We’ve all done it. We’ve gone to our health care appointment, walked out with our treatment plan in hand and put it on the refrigerator at home. Glance at it? Yes. Implement it? Well, no. Tomorrow, maybe. Procrastination has taken over.
We may say we lack discipline. We may be convinced the plan was too hard. We may think we are simply lazy. Even the American Heritage Dictionary defines procrastination as, “To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.” But is it?
Researchers in Germany propose that there may be a deeper explanation. It lies in the brain. The part of the brain called the amygdala is responsible for emotional alertness, fear, survival instinct and memory. Its main purpose is to process these strong emotions, memories and external stimuli. Researchers have found that the larger the amygdala, the more information it takes in. When it is well connected to a part of the brain called the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, then a person can act on observations, taking emotional information into consideration. It has to do with how we think and how we act, in other words motivation.
A weak connection between these two structures can cause feelings of anxiety or being overwhelmed. A person can observe and feel, but finds it difficult to put that information into action. There is lack of motivation, making these people more likely to put off responsibilities, pushing current tasks aside in search of a calmer more peaceful feeling. What researchers have proposed is that procrastination is more linked to how people feel, rather than carelessness, laziness or even intentionally putting something off.
Neuroplasticity
Luckily, thanks to the relatively new area of study, neuroplasticity, we know that the brain is changeable. We can teach it to rewire itself. Below are a few tips to help.
One of the ways to deal with procrastination is to change the emotional response of the amygdala. Regulating emotions can be learned. Meditation, mindfulness exercises or biofeedback can help. Also, physical forms of exercise such as yoga, tai chi, dance or even sports can help train a person’s mind to be able to better regulate emotions. A recent research study showed that an 8-week commitment to mindfulness training helped overdeveloped amygdalas to shrink.
Procrastination itself can be rewarding when we try to be perfect. A constant attempt to be perfect or perform perfectly is very stressful. Avoiding the goal only temporarily reduces stress. Try switching mindsets from perfect completion of a task or goal to one of honoring effort and forward motion.
Some people fear the consequences of an action, thus avoiding it. Focusing on the feeling at the completion of the task or larger goal, rather than the current discomfort, can get the ball rolling.
Look at your list of items to complete tomorrow or later in the week. Choose one item and commit to spending 10-15 minutes on it right now. Getting started is often the most difficult part of a task. Once the first step is taken, the goal is that much closer. The more practice we get with completing tasks, the more experience we have with the rewarding feelings of accomplishment.
So, next time, rather than creeping past the refrigerator, hiding from your to-do list or treatment plan, imagine how you’ll feel when you are partway there. You will likely feel the relief of getting started and the confidence of being on your way. This, in turn, will strengthen your motivation to reach your goal and perhaps even shrink that overachieving amygdala. After all, why put off tomorrow, what can be done today?