The Psychology of Procrastination.

One of the most common distortions of human behaviour is procrastination that is putting off or postponement of work. In its mildest form, it may seem harmless. One may not notice any negative effects if one is able to cover-up and can resume one’s normal life. However, when it becomes a habit, it starts affecting one’s life in a negative way. One may not be able to catch up with time, leading to all the adverse consequences, including anxiety and depression.

That is why the common folk wise saying warns us not to put off our work. It tells us to do the tomorrow’s work today and today’s work right now. Some poets have termed procrastination as the “sin of omission” which they regard even worse than the sin of “commission.” Odgen Nash says, “it is the sin of omission that lays eggs under your skin.” However, procrastination is a wide-spread human behaviour oddity. It is quite enigmatic why people frequently behave in ways that are not in their self-interest.

Writers, thinkers, and psychologists have at all times tried to explain and analyze this self-defeating human behaviour. Psychologists link procrastination to the state of mind of a person. They say that thoughts, feelings, and behaviour are mutually reciprocal. Thus, one can modify one’s self-defeating mental set-up if one changes one’s behaviour to get motivated.

Now, a question similar to the one of egg or hen arises here. People who indulge in procrastination complain of lack of motivation to do something. So, it is pertinent to see whether motivation beforehand is necessary for any action, or the start of action gives rise to motivation. Psychologists believe that it is the action that generates motivation. It is quite similar to looking for something interesting to do or taking interest in doing something. Of its own, no action can be termed interesting. It becomes interesting when one starts taking interest in a work.

Procrastination, when it is associated with depression is an extreme state of this distortion. This becomes the most destructive behaviour in that state of mind. It paralyzes ones will-power, lack of activity intensifies this state of mind of not doing anything. This urge to do nothing becomes over-whelming. One feels worse and worse. One may cut oneself from ones sources of pleasure and optimism. One lack of productivity may generate a feeling of self-hatred, isolation and incapacitation sets in. One gets into an emotional prison that may affect one’s family also.

In such a state of mind, one must seek the help of a mental health professional. It is well known that CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) is very effective in such cases. The therapist can help you come out of the shell and get on the track. Once you start this self-help yourself, you are definitely out of the woods.