The Procrastination Puzzle

Unravelling the Reason Behind Our Delay Tactics

C. Z. Zhu

REGARDLESS OF OUR INTENTIONS, WE ALL PROCRASTINATE. A concept that almost everyone is acquainted with has also been the scourge of productivity for all of us. It is a phenomenon that transcends age, occupation and culture, leaving many perplexed by their own ability to put off activities and commitments until the last minute. While we all know the detrimental nature of procrastinating, this concept seems to continually survive and even thrive, in our society now. As we explore more into this strange behaviour, we wonder why we fall to its appeal, often to our own disadvantage.

Before we ask the question of why we actually procrastinate, it is important to acknowledge that procrastination is the result of a multitude of behavioural reasons. The straightforward answer as to why we stall is because of poor time management and planning – but when is this truly the case? 

One of the reasons why many of us procrastinate is because of the lack of motivation or interest that we hold. When we see a 1000-word assignment due on a topic that doesn’t seem to have any impact on our life, it is truly difficult to tackle this assignment early on and it takes some serious discipline that I can safely say most of us do not have. A reason that I realised was that procrastination occurs when we don’t see any benefit from the activity. Why start that assignment early when I can just play video games and postpone it? This is why it is so difficult to just say that the solution to procrastination is organisation and time management when the actual issue stems from a lack of intrinsic motivation. 

Looking back on the world that we live in, the society that we are a part of, and the school that we represent, I see competition. 

Whether it is trying to make the highest team for your sport or trying to make that top class, our society is inherently competitive – to the point where it is almost unhealthy. I’m addressing this because another reason why we tend to leave everything to the last minute, is the universal fear of failure and desire for perfectionism. We have created a world where everyone wants to be the best, and many of us are expected to meet certain standards of perfection, which are truly hard to achieve. 

This desire for perfection creates a fear of failing to meet these expectations, which then leads to delays in tasks. Individuals are so scared of creating poor-quality work that they would rather not start the work entirely. Paradoxically, this fear of failure creates procrastination which is known to increase the likelihood of poorer performance.

The mystery of procrastination persists as it continues to impede our aspirations for a productive life. While it is tempting to blame procrastination on time management, in order to combat this problem, we must address these underlying issues. Through fostering a healthier approach to competition, emphasising the importance of finding passion in our tasks, and breaking away from the perfectionism cycle, perhaps we can solve the deadlock of this procrastination puzzle.