What is procrastination

Procrastination is the act of unnecessarily delaying or postponing something despite knowing that there could be negative consequences for doing so. It is a common human experience involving delays in everyday chores or even putting off tasks such as attending an appointment, submitting a job report or academic assignment, or broaching a stressful issue with a partner. It is often perceived as a negative trait due to its hindering effect on one's productivity associated with depression, guilt, and feelings of inadequacy. However, it can also be considered a wise response to certain demands that could present risky or negative outcomes or require waiting for new information to arrive.

𝐄𝐭𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲

Statue of Paul Pato,the personification of the procrastination made by JONAS NAGY.

The word "procrastination" comes from the Latin verb procrastinare, which is a combination of the prefix pro- meaning "forward" and crastinus meaning "of tomorrow".

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞

The best way to understand this is by imagining that you have two selves: your Present Self and your Future Self. When you set goals for yourself — like losing weight or writing a book or learning a language — you are actually making plans for your Future Self. You are envisioning what you want your life to be like in the future. Researchers have found that when you think about your Future Self, it is quite easy for your brain to see the value in taking actions with long-term benefits. The Future Self values long-term rewards.However, while the Future Self can set goals, only the Present Self can take action. When the time comes to make a decision, you are no longer making a choice for your Future Self.


So, the Present Self and the Future Self are often at odds with one another.

The basic format is : Only do [ Thing you love ] while doing [Thing you procrastinate on]


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