Why do we procrastinate?

[capper42]

Seeing as I am currently supposed to be writing an essay that's due to be handed in in 5 hours, I thought I'd come on the escapist for a bit. Then I got thinking, why do humans procrastinate?

I know I only have my own stupidity to blame for not doing my work earlier, but I am certainly not alone in finding it incredibly hard to actually getting around to doing something, the majority of people will find almost any excuse to not complete the required task. This even stretches so far as to doing something not even enjoyable, such as tidying up, just to refrain from working.

Why is it that humans have this inherent desire to do anything but the required task? From an evolutionary standpoint it just seems ridiculous, and if it weren't for the minority of people who are incredibly hard workers, I don't see how we could have made it this far.

Any thoughts on why people procrastinate?

 

[Thaluikhain]

It is very foolish, yeah, you don't want to do something, so you don't do it now and hope it magically does itself in the meantime.

 

[Smertnik]

I'll think about it later.

 

[Dandark]

You don't want to do something so you just do other things instead, thinking "I'll get around to it" or "I'll just do this first". It's just something we do, I am terrible for procrastinating, I can hardly get anything done if I have an internet connection like I do now.
Speaking of which I really should be working.............I'll just look at one more topic.

 

[Verzin]

For some reason it makes me feel more comfortable, putting things off. Like I'm more in control of my own life. Ah delusion, how I love your sweet embrace.

 

[Nexxis]

For me, it's A.D.D.
Or selective A.D.D. at least XD

 

[Macgyvercas]

I'll think about it later.

Fuck, ninja'd.

Though I was going to say "I'll tell you later".

 

[Combustion Kevin]

probably because we got away with it before.
I mean, I did.

think about it, if we all had met immediate negative consequences for putting things off the first time around we wouldn't be doing it now, right?

 

[Jonbahamut]

I procrastinate for the same reason everyone else does: There are many, many things I'd rather do than perform a task where the reward is perceived as worth less than the effort required.

 

[blizzaradragon]

I procrastinate all the time, but I do it for a weirder reason than most. For me, I always do my best work when I'm under pressure. If I start a paper 5 days before it's due, I'll average a high C to low B. If I start a paper 5 hours before it's due, I'll average a low A. When I have more time to work, I start second guessing myself and end up changing things, usually for the worse. No idea if other people work like that or if I'm just strange...

 

[bam13302]

Because if the world ends tomorrow you wont have to do it

 

[AngleWyrm]

For me, it's A.D.D.
Or selective A.D.D. at least XD

For me it's ADOS: Attention Deficit -- OOH SHINY!

 

[Mikeyfell]

Um... I'll tell you later. When I get around to it.

 

[Fenris Frost]

It must be, as someone already mentioned, related to perceived reward in relation to effort. However, I'd add another aspect: even if the reward is great, it may have more to do with sheer time investment. Case in point, I could be playing Amalur, for example, and suddenly notice six hours have passed and it's no longer the morning before the work is due, but heading for the evening. Meanwhile, when I finally get around to it, I can realistically expect six hours or more churning out a plan and writing a 3000 word essay. Thereafter, there's probably another three proofreading, formatting and referencing. Finally, I need to sober up and redraft. And (until I'm falling down drunk and probably falling asleep) I'll be painfully aware of every minute I've spent on it.

 

[Davey Woo]

I guess it comes sort-of instinctively, if you yhave the option to do nothing, do it.
I mean look at Lions, they spend about 4 hours a day being active, the rest they spend sleeping or just lounging about.

 

[Rblade]

you procastinate because you either

1 don't know where to start

or

2 are afraid you can't do it.

3 find it incredibly boring

4 don't want it to end

In that order, at least in my experience

 

[marioandsonic]

I'll give you my theory on this tomorrow.

 

[bluegate]

you procastinate because you either

1 don't know where to start

or

2 are afraid you can't do it.

3 find it incredibly boring

4 don't want it to end

In that order, at least in my experience

Wow, you ninja'd me there.


Another reason as to why one would procrastinate is:

the thing which one is supposed to do is perceived as unpleasant and in order to not be confronted with this unpleasant thing, one starts doing all sorts of other things, making up excuses, just so that one can avoid that one thing.