Why the wait — Procrastination 101

As it turns out, putting off a task to the last minute helps us perform better

Ever notice how streaming useless videos or browsing random photographs and articles online seems so much more appealing when you are laden with an important task?

Your spotless cupboard might suddenly require immediate cleaning or the bookshelf in your room might have to be reorganised alphabetically, right then and there. It’s strange how these mundane tasks never seem to bother us whilst we are free. It is only when one has to work or study do they manifest themselves and occupy our minds until we have completed them, once and for all. The Greek poet Hesiod warned us of the disastrous effects of putting off work back in 800 BC. But even after over 1,000 years, humans are plagued with procrastination, bringing scientists to one verdict: our brains may actually be meant to operate in this manner.

Shoaib Amjad, an aspiring accountant who is currently interning with a leading audit firm, shares his experience to help understand procrastination a bit more. “I noticed that I feel relatively more ‘political’ during exams than the rest of the year,” admits Shoaib. “For example, I will update my Facebook status a lot more and then wait for it to generate traction,” he adds. Usman Bhatti, a researcher at Aga Khan University Hospital, tracked a similar pattern within himself. “I would read the entire Harry Potter series within two days when I really should have been studying for my university finals,” says Usman. “Generally, this would take about a week or two. But at times when distracted is the last thing I should be, even the most dry and loathsome of activities start to pique my interest.”

The list of things people do to occupy their minds goes on, considering that according to a research 74% of students across the world have been proven to procrastinate daily. Keeping this in mind, one might argue that delaying work and ‘not feeling it’ is natural. Unfortunately, in some cases, the phase lasts longer than it should and ultimately, can affect one’s social, mental and professional wellbeing adversely. There is plenty of scientific research highlighting a correlation between high levels of procrastination and poor academic and professional performance. If left unchecked, procrastination can eventually lead to stress, anxiety and depression in the individual.

To avoid this, it is worthwhile to consider what psychonauts who propogate concepts like “motivation” and “will power” really mean. After all, there must be some explanation as to why we allow ourselves to be distracted from our purpose repeatedly, when we know that it is not in our best interests? Brain scans and years of deliberation in science labs attempt to explain procrastination using the ‘two-story bungalow’ theory. Herein, the brain is perceived as bungalow, of which the ground floor (the impulsive and emotional region of the brain) is occupied by a disorganised and unruly couple. The first floor (the will power and executive function region) belong to a more organised and prudent couple. Both types of ‘tenants’ are constantly battling to reach a conclusion with no regard for consequences. The former couple, emerges as the victor, providing instant but short-lived gratification. Soon after, the brain desires peace between the two couples, making us feel guilty for procrastinating earlier.

Scientifically speaking, the ground floor region (a.k.a the limbic system) responds to immediate concrete rewards strongly, especially when the reward can be touched, smelled, tasted or heard. “It triggers feelings within us while the first floor area (a.k.a the prefrontal cortex) is slow and requires more effort for tasks, downplaying the pleasure derived from them,” explains Irsa Usman, a therapist at the Institute of Behavioural Therapy Karachi. “Hence, a procrastinator with a meticulous diet plan, for example, will be drawn to a fattening cheese cake immediately,” she adds.

A variety of other emotions come into play here. Of key factor is the ‘knee-jerk reaction,’ i.e. our tendency to react negatively to elements that threaten our personal autonomy, be it pride, dignity or self-determination. In order to take control of the situation, our mind lays the task at hand aside. “This is common amongst rebellious individuals and stems from an instinct to choose freely,” says Irsa. “What is particularly interesting is that we might not even dislike the task. The theory can be applied to choosing ice-cream flavours. If the choice is between chocolate and strawberry and we’re told there is no vanilla, we will want the vanilla.”

Of course, different reactions depend on differences in personality. Last-minute thrill seekers, for example, will rely on an adrenaline rush to complete the task, claiming to work best under pressure. These individuals are highly impulsive, disorganised and easily distracted. On the other end of the spectrum are avoiders or the fear-torn procrastinators who feel overwhelmed by the task and so, put it off lest they fail at it. Anxious, depressed or neurotic individuals are more likely to indulge in such behaviour, lowering their own self-esteem further.

Many scientists also study the circadian rhythms of people in order to determine their level of activity. Individuals with a ‘morning’ circadian rhythm are more energetic between 10 am to 3 pm. On the other hand, those with ‘evening’ rhythms work best later in the day. Completing tasks within our respective rhythm timings can beat unnecessary delays. Treatment options like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) exist to help overcome excessive procrastination, as do hundreds of self-help books. Charts like the SMART have also been developed to give an insight into our goals and motivations. Nonetheless, we have to first understand that our minds may be deceiving us. We must ‘think about thinking’ and deceive it back in order to get all our affairs sorted in time.

Measure yourself against this chart to determine how much of a procrastinator you are

S    Specific: Exactly what is it that you want to achieve?

M  Measurable: How will you monitor your progress?

A   Achievable: Goals need to be a challenge as the higher the value of the reward, the less you will be distracted by alternatives. The goal should be something you can achieve otherwise failure may result in self-defeating prophecies.

R   Realistic: Can you realistically see yourself completing your goal? Does it take into account your skills and resources?

Routine: The more often you have to decide between working towards goals and other more pleasurable tasks, the more chance you have of choosing the pleasurable options. If you schedule goals to occur at regular times and places, you will not give yourself the opportunity to procrastinate.

T   Timely: Set yourself a timeframe in which you should achieve your goal.

Zohaib Amjad is a scientist with a major in molecular pathology.

He tweets @infectiousuni

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, September 6^th, 2015.