why procrastinators procrastinate

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Why Procrastinators Procrastinate

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  • 6/13/15 7:14 PMWhy Procrastinators Procrastinate | Wait But Why

    Page 1 of 11http://waitbutwhy.com/2013/10/why-procrastinators-procrastinate.html

    ByTimUrban

    WhyProcrastinatorsProcrastinate

    pro-cras-ti-na-tion|prkrastnSHn,pr-|nountheactionofdelayingorpostponingsomething:yourfirsttipistoavoidprocrastination.

    Whowouldhavethoughtthatafterdecadesofstrugglewithprocrastination,thedictionary,ofallplaces,wouldholdthesolution.

    Avoidprocrastination.Soelegantinitssimplicity.

    Whilewerehere,letsmakesureobesepeopleavoidovereating,depressedpeopleavoidapathy,andsomeonepleasetellbeachedwhalesthattheyshouldavoidbeingoutoftheocean.

    No,avoidprocrastinationisonlygoodadviceforfakeprocrastinatorsthosepeoplethatarelike,ItotallygoonFacebookafewtimeseverydayatworkImsuchaprocrastinator!Thesamepeoplethatwillsaytoarealprocrastinatorsomethinglike,Justdontprocrastinateandyoullbefine.

    Thethingthatneitherthedictionarynorfakeprocrastinatorsunderstandisthatforarealprocrastinator,procrastinationisntoptionalitssomethingtheydontknowhowtonotdo.

    Incollege,thesuddenunbridledpersonalfreedomwasadisasterformeIdidnothing,ever,foranyreason.TheoneexceptionwasthatIhadtohandinpapersfromtimetotime.Iwoulddothosethenightbefore,untilIrealizedIcouldjustdothemthroughthenight,andIdidthatuntilIrealizedIcouldactuallystartthemintheearlymorningonthedaytheyweredue.ThisbehaviorreachedcaricaturelevelswhenIwasunabletostartwritingmy90-pageseniorthesisuntil72hoursbeforeitwasdue,anexperiencethatendedwithmeinthecampusdoctorsofficelearningthatlackofbloodsugarwasthereasonmyhandshadgonenumbandcurledupagainstmywill.(Ididgetthethesisinno,itwasnotgood.)

    Eventhisposttookmuchlongerthanitshouldhave,becauseIspentabunchofhoursdoingthingslikeseeingthispicturesittingonmydesktopfromapreviouspost,openingit,lookingatitforalongtimethinkingabouthoweasilyhecouldbeatmeinafight,thenwonderingifhecouldbeatatigerinafight,thenwonderingwhowouldwinbetweenalionandatiger,andthengooglingthatandreadingaboutitforawhile(thetigerwouldwin).Ihaveproblems.

    Tounderstandwhyprocrastinatorsprocrastinatesomuch,letsstartbyunderstandinganon-

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  • 6/13/15 7:14 PMWhy Procrastinators Procrastinate | Wait But Why

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    procrastinatorsbrain:

    Prettynormal,right?Now,letslookataprocrastinatorsbrain:

    Noticeanythingdifferent?

    ItseemstheRationalDecision-MakerintheprocrastinatorsbrainiscoexistingwithapettheInstantGratificationMonkey.

    Thiswouldbefinecute,eveniftheRationalDecision-Makerknewthefirstthingabouthowtoownamonkey.Butunfortunately,itwasntapartofhistrainingandhesleftcompletelyhelplessasthemonkeymakesitimpossibleforhimtodohisjob.

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  • 6/13/15 7:14 PMWhy Procrastinators Procrastinate | Wait But Why

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    Thefactis,theInstantGratificationMonkeyisthelastcreaturewhoshouldbeinchargeofdecisionshethinksonlyaboutthepresent,ignoringlessonsfromthepastanddisregardingthefuturealtogether,andheconcernshimselfentirelywithmaximizingtheeaseandpleasureofthecurrentmoment.HedoesntunderstandtheRationalDecision-MakeranybetterthantheRationalDecision-Makerunderstandshimwhywouldwecontinuedoingthisjog,hethinks,whenwecouldstop,whichwouldfeelbetter.Whywouldwepracticethatinstrumentwhenitsnotfun?Whywouldweeveruseacomputerforworkwhentheinternetissittingrighttherewaitingtobeplayedwith?Hethinkshumansareinsane.

    Inthemonkeyworld,hesgotitallfiguredoutifyoueatwhenyourehungry,sleepwhenyouretired,anddontdoanythingdifficult,youreaprettysuccessfulmonkey.Theproblemfortheprocrastinatoristhathehappenstoliveinthehumanworld,makingtheInstantGratificationMonkeyahighlyunqualifiednavigator.Meanwhile,theRationalDecision-Maker,whowastrainedtomakerationaldecisions,nottodealwithcompetitionoverthecontrols,doesntknowhowtoputupaneffectivefighthejustfeelsworseandworseabouthimselfthemorehefailsandthemorethesufferingprocrastinatorwhoseheadhesinberateshim.

    Itsamess.Andwiththemonkeyincharge,theprocrastinatorfindshimselfspendingalotoftimeinaplacecalledtheDarkPlayground.*

    TheDarkPlaygroundisaplaceeveryprocrastinatorknowswell.Itsaplacewhereleisureactivitieshappenattimeswhenleisureactivitiesarenotsupposedtobehappening.ThefunyouhaveintheDarkPlaygroundisntactuallyfunbecauseitscompletelyunearnedandtheairisfilledwithguilt,anxiety,self-hatred,anddread.SometimestheRationalDecision-Makerputshisfootdownandrefusestoletyouwastetimedoingnormalleisurethings,andsincetheInstantGratificationMonkeysureashellisntgonnaletyouwork,youfindyourselfinabizarrepurgatoryofweirdactivitieswhereeveryoneloses.**

  • 6/13/15 7:14 PMWhy Procrastinators Procrastinate | Wait But Why

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    AndthepoorRationalDecision-Makerjustmopes,tryingtofigureouthowheletthehumanhessupposedtobeinchargeofenduphereagain.

    Giventhispredicament,howdoestheprocrastinatorevermanagetoaccomplishanything?

    Asitturnsout,theresonethingthatscarestheshitoutoftheInstantGratificationMonkey:

  • 6/13/15 7:14 PMWhy Procrastinators Procrastinate | Wait But Why

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    ThePanicMonsterisdormantmostofthetime,buthesuddenlywakesupwhenadeadlinegetstoocloseorwhentheresdangerofpublicembarrassment,acareerdisaster,orsomeotherscaryconsequence.

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    TheInstantGratificationMonkey,normallyunshakable,isterrifiedofthePanicMonster.Howelsecouldyouexplainthesamepersonwhocantwriteapapersintroductorysentenceoveratwo-weekspansuddenlyhavingtheabilitytostayupallnight,fightingexhaustion,andwriteeightpages?WhyelsewouldanextraordinarilylazypersonbeginarigorousworkoutroutineotherthanaPanicMonsterfreakoutaboutbecominglessattractive?

    AndthesearetheluckyprocrastinatorstherearesomewhodontevenrespondtothePanicMonster,andinthemostdesperatemomentstheyenduprunningupthetreewiththemonkey,enteringastateofself-annihilatingshutdown.

    Quiteacrowdweare.

    Ofcourse,thisisnowaytolive.Evenfortheprocrastinatorwhodoesmanagetoeventuallygetthingsdoneandremainacompetentmemberofsociety,somethinghastochange.Herearethemainreasonswhy:

  • 6/13/15 7:14 PMWhy Procrastinators Procrastinate | Wait But Why

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    1)Itsunpleasant.FartoomuchoftheprocrastinatorsprecioustimeisspenttoilingintheDarkPlayground,timethatcouldhavebeenspentenjoyingsatisfying,well-earnedleisureifthingshadbeendoneonamorelogicalschedule.Andpanicisntfunforanyone.

    2)Theprocrastinatorultimatelysellshimselfshort.Heendsupunderachievingandfailstoreachhispotential,whicheatsawayathimovertimeandfillshimwithregretandself-loathing.

    3)TheHave-To-Dosmayhappen,butnottheWant-To-Dos.EveniftheprocrastinatorisinthetypeofcareerwherethePanicMonsterisregularlypresentandhesabletobefulfilledatwork,theotherthingsinlifethatareimportanttohimgettinginshape,cookingelaboratemeals,learningtoplaytheguitar,writingabook,reading,orevenmakingaboldcareerswitchneverhappenbecausethePanicMonsterdoesntusuallygetinvolvedwiththosethings.Undertakingslikethoseexpandourexperiences,makeourlivesricher,andbringusalotofhappinessandformostprocrastinators,theygetleftinthedust.

    Sohowcanaprocrastinatorimproveandbecomehappier?SeePart2,HowToBeatProcrastination.

    *AlotofyouareprobablyreadingthisarticlewhileintheDarkPlayground.

    **IspenttwohoursintheDarkPlaygroundrightbeforeIdrewtheDarkPlaygrounddrawing,becauseIwasdreadinghavingtodrawthesignpost,whichIknewwouldbehardandtakeforever(whichitdid).

    Whiletheyreruiningyourlife,youmightaswellcuddlewiththem:

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