8 Reasons For Procrastination. Reason # 3

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43

Coping with procrastination is not easy because we each have our own reasons for it. If you want to cope with procrastination, you need to understand what causes it most often. These reasons will be discussed in this and the next few articles.

Reason # 3 You think you will do it "later"

This common excuse suggests that you might end the deferred at some point in the future. This may happen in a few hours, or after tomorrow, or as soon as that desired day comes when you will be absolutely free.

Unfortunately, this way of thinking creates a serious mismatch between how you would like to feel in the future and how you will then really feel.

In your imaginary future, you will have tons of energy, eat right, exercise regularly, and work until nightfall to get things done. But in fact, "you are the future" is the same tired, unmotivated, exhausted person who tries to calm down naughty children and is unable to resist the chocolate cake.

This phenomenon is explained by two concepts: "empathic gap" and "temporal inconsistency."

The Empathy Gap Between Hot and Cold

The empathy gap between "hot" and "cold" is a mindset that prompts a person to underestimate the influence of instinctual impulses on their views, behavior, and tastes.

The essence of the concept is that a person's ability to empathize with others is highly dependent on his condition. For example, if you are angry, you may find it difficult to force yourself to imagine calmness. It can also be difficult to imagine feeling full if you are hungry.

Failure to minimize the minimum empathic gap can be negatively manifested in the professional sphere as well. For example, when an employer determines the length of paid leave for an employee who has lost a close relative, his decision can easily be influenced by the empathy gap between the “hot” and “cold” states. Perhaps a loved one also died in the family of the leader, but he was able to return to work relatively quickly. The fact of experiencing similar experiences and feelings in the past can be reflected in his decision in the present.

Temporary inconsistency

Temporary inconsistency is a situation in which a person, having made a decision, changes his approaches and needs over time. This concept is a reflection of the idea of the existence of different versions of the personality during decision-making. Each “I” is a subpersonality that makes a decision at a certain moment in time, and inconsistency appears when the needs of different “I” do not coincide.

The mindset of people changes over time, and the remoteness of the consequences of a decision from the moment it is made can significantly affect the way of thinking. People make atypical decisions for themselves more when it comes to the near future than prospects.

An interesting aspect of temporal inconsistency is the difficulty of reconciling between you in the present and you in the future. You future know that you should do what gives you the greatest benefit in the long run, and you presently overestimate everything that can be immediately beneficial. It's easy to fall into the trap of being irresponsible about the long-term results of an action, because you usually don't feel it very soon.

You are not worthy and you are the future very rarely get along with each other. You can set a goal and hope to achieve it in the future, but it is you who are present who must work daily so that you future will achieve the desired goal. But the only thing your "I'm in the present" wants is to watch the show and munch on popcorn.

This scenario is typical for people at all times. You have many goals and plans for the future, and the present you are often tempted by the opportunity to get quick pleasure from immediate gratification.

The article appeared thanks to the book "The Power of Productivity" by Steve Scott