Procrastinating: What we Call Laziness is more Complex Phenomenon

Procrastination is a widely known concept. So common that we probably don't pay much attention to it anymore.

Well, is it a choice or a symptom? This is the complex psychology behind the tendency of delay.

Simplified definition: The act of delaying activities that should be done on time.

Most people say that they procrastinate because they're lazy, have poor time management, or due to perfectionism. Yes, it is noble to look within when solving a problem, but what if I told you that this is not entirely a "get your ass up and start working" solution?

The Procrastination Myth

You do not procrastinate because you are a lazy bum. A 2016 study published in the Journal of Research in Personality found that people with high IQs tend to procrastinate more. People with high stakes, PhD students, engineers, and entrepreneurs, tend to procrastinate the most.

It means you don't procrastinate because you care too little (lazy); you do it because you care too much (perfectionist). No, don't wear perfectionism as a badge of honour.

Fight. Flight. Freeze

Deep in the brain's medial temporal lobe, the amygdala processes emotional reactions. The reactions of fight, flight, or freeze are conveyed in response to perceived threats or danger.

Now that you know that, let us look at it this way; procrastination is a protection mechanism. Most of us delay action when we fear rejection, looking stupid, or failure. This causes anxiety, and the amygdala fires up in response.

Tell me if these instances sound familiar:

You want to approach an attractive lady, but then you start thinking about your grooming, how stupid your pick-up/opening line will sound, how she might ignore you, et cetera. Suddenly you decide not to.

You want to apply for a job, but you are afraid that you don't meet all the qualifications, you don't do too well in interviews, and you don't want to receive that "I regret to inform you …" email again, there are countless people more qualified than I am, et cetera. Allover a sudden, you don't want the job.

You see, not approaching the lady or applying for the job has nothing to do with laziness or lack of skill. More precisely, your brain is protecting you from the unknowns you are feeding it.

The Anxiety-Excitement Spectrum

We can all tell the difference between cold and hot, but we don't know at what exact degree the switch happens. This is because hot and cold are on the same spectrum of temperature. Similarly, the anxiety causing procrastination and the excitement inspiring action are on the same spectrum of emotion.

That said, you can be anxious about a cold approach or excited about meeting an attractive lady. You can be anxious about the job application, or you can be excited about a new job. The trick word is 'manifesting' a different emotion.

"But what if I'm excited, but I get disappointed?" Okay, "What if you're not?" Both emotions require tapping into the future possibilities to manifest. So why would you tap into the negative possibility in lieu of the positive?