We’ve all faced it: the pressure and anxiety of waiting until the very last minute, the sweat collecting on our foreheads while we begin the first sentence of an essay at the end of the two weeks we had to write it, the shakiness of our fingers as we hit the submit button moments before an assignment is due.
Yes, this is the process of procrastination.
When we procrastinate, it can often feel as if we’ve waged an all-out battle inside our minds. We are competing with two separate parts of our brain that are at odds with one another.
The limbic system — in charge of our pleasure — and the prefrontal cortex — in charge of cognitive behaviors and decision making — are each attempting to undermine the other.
Our limbic system functions automatically to protect us from perceived threats — such as placing a hand on a hot stove — to decrease discomfort and maximize pleasure. It is one of the oldest and most fundamental parts of our minds, directing us toward immediate gratification without taking into account a broader perspective of the future.
In contrast, our prefrontal cortex operates manually, meaning we must intentionally activate our conscious mind to think and engage. It is a more recently developed area of the brain, which consequently makes it slightly weaker in comparison.
Oftentimes, our limbic systems emerge successful, and we end up prolonging an obligation so we may enjoy a small, fleeting pocket of relief and pleasure — at least until we are confronted again with that daunting task.
It is no surprise that when procrastinating becomes a habit, it can have serious implications on quality of life. Students who procrastinate live with more stress, guilt and frustration, as well as lower levels of self-esteem, while often experiencing anxiety toward high-performance tasks that require concentration and intellectual energy.
So, why do we do this to ourselves?
Clearly, procrastination is not as simple as just making the right, timely choices, and it is by no means random. Rather, it is a process deeply rooted in the biology of our brains.
In a sense, we are almost wired to procrastinate — our desire for immediate comfort overrides our commitment to long-term goals. We must remind ourselves that seeking pleasure is part of the human condition, and procrastination is often a normal behavioral instinct.
With that being said, procrastination is more complicated than a tussle between parts of your brain.
Common misconceptions about “procrastinators” link the behavior to qualities of laziness, complacency or poor work ethic. This is a massive oversimplification, and it’s simply untrue.
In addition to what science tells us about the role of brain function during procrastination, there are a number of psychological explanations and cultural factors that contribute to why we continuously put off tasks at the expense of our own best interest.
We live in a society that increasingly fosters a need for progress and excellence. Through social media, we are constantly exposed to fine-tuned portrayals of others’ achievements, normalizing the pressure to live a life that appears successful and fulfilling.
For college applicants and students, this constant comparison — paired with the heightened expectations within the world of academia — can be overwhelming.
Procrastination is often a manifestation of our anxieties toward starting something and failing. We fear the process of putting ourselves in a position that summons self-judgment. Some tasks can feel like a test of our intellectual or creative abilities — our self-consciousness can hold us back from achieving them.
Our urge to excel and be the best can sometimes keep us from even starting something when we doubt our ability to accomplish it perfectly.
This debunks every aspect of the laziness myth tied to procrastination. In reality, there is always a real reason behind our actions or lack thereof.
Treating procrastination as a symptom of idleness is problematic and harmful. We have to stop stigmatizing procrastination and dig deeper into the underlying, neurological roots of what’s actually causing us to respond — or not — to our responsibilities.
