Procrastination: Why We Do It and How We Can (Finally) Stop

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Procrastination is the act of putting something off regardless of the negative consequences. We might delay starting a project despite the looming deadline, or worse, we might postpone pursuing the ambitions leading to a more fulfilling life.

But why would a rational person put themselves through this misery? Many of us write off the tendency to procrastinate as lazy or weak. But the answer to why you procrastinate has more to do with biology than with the strength of your character.

To grasp the purpose that procrastination serves, we have to understand that to the body, discomfort feels unsafe. We may be passionate about a business idea we’d like to pursue, but the uncertainty of an unknown path will always bring up uncomfortable feelings.

A fear response can also be triggered by thoughts such as “I’m going to fail at this” or “I’m not good enough,” which will then cause us to avoid taking action, even when we genuinely want to. This is because, to the body, avoiding potential pain feels like a matter of life or death. Procrastination alleviates the anticipatory anxiety of doing something unpleasant, which then registers to the body as a successful safety mechanism.

When we realize that procrastination is just resistance to discomfort and uncertainty, we can better understand why this is such a problem. After all, feeling safe is the primary drive for all humans. Avoidance can make us feel safe and secure in a chaotic and overwhelming world.

Unfortunately, it’s a false sense of security. Delaying the task won’t help us succeed. Skipping the workout won’t keep us healthy. Not asking for a promotion won’t support a flourishing career. Avoiding hard conversations won’t bring us peace. Logically, I’m telling you something you already know. But the unconscious fear centers of your brain don’t.

Our conscious mind operates at a different level than the parts of the brain that control our survival instincts. These primitive neural networks work so fast that our conscious minds can’t keep up.

Psychologist Daniel Kahneman distinguishes the difference between “fast and slow thinking,” which refers to two mental operating systems: a fast-acting system that is instinctive and emotional and a second, slower system that involves analytical thinking. We see evidence of this first system when we instinctively swerve to avoid a car collision. These fast-acting systems help keep us alive, but they also overreact to harmless stimuli and can cause fear-based avoidance, including procrastination.

How do we reconcile our desire to grow and thrive with our instincts to avoid discomfort and uncertainty? We have to enlist the slow thinking systems of our brains to balance out the impulsive reactions of our fast systems.

The fast systems operate unconsciously and control an estimated 95 percent of our decisions, actions, emotions, and behavior. They are the source of the negative beliefs (“I will fail,” “I am not worthy,” “They are going to leave me”), which then activate a fear response, creating a need for a strategy to avoid these uncomfortable feelings. The process of procrastination is reinforced by emotions, thoughts, and chemical reactions that are outside of our awareness—such as the calming effect of making an excuse to avoid starting or the dopamine hit we get when we reach for our phone instead of doing the task.

To disrupt the cycle of avoidance and stress involved in procrastination, we have to learn to rewire the default setting in our brains. Evolution wired our brains to avoid change because, for our ancestors, it was best to avoid wandering off into the wilderness with its many perils and predators.

We can’t charter new territory in work, love, or lifestyle without facing a little unconscious resistance. The good news is that since the brain is naturally adaptable, we can disarm this defense through repeated action that disproves it. Each time, we find ourselves at a crossroads between action and avoidance—choosing action—no matter how small, builds neural pathways that inhibit the fear response.

As we venture beyond what is familiar and comfortable, we must use the conscious mind to replace unconscious fears and negative beliefs with a growth mindset and positive coping skills. This is how we can slowly begin whatever we are unconsciously avoiding: starting a business, pursuing that creative project, dating a new person, or being more authentic in life.

Step by step, we can teach our bodies that we can be safe and uncomfortable at the same time.