The problem of procrastination

While walking along the seashores, a disciple of a monk said that he had a goal to achieve, but he was often distracted by the things around him and kept procrastinating in doing the planned tasks. He asked the monk to suggest ways to be more focused and undistracted.

The monk smiled gently and walked him into the sea until the water level reached their neck. Suddenly, the monk grabbed his head and dipped into the sea. After many such episodes, the disciple lost his patience. He yelled at the monk, “It seems you have great plans to kill me!”

The monk replied, “That we will decide later. Tell me, what were you longing for when I dipped you into the water? Did you think about your family, friends, and your wealth? The disciple said he was not thinking about anything except his breathing. The monk said, “You need the same to commit yourself to the tasks.”

The analogy leads to many questions. Whether the centrifugal force of procrastination was more potent than the centripetal force of the individual tasks? Is procrastination related to the fear of the unknown or a self-defeating behaviour? Is the human brain hardwired to procrastinate? Does the passive-aggressive personality type influence procrastinating behaviours?

Centripetal and centrifugal forces

Centripetal force is something that pulls objects inward, and centrifugal force pulls things in an outward direction. Metaphorically, employees should have been pulled by the centripetal force of their prioritised activities. Still, the centrifugal force of procrastination comes with an intense gravity overpowering the forces of centripetal force, pulling away the people from their purpose.

The interplay of various factors determines the strength of gravity of these two forces, which may be psychological, job roles, awards/rewards, or motivation. If the centripetal force of the chosen activities grows weaker, they may be drawn away from the circle of influence and keep meandering in the circle of concerns.

Psychological factors

One of the studies undertaken in Canada infers that procrastination is a psychological issue wherein the mind defers doing an activity to rejuvenate itself, or it is the process of mood repair (Sirois & Timothy, 2013). Indeed, procrastination is a natural process if the episodes are not prolonged. It does become a serious concern if the episodes of procrastination are incessant. Psychological assumptions like the Dysphoric effect and Negativity Bias influence procrastinating behaviours of employees.

Dysphoria includes mental conditions like anxiety, fear, depression, lack of attention and depression. The condition may be triggered by adverse life events or intense disliking for a chosen or imposed task. The trait of procrastination is believed to be influenced by the dysphoric condition of an employee. Dysphoria is listed in DSM-5 (Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, APA), and this condition affects the employees’ workplace productivity and impairs psychosomatic well-being.

Negative bias or covert negativity is one of the psychological reasons for procrastination wherein employees may attach negative bias towards a task or a goal and indiscriminately postpone the event, although aware of the adverse effects of postponement.

One of the articles published in Psychology Today (Timothy, 2018) inferred that people procrastinate tasks to repair their mood. However, this will have severe consequences in future. People’s negative thoughts or uncomfortable feelings associated with the tasks compel them to postpone things.

Xenophobia and procrastination 

The term xenophobia is referred to the fear of foreign or unfamiliar objects, and people tend to cultivate the xenophobic mindset if they are not comfortable or sure about the forthcoming events, tasks, or people. In this article, the term xenophobia is a metaphor for the fear of the unknown. People generally avoid new or strange activities and those they don’t feel comfortable accomplishing. Evidently, there is an absence of emotional or rational connection between the employees and the given task.     

Competencies and procrastination   

The traits of procrastination are believed to be rooted in the theory of self-efficacy, wherein the employees perceive their abilities to perform the given tasks. The execution of job behaviours depends on the employees’ intentions, beliefs, and motivation levels. If an employee perceives lower levels of self-efficacy to begin or complete the tasks, they may start displaying the traits of procrastination. In this context, procrastination is a void between the employees’ required job competencies and the specific job role. Therefore, it can be inferred that any deficiencies in required job skills may result in procrastination. 

Coping mechanism

Cultivating intense emotional desire, meaningful purpose, and rationality with the chosen tasks. This can increase the centripetal gravity while minimising the centrifugal forces of distraction. 

Understanding the extraneous psychological factors that are indirectly provoking procrastinating behaviours. It is advisable to disconnect personal life events that are influencing workplace behaviours.    

Neutralising the negative thoughts associated with the job tasks and hardwiring the mind with positive thoughts.

Visualising the remunerative experiences of accomplishing the task and the rewards associated with the task accomplishment. 

Ingraining a sense of belonging and ownership with the assigned tasks may diffuse an employee’s suspicion or scepticism about their task outcome. This can enhance the quality of task outcomes. Besides, the concerned authorities may exterminate any associated ambiguities with the job roles.

(The author is a professor of Behavioural Sciences, MAHE, Bengaluru)