is going to understand why procrastination occurs.

We are wired to want to take action right now when something feels urgent. If there is a threat, we have to run away from or a threat within reach - like an ice cream truck coming down the street, for instance. We’d do it in a flash. 

But when the reward or consequence is far away, it doesn't feel as important. The farther a carrot or stick is in the future, the less motivated we are, especially when immediate temptations are staring us right in the face. For example, social media or small tasks that give instant gratification.

Immediate rewards are not the only reason we procrastinate. The type of effort demanded by a task also plays a role. Rarely do we simply sit down and write an essay, finish a project, or outline a presentation straightforwardly. 

Most tasks require mental planning, like considering an approach, weighing options, and making decisions, and most of us do not enjoy this mental labor. Planning alone can make starting a task feel unpleasant and can heighten negative feelings such as self-doubt or stress about our ability to succeed.

Even once a plan has been made, there is still effort involved. The majority of actions have more than one step, all requiring effort to complete. The problem arises with the fact that, quite often, the reward is only satisfied when the action is completed. 

This, in some ways, can contribute to procrastination. First, getting through steps with no immediate reward can be pretty demotivating. Second, the breaks between steps create opportunities for distraction, including checking social media or watching videos. Of course, once distracted, extra effort is required to refocus and get back onto the next step.

Combining all these factors explains why we're more likely to begin a task as a deadline approaches and why we tend to procrastinate on work rather than breaking it into smaller, manageable bits over time.

Understanding these mechanisms also offers strategies that might help to minimize procrastination. One helpful approach is to reward ourselves for reaching individual steps along the way. This makes the goal seem closer, helping us to keep motivation for the next step. 

Research evidence indicates that this procedure, which embeds a psychological method named “shaping” with video-game-like engagement strategies, may indeed be a fruitful strategy to reduce procrastination. While it has not yet seen widespread application to everyday tasks, researchers will most likely give it a try soon.