5 very common reasons people procrastinate

Putting off that thing you need to get done or noticing this happening on your team?

Here are 5 Common Reasons People Procrastinate👇🏻

1. The task you need to do might have some uncertainty around it. Maybe it’s new, maybe it’s hard. As humans we have evolved to see uncertainty as a risk. So if there’s uncertainty, we avoid it!

2. The task you need to do is boring. In a world filled with endless entertainment and instant gratification - it can be hard to choose the boring task over the shinier/dopamine inducing task that will give you that quick hit of pleasure.

3. Your stress levels may be too high. Heightened levels of cortisol and/or adrenaline does create the optimal conditions for focus and concentration.

4. Your stress levels may be too low. We don’t want to get rid of stress altogether. A little bit of stress gives us the sense of urgency we need to get the task done.

5. There may be an uncomfortable emotion associated with this task that you do not want to feel. Again uncertainty is a big one. Other emotions might be fear, self-doubt, novelty etc.

Lastly, everyone’s experiences are unique and these reasons may not be relevant to you. Take what you find useful for self-education and self-exploration only, and leave the rest.

*Tip for managers/leaders - If you're noticing procrastination with someone on your team, look to understand the reasons why someone is procrastinating in the first place before trying to help them find solutions. The solution is often found within the root cause of the procrastination.

As always - reach out if you need help with getting to the root of your procrastination and implementing strategies to help you reach your goals.