Do the words procrastination and/or laziness sound familiar to you? Hmmm, yes — to me, too!
What comes to your mind when we say procrastination or laziness? Maybe something like:
“Why do it today when I have more time later?”
“I’m tired, I’ll do it tomorrow”
“My boss didn’t ask for the project yet, so it’s not that important”
“The exam isn’t until next week, I still have a LOT of time to study” or
“I will wait to open the letter from the University that I applied to; it might be a rejection.”
Procrastination vs. Laziness:
In our fast-paced world, many adults seek counseling to better manage their time and responsibilities. In therapy, clients often use the two terms “procrastination” and “laziness” interchangeably. People often confuse procrastination with laziness because the outcomes look similar: incomplete tasks and decreased productivity.
However, the key difference lies in the internal experience and motivations behind these behaviors. Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks despite knowing there will be negative consequences. It is not about not wanting to do something, but rather about avoiding it due to various psychological reasons such as fear of failure, perfectionism, or feeling overwhelmed. Laziness, on the other hand, is a lack of willingness to exert effort. It is characterized by a lack of motivation to engage in activities or tasks, regardless of their importance or urgency.
While both concepts result in tasks not being done, procrastinators often feel guilt and distress about their inaction, whereas those who are lazy may not experience the same level of internal conflict. Let’s explore how they are different:
- Intent and Emotion: Procrastination involves an internal conflict where the person wants to complete a task but feels unable to start or finish it. Laziness lacks this internal struggle and is marked by indifference.
- Underlying Causes: Procrastination often stems from anxiety, fear, or perfectionism. Laziness may stem from a lack of interest or energy, often related to lifestyle factors such as poor sleep or diet.
What causes procrastination?
Let us analyze in depth if there is a relationship between behavior and feeling. Procrastination is a behavior deeply intertwined with our emotional and psychological states. Basically, procrastination is an avoidance strategy used to temporarily avoid negative feelings associated with a task. These feelings can include:
- anxiety
- fear of failure or judgment
- self-doubt and indecisiveness
- perfectionism
- heavy workload
- lack of structure (e.g., clear deadlines and expectations)
This avoidance provides immediate emotional relief, reinforcing the procrastination behavior despite the long-term negative consequences, such as increased stress and guilt as deadlines approach. Thus, procrastination creates a cycle where the temporary alleviation of negative feelings lead to repeated avoidance, reinforcing the behavior over time. Examples:
- You do not believe that you can do something, and you leave it until the last minute.
- When you cannot commit enough, because it consumes a lot of your time, and it starts to stress or worry you.
- We seek perfection in all our tasks; as a result, only then can we experience satisfaction and joy.
- Time is running out for that presentation and the pressure is on us, so we begin to experience anxiety/stress.
- When we cannot distinguish our abilities, even when we know we have them, we start to feel depressed.
Example 1: Sarah is a marketing professional who has an important project due in a week. Despite knowing the deadline, she keeps putting off starting the project because she feels overwhelmed by the scope of the work. She spends her time doing less important tasks and worries about the project constantly.
Example 2: Mike is a college student with a term paper due in a month. He knows the importance of this paper for his final grade, but he delays starting it because he feels unsure about his topic and fears he won’t meet his own high standards. Instead, he focuses on less critical assignments and social activities, pushing the term paper further down his priority list.
Yes, my dear friend, we procrastinate because we find it difficult to confront our negative emotions and we focus on the future. That is when we must focus on doing important tasks and we experience feelings such as boredom, anxiety, insecurity, frustration, resentment, etc. That is, we avoid the present that is difficult for us and we feel uncomfortable doing so, BUT that postponement produces even more negative feelings in the short future.
What causes Laziness?
Laziness is characterized by a general lack of motivation to put forth effort. When individuals do not find personal value or satisfaction in their tasks, they may appear lazy. This lack of intrinsic motivation can stem from a mismatch between the individual’s interests and their responsibilities. There are many possible reasons that individuals display laziness, including:
- physiological (sleep deprivation, poor nutrition)
- medical conditions (hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia)
- psychological (depression, self-doubt, learned helplessness)
- environmental (lack of structure, overstimulation, distraction)
- behavioral (sedentary lifestyle, need for immediate gratification, avoidance)
Example 1: John, a recent college graduate, lives with his parents. He is expected to apply for jobs but prefers spending his days playing video games. He knows he needs to start his job search but feels no urgency or desire to take action.
Example 2: Emily works from home and has flexible hours. She often spends her mornings lounging in bed and watching TV instead of starting her workday. She lacks the motivation to follow a structured schedule and finds herself rushing to complete tasks at the last minute, not because she feels anxious or overwhelmed, but because she prefers a leisurely lifestyle.
STRATEGIES FOR OVERCOMING PROCRASTINATION AND LAZINESS:
Well, now that we know the causes, we can focus on the solutions, right? Mental health therapists often suggest several strategies to help individuals manage procrastination and laziness. We see that procrastination is related to feelings, so what can we do as a person to start procrastinating less when those negative feelings appear?
First, believe that change is possible and start by having empathy for ourselves. That is, if we can encourage and understand our friends when they procrastinate, why not do the same for ourselves? After that, here are some tactics that can be practiced at home:
1. Set Specific Goals:
For example, “Break the first-minute barrier.” Yes, I understand that getting started is the most difficult part, BUT if you manage to start, gradually your brain will not feel anxiety and thus be able to break that barrier of the first movement.
2. Limit Distractions:
We can detect temptations or distractions. When focusing on what we should do, the fewer distractions or temptations we have around us will help us focus more easily.
3. Break Tasks into Smaller Steps:
We can divide the task into subtasks or see what the priorities are and do it gradually, so we do not feel overwhelmed. Moreover, during those small breaks, it is of utmost importance to practice affirmations and see each small achievement completed.
4. Create Realistic Expectations:
If your procrastination is because you are a perfectionist, try redirecting that strong mindset and replacing it with how your work will influence others. That is to say, your work will not be impacted by how it looks or by its perfection; your work will be impacted by the content and the way you are communicating it.
5. Seek Accountability:
When you make a decision, communicate it. When you share with someone a decision or a presentation date or you share each step, it becomes easier not to procrastinate, because by sharing you are creating a commitment with that person you’re sharing with.
6. Develop a Routine:
Once you know what you have to do and you have divided it into steps, it will be easier to give yourself specific time constraints to finish each step.
Understanding the difference between procrastination and laziness, and recognizing their underlying causes, can empower individuals to make meaningful changes in their behavior. With the right strategies and support, it is possible to overcome both procrastination and laziness, leading to greater productivity and well-being.
As you will see, my dear friend, procrastination is related to negative feelings but the good news is that you can redirect those negative feelings and transform them into motivation and empowerment.
