Procrastination: A Scientific Guide On How To Stop Procrastinating

Procrastination: A Scientific Guide on
How to Stop Procrastinating
Procrastination is a challenge we have all faced at one point or another. For as long as
humans have been around, we have been struggling with delaying, avoiding, and
procrastinating on issues that matter to us.
During our more productive moments, when we temporarily figure out how to stop
procrastinating, we feel satisfied and accomplished. Today, we're going to talk about
how to make those rare moments of productivity more routine. The purpose of this
guide is to break down the science behind why we procrastinate, share proven
frameworks you can use to beat procrastination, and cover useful strategies that will
make it easier to take action.
You can click the links below to jump to a particular section or simply scroll down to
read everything. At the end of this page, you’ll find a complete list of all the articles I
have written on procrastination.
I. The Science Behind Procrastination

1. What is Procrastination?
2. Why Do We Procrastinate?
3. The Procrastination-Action Line
II. How to Stop Procrastinating Right Now

1. Make the Rewards of Taking Action More Immediate
2. Make the Consequences of Procrastination More Immediate
3. Design Your Future Actions
4. Make the Task More Achievable
III. Being Consistent: How to Kick the Procrastination

Habit
1. The Daily Routine Experts Recommend for Peak Productivity
2. How to Avoid Chronic Procrastination With Visual Cues
I. The Science Behind Procrastination

Let's start by getting the basics nailed down. What is procrastination? What does
procrastination mean? What exactly are we dealing with here?
What is Procrastination?
Human beings have been procrastinating for centuries. The problem is so timeless, in
fact, that ancient Greek philosophers like Socrates and Aristotle developed a word to
describe this type of behavior: Akrasia.
Akrasia is the state of acting against your better judgment. It is when you do one thing
even though you know you should do something else. Loosely translated, you could say
that akrasia is procrastination or a lack of self-control.
Here's a modern definition:
Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing a task or set of tasks. So, whether
you refer to it as procrastination or akrasia or something else, it is the force that
prevents you from following through on what you set out to do.
Why Do We Procrastinate?
Ok, definitions are great and all, but why do we procrastinate? What is going on in the
brain that causes us to avoid the things we know we should be doing?
This is a good time to bring some science into our discussion. Behavioral psychology
research has revealed a phenomenon called “time inconsistency,” which helps explain
why procrastination seems to pull us in despite our good intentions. Time inconsistency
refers to the tendency of the human brain to value immediate rewards more highly than
future rewards.
The best way to understand this is by imagining that you have two selves: your Present
Self and your Future Self. When you set goals for yourself — like losing weight or writing
a book or learning a language — you are actually making plans for your Future Self. You
are envisioning what you want your life to be like in the future. Researchers have found
that when you think about your Future Self, it is quite easy for your brain to see the
value in taking actions with long-term benefits. The Future Self values long-term
rewards.
However, while the Future Self can set goals, only the Present Self can take action.
When the time comes to make a decision, you are no longer making a choice for your
Future Self. Now you are in the present moment, and your brain is thinking about the
Present Self. Researchers have discovered that the Present Self really likes instant
gratification, not long-term payoff.
So, the Present Self and the Future Self are often at odds with one another. The Future
Self wants to be trim and fit, but the Present Self wants a donut. Sure, everyone knows
you should eat healthy today to avoid being overweight in 10 years. But consequences
like an increased risk for diabetes or heart failure are years away.
Similarly, many young people know that saving for retirement in their 20s and 30s is
crucial, but the benefit of doing so is decades off. It is far easier for the Present Self to
see the value in buying a new pair of shoes than in socking away $100 for 70-year-old
you. (If you're curious, there are some very good evolutionary reasons for why our brain
values immediate rewards more highly than long-term rewards.)
This is one reason why you might go to bed feeling motivated to make a change in your
life, but when you wake up you find yourself falling back into old patterns. Your brain
values long-term benefits when they are in the future (tomorrow), but it values
immediate gratification when it comes to the present moment (today).
The Procrastination-Action Line

You cannot rely on long-term consequences and rewards to motivate the Present Self.
Instead, you have to find a way to move future rewards and punishments into the
present moment. You have to make the future consequences become present
consequences.
This is exactly what happens during the moment when we finally move beyond
procrastination and take action. For example, let's say you have a report to write. You've
known about it for weeks and continued to put it off day after day. You experience a
little bit of nagging pain and anxiety thinking about this paper you have to write, but not
enough to do anything about it. Then, suddenly, the day before the deadline, the future
consequences turn into present consequences, and you write that report hours before it
is due. The pain of procrastinating finally escalated and you crossed the “Action Line.”
There is something important to note here. As soon as you cross the Action Line, the
pain begins to subside. In fact, being in the middle of procrastination is often more
painful than being in the middle of doing the work. Point A on the chart above is often
more painful than Point B. The guilt, shame, and anxiety that you feel while
procrastinating are usually worse than the effort and energy you have to put in while
you're working. The problem is not doing the work, it's starting the work.
If we want to stop procrastinating, then we need to make it as easy as possible for the
Present Self to get started and trust that motivation and momentum will come after we
begin. (Motivation often comes after starting, not before.)
Let's talk about how to do that now.
II. How to Stop Procrastinating Right Now

There are a variety of strategies we can employ to stop procrastinating. Below, I'll
outline and explain each concept, then I'll provide you with some examples of strategy in
action.
Option 1: Make the Rewards of Taking Action More

Immediate
If you can find a way to make the benefits of long-term choices more immediate, then it
becomes easier to avoid procrastination. One of the best ways to bring future rewards
into the present moment is with a strategy known as temptation bundling.
Temptation bundling is a concept that came out of behavioral economics research

performed by Katy Milkman at The University of Pennsylvania. Simply put, the strategy
suggests that you bundle a behavior that is good for you in the long-run with a behavior
that feels good in the short-run.
The basic format is: Only do [THING YOU LOVE] while doing [THING
YOU PROCRASTINATE ON].
Here are a few common examples of temptation bundling:
 Only listen to audiobooks or podcasts you love while exercising.
 Only get a pedicure while processing overdue work emails.
 Only watch your favorite show while ironing or doing household chores.
 Only eat at your favorite restaurant when conducting your monthly meeting with a
difficult colleague.
This article covers some specific exercises you can follow to figure out how to

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Procrastination: A Scientific Guide on

How to Stop Procrastinating

I. The Science Behind Procrastination

3. The Procrastination-Action Line

II. How to Stop Procrastinating Right Now

3. Design Your Future Actions

4. Make the Task More Achievable

III. Being Consistent: How to Kick the Procrastination

2. How to Avoid Chronic Procrastination With Visual Cues

I. The Science Behind Procrastination

Here's a modern definition:

The Procrastination-Action Line

Let's talk about how to do that now.

II. How to Stop Procrastinating Right Now

Option 1: Make the Rewards of Taking Action More

Temptation bundling is a concept that came out of behavioral economics research

Here are a few common examples of temptation bundling:

 Only listen to audiobooks or podcasts you love while exercising.

 Only get a pedicure while processing overdue work emails.

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