If procrastination is a symptom, what is the cause?

It’s the anticipation of how annoying or unpleasant the task will be. My own problem with procrastination largely went away when I realized that the reality of doing the task was rarely as unpleasant as I had imagined, and that my life became much less stressful when I did things in a timely way. All that time, I had let a mere idea—this erroneous anticipation—stand in my way and add unneeded stress. Screw that.

I’m really good at getting things done last minute or when under a lot of stress. I wish I was bad at it, I feel I’d be less likely to put so much shit off till later. My end thought is usually somethin like “eh why do it now, it’s not due for another month/week/day/hour, I’ll just get it done real quick before I need it.”

I think for some it’s just a habit. I know my husband has a hard time dealing with it when he thinks someone is “telling him what to do,” even if the persona is actually making a very simple request. He’ll underscore “No one tells ME what to do,” by not doing something, or saying he’ll do it later.
Problem is, he reacts that way even if he’s the one telling himself to do something!

Wait. I didn’t answer the question. I do whatever needs to be done, right then, usually. Sometimes I’ll trick myself, like, if the dishes need to be done and I don’t want to do them I’ll tell my self, “Just fill the sink up with dish soap and water, Val. You don’t need to wash them.” Then, “Just wash one plate, Val. That’s all you have to do. Nothing else.” And before I know it, it’s done!

Fear.

A lack of appreciation of the fact that time is the only true non-renewable resource

For me it is my ADHD. I get way too easily distracted and other things I’d rather do keep getting in the way of the things I know I should get done. Plus realizing a long time ago I will never come close to getting done the list of things I know I want and have to do before I die has taken away a sense of urgency. I will get to it if and when I do.

Procrastination can also be related to personality type. I am fairly balanced and get things done as they show up for the most part, but, being a perceiving type I am also very ingenious and KNOW I can pull things off at the last minute, so why do now what I can do later? haha
I’m more of a work in bursts of energy than a slow and steady, methodical type. I go for flurry and fury. lol

Sorry, I am just now getting around to answering this question.

In my case it is usually a genuine dislike of the task or depression.

However, in this case it was to make brownie points.

I think this can also be a passive-agressive behavior. The person may resent having to do whatever it is that needs to be done and they put it off as a way to say “F-you! I’m not doing that!”

Yep @tedibear.

Hm well if I know I can get things done the fastest and most efficiently in the last minute is it really procrastination or just a late time block for something?

This of course doesn’t apply to everything I do but some things like packing I have done so many times I know that I can get moved in a day and have time to spare.. Unpacking to for the most part… I like my place to be settled to look settled and to know where everything is. Order is important. I also pack for trips the last day because I am going to be using some of that stuff until the last day so why bother being halfway packed and having a suitcase out longer then necessary instances like this I think is far more practical then doing them well in advance.

I used to be a procrastinator and for me it was a mixture of depression and a way to control my life… (passive-aggressive) This was a habit formed as a child as I was very resentful of how my time wasn’t my own to dictate. Now if I display the behavior, by the time I was on my own it was habitual. Though now I have broken that habit unless it is something I fear or dread, the end result. But I have even started recognizing the reason behind that motivation and how it usually negatively impacts my life in various ways. As well as depresses me. So recognizing the source consciously helps me deal with it directly instead of allowing anxiety to take over. Leaps and bounds I have improved.

The only remaining things are things that are optional to a degree. My days are pretty full and surprises come and I usually go with the flow if I want to badly enough I will make the time.

Sometimes procrastination is a way to feel like you are less of a slave, more a free man.

Procrastination is when you keep telling your brain reasons not to do stuff or to get back to them later. But unfortunately that “later” never comes. I do practise procrastination and yes a lot of times I land up in deep troubles for it. And like me everyone procrastinates..well atleast once in their life. It’s a habit or more like a disease which when caused makes a person physically and mentally held back. If caused once, it’s very difficult to get rid off because you straight up fall in love with it. But soon when you see yourself digged so deep under , then you realise that it’s too late. It’s hard to get out from. So therefore it’s better to never do it in the first place. But that’s not what actually happens we all somewhere somehow fall in the trap. But we all should know our strengths and weaknesses along the way.

Being responsible and dependable and doing things that need to be done is a choice made freely. So is being unreliable and not keeping your word and blowing off important things. Both are example of being free. I’d say it’s a question of maturity more than freedom.