Why Do We Procrastinate?

Most of us are familiar with the procrastination paradox, where we are stuck at the beginning of the task we need to do. That white page open on the computer screen awaits your writing, and you keep busy doing other tasks with urgent needs like reorganizing your closet or cooking a dessert you love. The deadline that keeps advancing threateningly as you postpone it continues to make you nervous and uncomfortable. But why do we put ourselves through this torture?

One of the most basic reasons and one that I also experience is to overthink the result of the task before even taking a step towards starting. The insidious questions, “What if I fail?” or “What if I can’t get a good result?” eat us up from the inside and distract us from our mission. The perfectionist voice of our minds persuades us that if the end is not going to be perfect, we should not even think about starting. And we are convinced to wait for the perfect time to come.

Moreover, the impact of a last-minute thrill is overpowering. We convince ourselves that we are more productive and creative under stress. The adrenaline rush may boost focus and productivity. Giving all our strength and focus to a single point at the last minute is actually more tiring and consuming for our minds.

We have to remind ourselves that there is no such thing as a perfect time. We are not going to suddenly and miraculously become a better version of ourselves tomorrow. By being gentle with ourselves, not imposing perfection, and starting small, we can see that we are not as unsuccessful or incompetent as we think.