Researcher: Procrastination Stems from Emotion Regulation, Not Laziness
According to a new book, people delay tasks they care about to avoid immediate discomfort and seek instant gratification. Overcoming perfectionism and understanding the root causes are key to stopping procrastination.
Procrastination is not a failure of time management or motivation, but rather a psychological struggle between intentions and immediate feelings, according to an article in Fast Company. Dr. Itamar Shatz, a researcher at Cambridge University and author of "Solving Procrastination," argues that individuals often postpone even tasks they deeply care about.
The core issue lies in avoiding immediate discomfort or seeking instant pleasure. This can be driven by fear of failure or perfectionism. Shatz suggests that the solution is not to rely on willpower, but to identify and address the underlying reasons for the delay.
A key insight is that procrastinators often care too much, leading to paralyzing perfectionism. The author proposes replacing the pursuit of perfection with a focus on doing things "good enough." This reduces the fear of failure and makes it easier to start tasks.
The book also discusses the "self-control fallacy," where people mistakenly believe they will succeed through sheer willpower next time, despite previous failures. Shatz recommends using the "reality rule" to assess what one is actually likely to do, based on past behaviors. By understanding one's specific procrastination pattern—whether due to distractions, perfectionism, or burnout—more effective strategies can be found to overcome it.