The Psychology of Procrastination

Procrastination is one of the most insidious little habits we have.

Fortunately, I don’t believe in it. I know that it’s out there, but I think it’s just a fancy way for people to beat up on themselves. I don’t like the word. It’s the basis we use for calling other people lazy too. That’s another word I’m not crazy about.

I’ve been working with people as a therapist, mentor and coach for a long time and I’ve never met a truly lazy person. I’ve never met someone who consciously procrastinated. That said, I have met a lot of people who are fearful. I’ve worked with a lot of people who are worried they’ll do things wrong or that they’ll fail.

Digging through all the reasons people give for procrastinating, I’ve always found fear at the bottom. It might be a huge fear or it might be a quiet resistance.

The secret to resolving the procrastination habit is looking at why. The reasons are vast, but when we know them, we can begin to find solutions.

Some of the most common reasons people give for putting things off when we work past the excuses and get to the essence:

What of I do it wrong?

This is a reasonable concern. When we do things wrong, there’s often a big hassle to try to fix it. And often, it can be expensive to make mistakes. But if this is your fear you have a few choices – you can hire someone else to do it for you, you can learn how to do it or you can let it go. Try to see this objectively – without the guilt about what you should do. What makes the most sense? No more procrastination.

What if I make the wrong decision?

It may help you to know that in life there is rarely a right or wrong decision. It’s usually more about what is right for the people involved in the situation. Check it out with like-minded friends if you like, but the truth is that most of the time there is more than one right answer and often we don’t know if the answer is wrong until we have hindsight. With that in mind, we can learn from it when we make the wrong choice and then try again. What feels like the right choice for you? Again, no more procrastination.

What if I fail?

What if you fail? Think it through. What will happen if you fail? Now ask yourself if these scenarios are likely to happen. We tell ourselves a lot of stories about ourselves. Often when we procrastinate, the stories reflect epic failure, colossal mistakes, irreparable damages - a wake of destruction a mile wide behind us. Thankfully, most of the time we are wrong. Think back to other times when you were sure you would fail and if you feel you need support to move forward, find it from friends, family, a coach or other appropriate professional.

The next time you see yourself putting something off, take a moment to determine why. Address the fear and you will no longer need to procrastinate.