Why do we put things off?

 It has been extensively studied in both psychology and behavioral science how the psychology of procrastination works. Procrastination is the practice of delaying or postponing important tasks or actions, frequently by focusing on less important or more pleasurable pursuits. It entails purposefully putting off or postponing obligations, even when they are critical or have due dates, in favor of pastimes that offer instant gratification or serve as a diversion.

People procrastinate for a variety of reasons. People frequently procrastinate because they prefer immediate gratification or short-term comfort to long-term objectives. Instead of putting in the time and effort needed to complete tasks, they might do things that immediately gratify them. A lack of motivation may result from perceiving a task as uninteresting, challenging, or overwhelming. The difficulties that come with a task can be temporarily avoided by procrastinating. The tendency to put things off can serve as a defense against failure anxiety. Individuals can safeguard their self-esteem and fend off the possibility of failure or criticism by delaying a task.

Procrastination was not a particular focus of B.F. Skinner's works, a renowned psychologist and behaviorist. However, his theories and tenets can offer some new perspectives on how to comprehend the behavioral aspects of procrastination.The operant conditioning theory of Skinner contends that behavior is influenced by its results. This theory holds that behaviors that receive reinforcement are more likely to be repeated, whereas behaviors that receive punishment or neither reinforcement nor reinforcement are less likely to happen again. The behavior modification theories of Skinner, such as shaping and positive reinforcement, can be used to combat procrastination. Positive reinforcement entails offering incentives or rewards for desired behaviors, like finishing tasks on time.

Why Procrastinate: An Investigation of the Root causes behind Procrastination. (2010, June 5). https://opus.uleth.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/5bb223f2-0a8d-479e-b6b8-3837ff6bb725/content

Powell, R. (2010, June 5). Introduction to Learning and Behavior. https://opus.uleth.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/5bb223f2-0a8d-479e-b6b8-3837ff6bb725/content