Here's the real reason you procrastinate | Fuschia Sirois | TEDxNewcastle

Summary

This script delves into the pervasive issue of procrastination, revealing its commonality and potential harms beyond mere delays. It emphasizes that procrastination is a voluntary delay of important tasks, leading to negative repercussions for individuals and their relationships. The speaker debunks myths about laziness and time management, instead highlighting the role of emotions and avoidance in this behavior. Strategies such as finding meaning in tasks and practicing self-compassion are suggested to mitigate procrastination's detrimental effects on health and well-being.

Takeaways

• 😌 Procrastination is a common issue affecting nearly one in four people and is especially prevalent among students, with 50% regularly and 80-95% occasionally putting off tasks.
• 😟 Procrastination is not just a simple delay; it is a harmful form of delay that is voluntary, unnecessary, and involves avoiding important tasks with known negative consequences.
• 📚 The story of Tom illustrates the severe impact of procrastination, which can lead to irreparable damage to work, relationships, and health, and even premature death.
• 💼 Procrastination can cause reputational damage, making individuals seem unreliable and leading to employment instability and lower incomes.
• 💔 Chronic procrastinators often suffer from poor physical and mental health, including poor sleep quality, unhealthy behaviors, and higher levels of depression, stress, and anxiety.
• 🚫 Procrastination is not caused by laziness or poor time management; rather, it is a symptom and a coping mechanism for dealing with negative emotions and stress.
• 🤔 Procrastination often starts with tasks that are perceived as aversive or stressful, leading individuals to seek immediate relief through avoidance.
• 🏔 The tendency to make 'emotional mountains out of molehills' can increase the likelihood of procrastination, as people overestimate the difficulty of tasks and the negative emotions associated with them.
• 🔁 Procrastination can become a cycle, as the temporary relief it provides is often followed by guilt, shame, and self-blame, which can further fuel the avoidance of tasks.
• 🌟 Viewing tasks through the lens of meaning and asking why they are valuable can help increase positive feelings and reduce negative emotions associated with the task.
• ❤️ Being compassionate and forgiving towards oneself and others can effectively reduce procrastination by acknowledging human fallibility and the suffering that comes with it.

Q & A

What is the prevalence of procrastination among the general population and in educational settings?

Research suggests that almost one in four people procrastinate regularly, with rates even higher among college and university students, where 50 percent procrastinate regularly and 80 to 95 percent do so occasionally.

How is procrastination defined by researchers?

Procrastination is defined as a type of delay that is voluntary, unnecessary, and involves an important task that one intends to do but puts off despite knowing it will have harmful consequences.

What are some of the negative consequences of procrastination mentioned in the script?

Negative consequences of procrastination include damage to work projects, relationships, and health, as well as financial and academic repercussions.

Can you provide an example of the collateral damage caused by procrastination from the script?

Tom's story illustrates the collateral damage of procrastination, where his constant procrastination led to missed deadlines, job loss, and eventually, his early death from cancer, leaving his partner with a legacy of unfinished work and deep sadness.

What are the reputational and financial impacts of procrastination on employees as per the research mentioned in the script?

Procrastinators are seen as unreliable, leading to reputational damage. In a study of over 22,000 U.S. employees, chronic procrastinators had greater employment instability and lower annual incomes, with an annual income decrease of 15,000 U.S. dollars for every one point increase in procrastination.

How is procrastination related to physical and mental health according to the research?

Chronic procrastinators tend to have poor sleep quality, fewer healthy behaviors, more physical ailments despite fewer medical visits, and higher levels of depression, stress, and anxiety. They are also at a greater risk for poor heart health, with a 63 percent increased risk for cardiovascular disease or hypertension for every one point increase in chronic procrastination.

What common misconceptions about procrastination are debunked in the script?

The script debunks the misconceptions that procrastination is about laziness or poor time management. Instead, it highlights that procrastination is a symptom of poor mood management and an emotional response to avoid negative feelings associated with a task.

What is the psychological perspective on why people procrastinate, as discussed in the script?

From a psychological perspective, people procrastinate due to negative emotions and an urge to cope with them through avoidance. Procrastination is a way to manage mood and gain relief from stress and feelings of guilt or shame associated with the task.

How does the script explain the cycle of procrastination and the role of emotions in it?

The script explains that the cycle of procrastination begins with an aversive task, leading to negative emotions, which are then avoided through procrastination. This behavior is rewarded, leading to a cycle where the relief is short-lived and replaced by guilt and shame, further increasing the likelihood of continued procrastination.

What strategies are suggested in the script to help reduce procrastination?

The script suggests viewing tasks from the lens of meaning, asking why the task is valuable and important, and being compassionate and forgiving towards oneself and others as effective strategies to reduce procrastination.

How does the script address the myths about procrastination and the need for a change in perspective?

The script emphasizes the need to stop buying into myths about procrastination being a character flaw and instead accept it as a harmful behavior that requires understanding and compassion to overcome.