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WHY WE PROCRASTINATE

WHY WE PROCRASTINATE

There are many reasons why we procrastinate. Here are a few:

We are afraid of not being good enough, of our work not being perfect, or of not being ready to accomplish the task.
We really don’t want to do the task and can’t see the long-term benefits.
We figure procrastinating has worked out fairly well in the past. (We managed to get the job done on time, and even if it was not our best work, it was good enough to earn a C or a B.)
We think the only way we can do our work is with the pressure of a looming deadline.
Our loved ones—who do not understand or fully support our goals—encourage us to procrastinate. (“You’re not really going to spend all afternoon writing that paper, are you? It’s your Aunt Millicent’s birthday!”)
We mistakenly believe that people are either good or bad at something and that effort is not really all that important. (As you may remember, the article “The Perils and Promises of Praise” in Chapter 1 of your book has more on this idea and on how limiting it can be.)

If you procrastinate, the reason is likely some combination of these factors. And maybe procrastinating has worked out well enough for you: So far, you have written your papers at the last minute and have squeaked by. However, as the paper assignments get longer and the tests get harder, you will probably come to realize that procrastination won’t work as a long-term strategy.

Self-Reflection on Procrastinating

Think about a time that you procrastinated. Why did you procrastinate? What happened because you procrastinated? What might have happened if you had not procrastinated? Freewrite for five minutes about these questions, or discuss them with a friend or classmate.