>>14378121Procrastination is an emotional response to avoid perceived negative feelings that we imagine might occur during (writing this paper will suck, that homework is going to be hard) or after ( I might fail) the task. We replace it with something that provides a positive experience now (there is ice cream in the freezer, oh wow that movie I love is on).
https://solvingprocrastination.com/why-people-procrastinate/“The short version
The main psychological mechanism behind our procrastination is as follows:
When we need to get something done, we rely primarily on our self-control in order to bring ourselves to do it.
Our self-control often receives support from our motivation, which helps us get things done in a timely manner.
In some cases, we experience certain demotivating factors, such as anxiety or fear of failure, which have an opposite effect than our motivation.
In addition, we sometimes experience certain hindering factors, such as exhaustion or outcomes that are far in the future, which interfere with our self-control and motivation.
When demotivating and hindering factors outweigh our self-control and motivation, we end up procrastinating, either indefinitely, or until we reach a point in time when the balance between them shifts in our favor.
When it comes to specific reasons why people procrastinate, in terms of demotivating and hindering factors, the following are among the most common:
Abstract goals.
Outcomes that are far in the future.
A disconnect from our future self.
Feeling overwhelmed.
Anxiety.
Task aversion.
Perfectionism.
Fear of evaluation or negative feedback.
Fear of failure.
A perceived lack of control.
ADHD.
Depression.
Lack of motivation.
Lack of energy.
Sensation seeking.”
