Meh...I'll do it tomorrow.

Monday, June 1, 2020
by Sam Vandekerckhove

I don't know about you, but the title of this post really speaks to my level of engagement this past week. This is also evidenced by the delay in getting this post out. As Wellness Coordinators, Renate and I are certainly not unfamiliar with such impacts as motivation, energy management, cognitive load, and emotional regulation. Interestingly enough, we're also intimately aware of that beautiful phenomenon that can often derail and dissuade any task, action, or activity we have intentions of completing. That's right, friends. Let's talk about PROCRASTINATION! Or we can do it later. I have plenty of Netflix still to binge ;).

"Never put off till tomorrow what may be done day after tomorrow just as well."

Mark Twain

In meeting with plenty of students on the topic of procrastination, it's often surprising how little we understand and appreciate about the concept overall. There exists a number of students who rationalize their tendency to procrastinate with laziness and a lack of self-discipline. Some claim they're just not interested in their studies or would rather play games, chill with friends, or sit in self-isolation staring at a wall. Others feel it's the root of a greater issue with developing apathy and indifference in their achievements - as they were much more focused and engaged pre-post-secondary then they find themselves now. A few have claimed that, without parental oversight, they just don't have the developed skills and independence to do anything without direction. There are many justifications for why we may not do what we should be doing, but let's take a quick look at the psychology and research for why I'm STILL dragging my heels with uploading this post. I've also included actionable tips in the drop-down below to advance our collective understanding. Building awareness and an understanding of procrastination (and your individual tendency to procrastinate) is a valuable first step to modifying it. Let's take a look:

Why we don't when we know we should
Ah the tale as old as time. Why don't we do things when we know we should be doing them? Procrastination was a concept first rationalized by the philosophers of old. The Greek philosophers Socrates and Aristotle coined the term, Akrasia, which roughly translates as a lack of self-control or the state of acting against one's better judgment. In the 21st century, most of us understand procrastination as the delaying or avoiding of a task that needs to be accomplished by a certain deadline. If you ask any of your friends, you'll likely receive a slew of different responses for why they procrastinate with something. Based on the research, here are some of the more common reasons:

Decision fatigue (or decision paralysis) is a product of our modern society. We have significantly more freedoms today then we did in the past, and as a result we have more freedom to make our own decisions and perform our own actions. I'm not trying to frame this as an overall negative, however with more decision-making comes the difficult act of prioritizing what needs to be done and in what order. A constant analysis of what is essential and what isn't, what is right and wrong, and what we should prioritize can result in decision fatigue and demotivate us to do anything at all.

Abstract goals or objectives that are too vague can be difficult to attempt. Goals such as, 'get fit' and 'lose weight' are often short-lived as they lack a structure or plan through which they are achieved. Further, goals that are perceived as highly improbable are also perceived as being more abstract which can increase the likelihood that we procrastinate on them.

Lack of motivation or lacking factors that contribute to your motivation will make anything seem like a chore. There are an unimaginable number of aspects that contribute to any individual's motivation, and exploring what drives and encourages you is helpful for staying on task. Do you have enough rewards that encourage your actions? Enough (and immediate) consequences to help kick your butt into gear? Are you motivated by a genuine sense of curiosity or by that next milestone average, academic standing, or work-term evaluation? Consider reviewing your internal (intrinsic) and external (extrinsic) drivers to see if you are motivated enough to actually act.

Emotional self-regulation is a huge if not the largest reason why most of us procrastinate (insert surprised pikachu face). Emotional regulation describes an individual's ability to effectively manage, control, and deal with emotions, emotional experiences, and emotional thoughts. We regulate our emotions through a variety of different ways; by taking breaks, sleeping, chatting with friends, binge-watching netflix, smoking, picking fights, sarcasm, etc. Of course, some regulation mechanisms are more psychologically and physiologically beneficial (like sleeping) vs. others (like picking fights), but all of these actions are usually committed in an effort to make us FEEL differently (ideally, better). 

Other reasons include; a disconnect from our future selves, feeling overwhelmed, anxiety, task aversion, perfectionism, fear of evaluation or negative feedback, fear of failure, a perceived lack of control, ADHD or attention-based impacts, depression, lack of energy, sensation seeking, etc.

When demotivating and hindering factors outweigh our self-regulation and motivation, we end up procrastinating, either indefinitely or until we reach a point in time when the balance between them shifts in our favour and we feel compelled to do something. As Engineering students, I suppose you don't have all of the time in the world to sit and wait, so what tips can we garner from the research to reduce procrastination?

Actionable tips to reduce procrastination

Identify your Procrastination Mechanism(s)

Unsurprisingly to most, research into undergraduate students reveals that students procrastinate painful, stressful, and unpleasant tasks1. Who knew?! Even more shocking, when procrastinating, students tend to engage in more pleasant behaviours. But what denotes a task being painful, stressful, or unpleasant isn't as easy to gauge. You may have noticed that you have a usual go-to when you procrastinate. Some choose to clean their rooms or apartments in a vain attempt to be productive. Others may elect to binge a favourite TV show or hop online for untold hours of gaming (been there). The key is that most of us procrastinate with something that we enjoy, or something that at least improves our mood in that moment.

That being said, basic activities such as tying your shoes or getting out of bed can be immensely painful for someone with depression or who experiences hightened anxiety. Additionally, low self-esteem and self-worth can make anything seem virtually unpleasant, even if it was enjoyable previously. If you suspect that there are underlying causes for your habit to procrastinate it might be worth consulting with a mental health professional. It's never too late to discover something about yourself!

Treat Yo Self

One way to reduce our tendency to procrastinate involves rewards, and making those rewards more immediate is a proven method. If anyone has ever owned a dog, they are likely somewhat familiar with behavioural psychology and the famous Pavlov's dog experiment. Rewards are excellent motivators as they encourage positive behaviour and receiving a reward helps condition that behaviour to be repeated again. Although far more advanced than our canine companions, we can leverage this understanding of rewards to reduce our tendency to procrastinate. Following the completion of your studying for the day, dedicate some time to something that you enjoy, or commit to chatting with a friend once you've finished your lecture. If you're looking to take your reward system to the next level, try temptation bundling:

  • Temptation Bundling (a term popularized by University of Pennsylvania researcher Katherine Milkman).
    • Bundle a good behaviour that is good in the long run with a behaviour that feels good in the short-term.
    • Only do [thing you love] while doing [thing you procrastinate with].
      • e.g. only listen to your favourite audio books or albums while exercising.
      • e.g. only watch your favourite show while ironing or doing chores.

Consequences and Deadlines

Similarly to rewards, consequences can be potent factors to motivate us up off of the couch. As Engineering students, you certainly aren't unfamiliar with tight deadlines and project schedules. However, I know many who don't feel the sting of needing to do something until the 11th hour and that can lead us to procrastinate. Making a consequence more immediate is one way to motivate, but it requires a delicate balance. For example, if you set the consequence that you won't do anything enjoyable today until you're finished studying, and you don't finish... then what? Well, you'll likely feel terrible, maybe go to sleep, and wake-up less enthused to get back to it. Unlike rewards, consequences can add to our negative feelings which perpetuate rumination, discouragement, and... well... not much of substance. Anyone who has missed a deadline for a test knows this defeating feeling too well. If you're looking to add more conseqences to your lack of actions just be careful not to remove all elements of enjoyment from your life! Self-compassion (explained more below) is an important concept to keep in mind.

  • Create a new consequence that happens if you don’t do the action you need to right away
    • e.g. if you commit to exercising with a friend at 7am in the morning, you look bad if you don’t follow through.

Commit to (Future) You

I had a student explain to me the importance of being intentional with their time, and the thought has stuck with me for months. In digging through the research, psychologists also recommend a similar methodology to overcome procrastination and it's more commonly practiced than most of us assume! Have you ever made a task list or a list of items to be completed for the following day? Have you even completed a schedule for your week and noted when something is due and how soon you have to do it? If so, you're already on the right track! Designing your future actions and planning for your following day is a valuable tool to reduce the cognitive load in deciding what to do next. When we're overwhelmed with too many options it can often become a burden (and incredibly discouraging) to commit to something in that moment. Plan for your future and reduce the amount of thinking required in that moment so that you can act.

  • A commitment device is a choice that one makes in the present which restricts their own set of choices in the future – as a way of controlling future impulsive or inefficient behaviour.
    • Design your future actions ahead of time.
      • e.g. curb eating habits by purchasing food in individual packages rather than bulk.
      • e.g. stop wasting time on your phone by deleting games or social media apps.

Smaller and Managable is Better

A major deterrant to action is the perceived size and intensity of a task. Funny enough, once we've started doing something it's usually easier to keep up with it. So how do we motivate ourselves to actually start something? For one, we need to reduce that perceived pain once again, and by reducing our commitment we can reduce the pain perceived with that task. If something is smaller and easier, you're more likely to start doing it. Try breaking up your study sessions. Instead of studying for three hours today, try two instances of 1-1/2. If that's still too much, try just an hour and don't commit to any particular end time. One hour of studying is arguably better than three hours of procrastinating, right?

Another method is known as the 2-Minute rule. Essentially, when you start a new task simply commit to two minutes of doing it. The idea is to make it as easy as possible to get started and then trust that momentum will carry you further into the task after you begin. Once you start doing something, it’s easier to continue doing it. The 2–Minute Rule overcomes procrastination by making it so easy to start taking action that you can’t say no.

  • Remember that the hardest part of any task (like studying) is starting and staying in the mindset to keep going.
  • Reduce the size of your tasks because if they’re small and easy, you’ll be less likely to procrastinate.
    • Test out the 2-minute rule. When you start a new task, it should take less than two minutes to do. This assists with building positive behaviour without becoming discouraged (as we humans can often be unlikely to commit to large, cumbersome tasks).

Foster Self-Forgiveness

Remember that effective habit change isn’t an overnight thing! If you’ve noticed decreases in your productivity, it likely took time for you to get there too. The same goes with building productivity. Take it one simple and tangible step at a time. Frustration and defeatism will only lead to further discouragement, and we have more than enough reasons these days to be discouraged (thanks COVID..). Remember the value in being your own best friend rather than your own worst critic. If you're having an off day, so be it. Accept that this is a day to rest, recover, and improve your mood. An improved mood hosts a more focused and optimistic mind - one more apt to move into action. Focus on your improvement, no matter how incremental, and relish in your accomplishments, no matter how minimal. You're doing the best that you can!

More resources to procrastinate with :D

Thanks for procrastinating by checking out this post, and please connect with us if you have anything that you would like to see in the future: ENGWellness@uwaterloo.ca.