What Happens When You Procrastinate Too Much

There's a reason why people are such bad procrastinators. It's easy: Procrastinating feels great. But it's not so great for your brain since it pits two of your brain's heavy hitters, your limbic system, and your prefrontal cortex into a literal head-to-head match.

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What Happens When You Procrastinate Too Much

Following is a transcript of the video:

Most of us have procrastinated at some point in our lives. But about one in every five of us are compulsive about it. Putting off tasks and chores nearly every chance they get.

They’re called chronic procrastinators. And it turns out, this behavior does a lot more damage than you might think.

We get it, doing work is hard.

But when you choose to watch tv over doing laundry or washing the dishes you’ve just launched an all-out battle in your brain.

On one side is your prefrontal cortex. That’s the part of your brain that sets long-term goals and regulates self-control. It’s telling you that those dishes aren’t going to clean themselves.

On the opposing side is your limbic system. It deals with pleasure, arousal, and reward.

And it’s telling you that washing dishes is no fun, and you’ll have a better time doing something else. So, procrastination essentially puts your brain in its happy place.

It feels good. That’s why you do it. But just because it feels good doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you.

For example, several studies have found that undergraduate college students who procrastinated had a lower GPA in the latter half of the semester compared to non-procrastinators.

They were also more likely to get sick, based on their healthcare visits.

Moreover, other studies have found that procrastinators report higher levels of guilt and anxiety when they choose to procrastinate in the first place.

And if you keep it up, researchers have found that chronic procrastination is linked to: low self-confidence, Low energy, And depression.

Overall, your quality of life will probably be worse, than if you just listened to your prefrontal cortex. And you may think that you just have a different workflow or that you perform better under pressure.

But, sorry to say, there are no studies to support any benefits of chronic procrastination. Bottom line: it’s unhealthy. But not all hope is lost.

In fact, researchers have conducted dozens of scientific studies in search for ways to help procrastinators. What they’ve found time and again is that how you think about tasks can make a huge difference in how likely you are to procrastinate on them.

Tasks like saving for retirement, for example, can be abstract: There’s no immediate deadline, so you can always start tomorrow. And it’s this mentality that can lead you to procrastinate.

Instead, make your tasks more concrete in your mind.

For example, a study in 2011 discovered that people given an illustration of how they might look at retirement age were more likely to say they would save money for retirement, than people without an illustration.

The image was something tangible. And, therefore, painted a more concrete picture of their inevitable future.

Whatever the task, do your health a favor and do the work. You might just enjoy that tv show even more once you get to it.

[Z-thing]

It's the worst when you feel too guilty to do something fun, but can't get yourself to work either, so you're stuck in this unpleant state of wasting time while you could have been working or at least procrastinating in a fun way.

[crunchygarlicbread]

i procastinate so much that the task gets so overwhelming because i haven't done it so i just avoid it until i'm forced to do it.

[Christos-prql]

I'm going to stop procrastinating. But I'll stop tommorow.

[AlreadyTaken]

Video: Procrastination is bad!
Also video: Here's something to procrastinate with!

[LordofBroccoli]

Stupid brain. Why can't the Prefrontal Cortex and Limbic System team up and make chores pleasurable? Ugh

[pizzazpaz]

When I procrastinate, I want to work
When I work, I want to procrastinate

WTF is wrong with my brain

[surialpaca]

Omg this is me...Even when I know the consequences, I literally have no motivation to do my work. ;-;

[pumpkin]

I've tried so hard to stop procrastinating but it's so difficult. I do well and follow a routine for a while but then something happens that changes the routine and I end up delaying again. Basically, I have no commitment.

[lew]

So many people act as if we choose to procrastinate. Or as if it's just some behavior ir mentality that we do. Chronic procrastination is a real issue that we have no control over. We can't just break the habit and we can't just do our work. That's like telling a depressed person that going outside will make them feel better. It's not that simple. We genuinely cannot bring ourselves to do it.

[mitsakelastname]

I’ve been procrastinating ever since I got to high school at first I thought it wasn’t that big of a deal but it has progressed into much more I somehow did get to a higher level of school but because I procrastinate too much I put of my tasks I get bad grades and I end up feeling worthless and stupid. this is got me (at least I believe) into a depression and anxiety but I’m afraid to talk about it because I feel like it’s my fault and I should’ve stopped it I feel like it’s my responsibility I have it and I need to stop but I just can’t seem to find any motivation to do so.

[rea]

Talk with old or sick people. They'll tell you that one of their biggest regrets is to no have done enough things in their life. In front of death, we all regret procrastination.


*So clean the fricking dishes!*

[ruthhh.m]

I feel like low self confidence/ low energy/ depression are reasons why people procrastinate, not conditions that are onset by procrastination itself. Same with having more illnesses. There's a difference between saying something is *caused* by a factor and something *causes* another factor

[pijn]

I've put this video in the "Watch Later" list.

[sindhuagnikar]

I regret a lot being a chronic procastinator
I've been suffering from anxiety these days and i start shivering when someone talks to me..it also affected my social being giving me social anxiety..and i've started overthinking at the worst ..i hope i'll get out of it
I promise i won't procastinate from tomorrow

[NessaOfDorthonion]

As someone with ADHD I have big problems with procrastination, among other things. I try to pay attention to my habit to helps me with my procrastination. Like, I'm more likely to the dishes if I do them right after breakfast. And I remember to do laundry (and follow through with putting it all away) if I take care of it after lunch

[chintoast]

i really wanna change tbh :-( i feel so helpless. when theres nothing to stop me from procrastinating, i just opt on daydreaming or sleeping to avoid the task :-( my life is ruined ngl and my mental health is shit

[yesi]

*I'm watching this while I have an essay due in a few hours that I haven't even touched*

[mxaicaa]

I’m another level of a procrastinator. Literally a few days ago I have an assignment that was due and I don’t even do it when we had to hand it in, I told my teacher there was a problem with my wifi, which there wasn’t. Idk what to do man.

[ugotnojams]

Am I addicted because nothing can help me 😭 like if I stay home and have home work that day I say to myself “I’ll do it later” than repeat for the whole day until I have to do it 😕 it just is like hard to live with and I almost like doing this last minute

[louiskim]

Now I’m going to be even more anxious while procrastinating