Why can’t we stop putting things off?

WHY can’t we stop gWotihnoegnwtoiosrkgs?ehet A.Why do people procrastinate? putting things off? One explanation for why people procrasti- Do you ever wonder why you keep putting things nate is that they want a temporary reprieve. This is a prime example of ‘present bias’ where off? What is the usefulness of this procrastination you prioritise what makes you feel good in the tendency, if any? Rather than blaming yourself for present and delay the unpleasantness of the succumbing to laziness, could there be underlying postponed task. It could be the task itself that is brain mechanisms that explain why some people are inherently off-putting, or it may arise from more prone to procrastination than others? And with self-originated cause e.g. self-doubt, anxiety, this understanding, do we have actual ways to manage depression, low self-esteem, etc. These this tendency and make it our friend rather than foe? feelings are processed in the amygdala, the brain’s emotion-processing machinery which Uwrniftiinnigsh. ed perceives the task as a real threat and drives the need to remove or avoid such thing even at the expense of productivity loss or ensuing stress [1]. In accordance with this line of argument, Dr Tim Pychyl, a psychologist at the Procrasti- nation Research Group at Carleton University and several experts in the field believe procrasti- nation to be an emotion regulation problem, not a time management problem [2]. Btooorkesads.he wants

Neuropsychology of In support of the theory, there have been a few studies C.Distractibility and that made use of the neuroscience techniques such as EEG and procrastination B.procrastination fMRI to investigate the underlying brain mechanisms associat- Delaying the onset of a task or prolonging ed with the act of procrastination [4]. A recent fMRI study task completion could be a result of deliberate recruited 264 participants to assess if there is a neural correlate decision, yet it could also arise from individu- that explains interindividual differences in action control [5]. al’s inability to ward off distractions. From The degree of action control was probed with a questionnaire years of strenuous research, it has been estab- and the participants’ brain was measured with resting-state lished that the dorsal attention network which imaging and functional amygdala connectivity. The researchers connects prefrontal cortex and parietal cortex is observed that females were less action oriented and more responsible for our ability to attend and focus prone to getting stuck in the negatives, unable to move on swift- on a task. Another network known as the ly. In addition, individuals who were less likely to initiate default mode network on the contrary becomes actions (i.e., low score on decision-related action orientation activated when we are not focusing on anything (AOD), in other words more state oriented) were shown to have in particular and just relax or mind-wander [6]. higher amygdala volume and that the interindividual differenc- This has been supported by the research work The action control theory by Kuhl in 1992 es in AOD correlated with interindividual differences in of Hedy Kober and colleagues which shows posits that different mental constructs can resting-state connectivity between the amygdala and the dorsal that the activity of the posterior cingulate cortex drive behaviours that are dissociable from and anterior cingulate cortex (i.e., the executive control centre). (PCC), part of the default mode network, is misalign with intended goals. More specifically, These findings fall in line with the difficulty individuals encoun- turned down in long-term meditators com- the constructs could fall under two disparate ter in suppressing the distractors while they are supposed to be pared to non-meditators which correlates with schemas, i.e., action orientation vs state orien- focusing on a task. better focus in the former group [7]. Elucidat- tation [3]. In simple terms, action-oriented ing the underlying brain regions may prove individuals focus more on the act of doing itself useful for developing targeted brain stimulation and are often an initiator of actions. On the protocol to amp up or dial down the activity of contrary, state-oriented individuals tend to be Anterior cingulate the regions of interest and ultimately improve more cautious in their approach. As a result of the ability to sustain attention and reduce their hesitancy, they are more prone to switch- cortex distractibility-borne procrastination. ing between task, and inevitably procrastinate. There are two sides to both constructs, and correctly identifying where you sit along the spectrum can go a long way in adopting coping strategies that are effective for you. Amygdala

D.Befriending procrastination Alternatively, you could attempt to improve your emotional control, be forgiving With reference to B, one way to push your- and be kind to yourself, cut yourself some slack. Sometimes doing your best is enough, it is self more towards action orientation is to break healthy to strive for excellence but do not let the perfectionism in you hinder you from achieving things down into tiny steps, so the task is not your potential (note a related topic ‘mindset’ will be discussed in the next article). some imaginary giant mountain to conquer. Also, you get a small but constant dose of satis- If your procrastination mostly appears to originate from distractibility (see C), one useful faction, which will keep the momentum going. tip is to practice meditation. It has been demonstrated in numerous studies that meditation Plenty of advices point towards a consensus boosts focus by strengthening the dorsal attention network and at the same time functionally that you should not rely on motivation since it rewiring the brain circuitry [7, 8]. If anything, mastering the ability to focus and filter out can be unreliable, particularly when the task is distractions will certainly come in handy in the current world full of information deluge [9]. time limited. Additionally, if you are procrasti- nating but you feel that it is within reasons, you Remember habitual procrastination is not a reflection of your time management skills or can opt to make good use of your time while lack thereof, but it is a maladaptive lifestyle that has been linked to mental health problems you are at it. including depression and anxiety [10]. Like everything else in life, getting it under control and in moderation are key to attaining optimal well-being. If things get so far out of hand, you can always seek professional help. References [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-pro- crastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html [[o32r]]iehKntuttahptlsi,o:/Jn/.w, (sw1e9wlf9‐.2pd)si.sy\"ccArhimtohlioenogarytytiooondf,asyae.nclfdo‐mrseo/gmuusle/abtailpoopngl:/idcAoacnttiitoo-ndnsev.l\"aeAyrspupsliesdtate Psychology 41(2): 97-129. [4] https://www.insider.com/procrastinators-and-doers-have-differ- [e5n]t-Sbcrhailnüst-e2r0,1C8.,-1e0t al. (2018). \"The structural and functional signature of action control.\" Psychological science 29(10): 1620-1630. [6] https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20141015-concen- trate-how-to-focus-better [7] Brewer, J.A., et al. (2011). \"Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity.\" Proceed- i[n8g]sTaonfgth, eY.NYa.t,ioHnöallzAecl,adBe.mK.y, of Sciences 108(50): 20254-20259. & Posner, M. I. (2015). “The neurosci- ence of mindfulness meditation.” Nature Reviews Neuroscience 16(4): 213-225. [9] https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jan/18/mod- ern-world-bad-for-brain-daniel-j-levitin-organized-mind-information-o verload [10] Tice, D. M., & Baumeister, R. F. (1997). “Longitudinal study of procrastination, performance, stress, and health: The costs and benefits of dawdling.” Psychological science 8(6), 454-458.

D.Befriending procrastination Alternatively, you could attempt to improve your emotional control, be forgiving With reference to B, one way to push your- and be kind to yourself, cut yourself some slack. Sometimes doing your best is enough, it is self more towards action orientation is to break healthy to strive for excellence but do not let the perfectionism in you hinder you from achieving things down into tiny steps, so the task is not your potential (note a related topic ‘mindset’ will be discussed in the next article). some imaginary giant mountain to conquer. Also, you get a small but constant dose of satis- If your procrastination mostly appears to originate from distractibility (see C), one useful faction, which will keep the momentum going. tip is to practice meditation. It has been demonstrated in numerous studies that meditation Plenty of advices point towards a consensus boosts focus by strengthening the dorsal attention network and at the same time functionally that you should not rely on motivation since it rewiring the brain circuitry [7, 8]. If anything, mastering the ability to focus and filter out can be unreliable, particularly when the task is distractions will certainly come in handy in the current world full of information deluge [9]. time limited. Additionally, if you are procrasti- nating but you feel that it is within reasons, you Remember habitual procrastination is not a reflection of your time management skills or can opt to make good use of your time while lack thereof, but it is a maladaptive lifestyle that has been linked to mental health problems you are at it. including depression and anxiety [10]. Like everything else in life, getting it under control and in moderation are key to attaining optimal well-being. If things get so far out of hand, you can By Supanida Piyayotai always seek professional help. References [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-pro- crastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html [o[32r]]ieKhntuttahptlsi,o:/Jn/.w, (sw1e9wlf9‐.2pd)si.sy\"ccArhimtohlioenogarytytiooondf,asyae.nclfdo‐mrseo/gmuusle/abtailpoopngl:/idcAoacnttiitoo-ndnsev.l\"aeAyrspupsliesdtate Psychology 41(2): 97-129. [4] https://www.insider.com/procrastinators-and-doers-have-differ- [e5n]t-Sbcrhailnüst-e2r0,1C8.,-1e0t al. (2018). \"The structural and functional signature of action control.\" Psychological science 29(10): 1620-1630. [6] https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20141015-concen- trate-how-to-focus-better [7] Brewer, J.A., et al. (2011). \"Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity.\" Proceed- [in8g]sTaonfgth, eY.NYa.t,ioHnöallzAecl,adBe.mK.y, of Sciences 108(50): 20254-20259. & Posner, M. I. (2015). “The neurosci- ence of mindfulness meditation.” Nature Reviews Neuroscience 16(4): 213-225. [9] https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jan/18/mod- ern-world-bad-for-brain-daniel-j-levitin-organized-mind-information-o verload [10] Tice, D. M., & Baumeister, R. F. (1997). “Longitudinal study of procrastination, performance, stress, and health: The costs and benefits of dawdling.” Psychological science 8(6), 454-458.