Can procrastination be a good thing?

Why do we so often put off for tomorrow things we could do today? What mechanisms cause us to procrastinate? How can we overcome our procrastination? Please make us feel better about this!  

Procrastination refers to the excessive lengthening of what current social science theories call the "intention-action gap". In other words, the time between the intention to act and the action itself.  

During this time (more or less), three types of questions arise in our brain: what is the input cost, what is the maintenance cost, and what is the expected reward once the action has been carried out? The answers to each of these questions can help us either get started or postpone the task.  

Let's look at the input cost first: I'm planning to apply for a new job or change careers but I don't know anyone in the new office or industry. I don't know what help to ask for or where to get information. The more the task seems like mission impossible, the less I believe in it and, in turn, the more I'll put it off.  

Then comes the maintenance cost: my emails have piled up, I'll start sorting them out. It's fairly easy to get started, but harder to keep going. Because, as time goes on, new emails keep arriving, and my target of achieving 'no unread messages' seems to get ever more distant.  

This brings us to the last factor: the reward. The further away it is, the longer it'll take to bear fruit and therefore the more we're tempted to favour activities that yield more immediate gratification - even if it's much less valuable than the long-term reward. Instead of working on this presentation for my boss, I'm going to tidy up my desk, sort my emails, anything that makes me feel like I'm doing something productive, like I'm checking something off my to-do list... 

Aren't there also external factors that make it harder for us to start a task? 

Our work or social environment, the means at our disposal, and stress are other factors that affect procrastination. Let's say I'm considering applying for a job abroad. Applying for a job at a different office of the company I already work in and applying to a different company altogether are two very different things. I can meet a colleague who has already done it and they'll tell me how fulfilling it was, explain to me what's involved or the skills I'll need... This simplifies the input cost. The same goes for a new task: if I've seen someone else do it, it's easier to do it myself. On the other hand, if I don't have anyone to talk to about it, I'll tend to put it off or even not do it at all. 

So procrastination isn't just slacking off? 

First of all, you have to be aware of this fact (and relax): everyone procrastinates. What differs is the task at hand. Some people put off their tax returns, others sport, etc. Procrastination isn't doing nothing, it's doing something else. It's important to realise that this is by no means a lack of willpower or laziness. Sometimes stress is a trigger: due to perfectionism or a lack of self-confidence (which often go hand in hand), we anticipate failure, so we refuse to face it. What's worse, every morning when I get to work, my boss asks me what progress I've made, if I've finished yet. Stress then adds to stress; it's a downward spiral, making you procrastinate even longer. It isn't about being lazy or having fun while you're putting off the task. On the contrary, in fact, you're constantly walking on a tightrope, delaying starting more and more and are therefore plunged into a permanent state of anxiety! 

Are there any ways to avoid procrastination and make all this stress disappear?  

You can start by drawing a graph, with one axis identifying importance of the tasks to be done, and the other showing how urgent they are, and then rank them like that. When faced with a long-term task or project, you have to break it down into stages, checkpoints to be passed, and mini-goals to be achieved along the way, in the short- and medium-term. A to-do list where you can check off what you've done as you go along. This kind of planning makes the reward less distant and more tangible (and it's super satisfying to tick things off your to-do list, let's face it). Similarly, being able to visualise the final result helps to make the future more real.  

So, you can basically trick yourself. Have you decided to exercise but can't bring yourself to leave your cosy cocoon when your alarm clock goes off? Arrange to exercise with a friend. Similarly, if you need to study for a test or business certification, join a study group. This works because it's like making a commitment, but also because it changes the nature of the reward: it's no longer just about passing the final exam, but about enjoying the group work. Finally - and this seems obvious - you can unplug from social media from time to time, turn off your email notifications or music so you can concentrate better for a pre-determined amount of time (so it doesn't seem like forever). 

But then, is procrastination really that bad? 

No, it may even have some advantages. As long as you can choose the object of your procrastination. Are you nervous about giving a presentation? Postpone your stress, i.e., don't think you're incapable of doing something in a future that hasn't happened yet. There will be time to take stock afterwards. This will bring you out of your stress-induced paralysis. On the other hand, procrastination can be beneficial, as it can help us disengage. This is very important in learning, for example: is it better to spend 10 hours in a row practising scales on a piano until you're completely sick of it, or is it better to do 3- or 4-hour sessions with time to think or do other things in between? A necessary time to relax, step back and reflect, which, in the end, will help me work towards my goals and allow me to evaluate my intentions before taking action.  

Thank you Albert! 

So basically, we can procrastinate (a bit), think (a lot), and feel less guilty (yay!).  

Want to find out more? Check out the 'How to boost your motivation' episode in our Crack Your Career series on YouTube.