As humans, we tend to waste time belonging to ourselves and others. Procrastination is something that we don’t often mean to or realize we are doing so. It is usually as small as putting off an upcoming project or pushing back a due date or even waiting until the last minute to cancel something. Wasting time is something that has become second nature to some of us and can be so small that we often aren’t aware of it. We know not to, so why do we?

Wasting time is a daily occurrence for us. We have all put things off in favor of something else that is more appealing to us, like leaving a difficult project for another day while you catch up on your favorite show. Or sometimes it is something less intentional than that. Doing a project right takes work and effort and walking an extra mile to get it perfect. Besides, you may have other things to do. So arguing laziness wouldn’t be right. Bad time management might not fit either. This is what procrastination is. 

A deadline often gives us such an intense feeling of dread. Even still, we will find ourselves racking up the hours that turn into days waiting until the threat of the deadline becomes unbearable. We purposely delay the inevitable with a method designed to cause us harm. Studies show that procrastination is associated with negative health and bad moods. Even though we are well aware of the problem, why can’t we seem to solve it? The answer lies in the assumption that procrastination is a result of bad time management when the reality lies with how we handle our emotions. Dr. Tim Pychyl says that “It’s not the delay that’s the problem. It’s the self-blame and the emotional disengagement that leads to internal struggles that undermine your health.” There is an entire study dedicated to the self-blaming thoughts that we have because of procrastination which are called “procrastinatory cognitions.” The fleeting relief and relaxation that comes with procrastination are what make the cycle so easy to fall into. 

To make matters worse, when we’re stressed, we’re even less capable of making intelligent, long-term judgments. The amygdala — the brain’s “threat detector” — sees a task that makes us feel uncomfortable or uneasy as a serious threat to our self-esteem or well-being when we are confronted with it. Even if we logically understand that deferring the work will cause us greater stress in the future, our brains are still built to prioritize removing the threat in the now.

We must understand that procrastination is fundamentally about emotions, not production. It can’t be solved with an app or in a week. It has to do with a new approach to managing our emotions. Some healthier ways to manage feelings that bring procrastination are to cultivate your curiosity by asking questions when the sensations arise. What emotions are causing you to respond to temptation? What do they make you think of? What happens when you observe the concept of procrastinating? You can consider the next action by breaking down the tasks into steps. You could also make your temptations more inconvenient by placing an obstacle between them. 

The origin of the word procrastination is derived from procrastinating, a Latin word meaning belonging to tomorrow. Procrastination is also rooted in the ancient Greek word akrasia. Akrasia is to do something against your better judgment, so I’m sure the word procrastinate hits all of the marks.