When You Procrastinate Too Much This is What Happens
Getting things done daily may be an uphill battle for many individuals. Chronic procrastinators usually find themselves in this scenario, and their lives fall apart as a result. Chronic procrastination, however, may be addressed with the help of mental health professionals and strong support networks.
For other folks, procrastination may be a situational issue. Procrastination, on the other hand, is habitual for roughly 20% of individuals worldwide, making it chronic. 13 Chronic task avoidance differs from ordinary procrastination in that it becomes a recurring and pervasive behavioural pattern that affects important life areas including job, school, personal relationships, finances, and health, among others.
Read On: How To Live With Procrastination
The Effects Of Procrastination
The fight between the limbic system and the prefrontal brain isn’t always a terrible thing. You may decide to put off doing something because it is the best option at the time. According to Daftardar, “the prefrontal cortex is where you digest information and make judgments.” “At some point, the prefrontal cortex drives us to finish a work or task.”
However, because the prefrontal cortex does not operate automatically, you will have to exert some effort to complete the task. This is because when we fail at a task, our limbic system takes over. As a result, “you get more interested in doing something else that you enjoy,” says the author.
What Causes Procrastination In The Long Run?
People delay regularly because their self-control and motivation are continually outweighed by difficulties such as weariness and nervousness.
When individuals need to perform things like study or work, they rely on their self-control to get them to do it. Furthermore, their self-control is frequently aided by their motivation, which allows them to complete tasks on time.
People, on the other hand, might be hampered by a variety of circumstances, such as weariness, as well as demotivating ones, such as worry, that interfere with their capacity to complete tasks. When these negative circumstances overwhelm people’s self-control and drive, they procrastinate until the balance between these elements flips in their favor, or it’s too late.
This helps to explain why many people delay regularly, even when they are motivated and want to complete tasks on time. This also explains why many individuals delay until just before deadlines, when heightened motivation, typically in the form of severe pressure, ultimately motivates them to go to work.
Also See: What are the Causes of Procrastination
As a result, the following are frequent reasons why individuals postpone for long periods:
- Negative perfectionism, for example, when it comes to refusing to create something that contains any errors.
- Having abstract objectives.
- Feeling task aversion, for example, is a result of a dislike of monotonous work.
- Suffering from physical or mental weariness can be caused by a variety of factors, including a heavy task combined with a lack of sleep.
- Feeling cut off from their future selves.
- Feeling anger at something or someone, such as particular responsibilities or the person who assigned them.
- Engaging in sensation-seeking behaviour, such as preferring to work on items just before a deadline when there is a lot of pressure.
Many of these concerns might entail procrastination cycles, which can lead to long-term postponement. For example, if someone procrastinates on a task due to worry, which causes them to do poorly on the work, this might lead to them feeling concerned about similar activities in the future, causing them to procrastinate on such projects once more. Similarly, if someone procrastinates due to weariness, they may stay up late at night to accomplish work before the deadline, causing them to become even wearier and, as a result, continue to procrastinate.
The Risks Of Procrastination On A Long-Term Basis
Procrastination is linked to a variety of concerns, including poor academic achievement, poor employment, and financial status, poor emotional well-being, poor mental health, poor physical health, and a proclivity to delay seeking help for one’s problems.
Bottom Line
Procrastination is the act of deferring tough work in favour of less important, more enjoyable, and simpler chores. It’s not to be confused with laziness, which is defined as an unwillingness to do action.
Procrastination might restrict your potential and jeopardise your job. It can also lead to issues with teamwork, poor morale, depression, and even job termination. As a result, taking preventative actions to avoid it is crucial.
Recognize that you’re procrastinating as the first step in overcoming it. Then, figure out why you’re acting that way and utilise effective techniques to control and conquer it.
Keep Reading: Cure Yourself and Stop Procrastinating
