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The Procrastination Paradox: Why We Wait and How to Change
Fuschia Sirois, PhD, is a Professor of Social and Health Psychology at Durham University and a former Canada Research Chair in Health and Well-being. Her research focuses on understanding the psychological factors and qualities that influence risk or resilience for physical health and well-being outcomes through self-regulation and emotions.
For over 20 years, she has studied the causes and consequences of procrastination, particularly its health effects, and how emotions play a key role in why people procrastinate. Her research also explores the role of positive psychology traits, states, and interventions in supporting self-regulation and enhancing health and well-being.
She has authored over 120 peer-reviewed journal papers, presented over 200 conference papers, edited two books, and in 2022 released her first book, Procrastination: What It Is, Why It’s a Problem, and What You Can Do About It.
Summary
02:52 How would Fuschia define procrastination?
- Procrastination is a specific form of unnecessary, voluntary delay.
- It involves delaying an important task without good reason, despite potential negative consequences.
- The key aspect is an emotional reaction to a task, not time management or motivation issues.
07:06 How has Fuschia dedicated over twenty years to studying procrastination?
- Fuschia’s interest in procrastination began serendipitously while studying health psychology as a PhD student at Carleton University.
- She was drawn to investigate the link between procrastination and health after a study showed surprising health markers among procrastinating students that later reversed.
- Collaboration with Tim Pychol, an expert in procrastination, led Fuschia to explore both the consequences and causes of procrastination.
- Her research also ties into interests in positive psychology.
08:44 How does Fuschia define procrastination?
- Fuschia follows the unified research definition: procrastination is a type of delay involving an important task.
- It’s an unnecessary and voluntary delay, not due to external reasons such as an urgent task or an emergency.
- Procrastination occurs despite intentions to complete a task, with awareness of potential negative consequences.
- It’s distinguished from simple delay by involving significant personal emotional and volitional factors.
11:19 Why do we procrastinate according to Fuschia?
- Emotions are central, with procrastination driven by avoiding negative emotions like insecurity, fear, dread, and anxiety.
- People often procrastinate not because of the task itself but due to aversive emotional responses to the task.
- It’s subjective, linked to personal emotional transactions with the task rather than the task’s objective nature.
14:39 What’s the link between procrastination and self-regulation?
- It’s not just about task delay but also the struggle to regulate internal states, emotions, and impulses.
- Impulsivity can make disengaging from negative emotions easier, but emotions are the core trigger.
- The struggle lies in managing emotions internally rather than avoiding them through procrastination.
17:30 Can procrastination be linked with perfectionism, self-confidence, or anxiety?
- Perfectionism, especially self-critical types, has a strong link to procrastination.
- Perfectionists may procrastinate due to fear of not meeting high standards or preserving a perfect vision of the task.
- Procrastination can occur if individuals lack self-confidence or anxiety about their ability to complete a task satisfactorily.
24:05 How do procrastinators compare to non-procrastinators in terms of work ethic and personal enjoyment?
- Research shows procrastinating students may engage less in ethical study practices, like cheating or making false excuses.
- Despite claims of working best under pressure, procrastinators usually achieve lower performance.
- The stress of last-minute work undermines well-being, contrary to beliefs that adrenaline highs improve work quality.
38:06 What are the emotional and practical consequences of habitual procrastination?
- Procrastination is linked to mental health issues like anxiety and depression, which also make procrastination more likely.
- Stress levels in procrastinators are higher, impacting immune function and health.
- Chronic procrastination may relate to poor heart health and adverse health habits like poor dieting and lack of exercise, exacerbated by stress.
Links mentioned:
Connect with Fuschia Sirois on LinkedIn
Study: Overcome procrastination: Enhancing emotion regulation skills reduce procrastination
Study: General and Life-Domain Procrastination in Highly Educated Adults in Israel
Study: Procrastination’s Impact in the Workplace and the Workplace’s Impact on Procrastination
