Working hurts less than procrastinating, we fear the twinge of starting (2011)
5 hours ago
- #self-improvement strategies
- #procrastination psychology
- #behavioral reinforcement
- Procrastination may be driven by reinforcement learning, where immediate feedback strongly influences behaviors.
- Negative self-criticism when catching oneself procrastinating may reinforce the act of catching, not reduce procrastination, potentially worsening the habit.
- Instead of self-berating, respond to procrastination with positive reinforcement (e.g., celebrating awareness) and redirecting focus (e.g., asking 'what would I like to do?').
- Work is often less painful than procrastinating, but the immediate pain of switching from procrastination to work (e.g., disengagement and prefrontal override) can dominate decisions due to hyperbolic discounting.
- Procrastination may not be restful; activities like reading random articles might not restore mental energy, while more structured, engaging tasks (e.g., good books, music) could be more effective for renewal.
- Different types of procrastination exist, with underlying causes including fear of failure, task uncertainty, emotional avoidance, and associative anxieties (e.g., tasks linked to larger fears).
- Behavioral strategies to counter procrastination include: creating low-pain task ladders, breaking tasks into easier steps, using mindfulness/meditation, setting external accountability, and scheduling renewal breaks.