Understanding Why We Procrastinate — And What We Can Do About It

Procrastination is one of those things we all joke about, but secretly feel weighed down by. Ask almost anyone, “Do you procrastinate?” and you’ll usually get a guilty smile followed by a story about a deadline they ignored until the last second. It’s comforting to know it’s so common—research shows that while about 20% of adults are chronic procrastinators, the numbers skyrocket to 75–95% in school settings. So if you’ve ever felt like procrastination is part of your personality, you’re definitely not alone.

But there’s a difference between occasionally putting things off and feeling like procrastination is running your life. When it starts to interfere with your goals, your wellbeing, or your confidence, it becomes something worth examining more closely. That’s what this module is all about: noticing your patterns, understanding them, and eventually learning how to break out of them.

What Procrastination Actually Is (And Isn’t)

One of the biggest myths is that procrastination equals laziness. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Laziness means not caring — procrastination usually means caring too much. It’s an emotional reaction, not a personality flaw.

A helpful way to define procrastination is:

Making a decision—without a valid reason—to delay or not complete a task you intended to do, choosing something less important instead, even though you know it will have negative consequences.

This definition reveals a few things:

• Procrastination is often intentional, though the decision can happen so fast it feels automatic.

• It usually involves replacing an important task with a less important one.

• We do it even though we know it’s going to make things harder later.

• What separates everyday putting-off from problematic procrastination is the impact.

Once you see procrastination as a pattern instead of a flaw, it becomes something you can actually work with.

Where Do You Procrastinate Most?

Being “a procrastinator” doesn’t mean you procrastinate in every area of life. Most people have domains they manage well, and others where putting things off becomes a constant battle.

It might show up in your:

• Work (emails, deadlines, projects)

• School (assignments, studying, asking for help)

• Home life (cleaning, errands, unfinished tasks)

• Health (appointments, lifestyle changes)

• Finances (opening mail, budgeting, taxes)

• Relationships (replying to messages, making plans, hard conversations)

• Personal growth (starting hobbies, courses, or long-term goals)

• Decision-making (avoiding choices or commitments)

A powerful first step is self-awareness. The module suggests carrying a small notebook for a week and jotting down moments when you put off something important. That way, you start noticing your patterns instead of feeling overwhelmed by them.

From there, you choose one task or area to work on.Not ten.Not five.Just one.

Why?Because procrastination is a habit—and replacing a habit takes time. Starting small makes success possible and sustainable.

What You Do Instead of What You’re Supposed to Do

When we procrastinate, we don’t just sit in silence. We replace the important task with something easier, more fun, or more comforting. It’s like our brain reaches for the emotional equivalent of a band-aid.

These “procrastination activities” can include:

• Pleasure activities (TV, games, music, scrolling)

• Lower-priority tasks (cleaning, reorganizing, doing busywork)

• Socializing (calling, texting, hanging out)

• Daydreaming (imagining your future or the task magically being done)

• Distractions (sleeping, snacking, substances)

None of these things are “bad.” The issue isn’t the activity—it’s the timing. These distractions become problematic when they replace something that genuinely matters or has consequences.

Next time you catch yourself drifting into a distraction, try asking:

“Is this something I genuinely want to do right now, or am I using it to avoid something more important?”

That one question can change everything.

The Hidden Excuses That Make Procrastination Feel “Okay”

Procrastination always comes with self-talk. Some of the most common excuses are:

• “I’m too tired—it’s better to do it tomorrow.”

• “I don’t have everything I need.”

• “I don’t have enough time to finish it properly.”

• “It’s too late in the day to start.”

• “I’ll get more done when I feel inspired.”

• “I’m already stressed—I don’t need more right now.”

• “I work better under pressure.”

• “It won’t turn out good enough anyway.”

The tricky part?These excuses often contain a grain of truth — which is why they’re so convincing.

But the conclusion we draw from them (“so I shouldn’t start right now”) is where the real problem lies. Learning to challenge these thoughts is a huge part of overcoming procrastination, and the later modules teach you how.

Key Takeaways from This Module

• Procrastination is extremely common, especially among students.

• It’s not laziness — it’s an emotional, habitual pattern.

• The problem isn’t putting things off once in a while — it’s when the consequences start affecting your life.

• We procrastinate in specific areas, not all of them.

• We often replace important tasks with easier ones, calling it “being productive.”

• We use excuses to justify the delay and protect ourselves from guilt.

• Change begins with awareness: noticing what you avoid, what you do instead, and what excuses you use.

Reference: www.cci.health.wa.gov.au