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If you’ve been mentally kicking yourself for your bad habit like procrastination, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s not all your fault. You are not just a lazy bum—physiologically speaking, your brain is at war with itself when it comes to procrastination. Our brains are wired to prefer pleasure over pain, and nature has developed an ingenious system for persuading us to give in. The battle raging between the strong, dominant limbic system and the weaker prefrontal cortex commences uncontrolled from the moment we are born.
(The limbic system: It is the part of the brain involved in our behavioral and emotional responses, especially when it comes to behaviors we need for survival: feeding, reproduction and caring for our young, and fight or flight responses.
The prefrontal cortex: The part of the brain that is key to reasoning, problem-solving, comprehension, impulse-control, creativity and perseverance is the prefrontal cortex.)
Our limbic system is a dominant part of the brain and operates 24/7. It helps keep us safe by causing us to move away from danger, such as pulling our fingers away from a candle flame. Basic emotions including fear, anger, and pleasure originate here, and certain “drives,” including libido, are also controlled by the limbic system.
“The brain is a muscle that can move the world.” – Stephen King
Game of Fraction of a Second
A limbic region known as the amygdala, the brain’s pleasure center, is largely responsible for the procrastination response. By constantly urging us to seek pleasure over pain, the amygdala rewards us with a jolt of dopamine (the pleasure chemical produced by our bodies) whenever we are confronted with an unpleasant task. It tries to persuade us to go with the flow and stay away from anything difficult or painful. In fact, it takes only 1/32 of a second for the amygdala to recognize displeasure and “correct” it.
By contrast, the limbic system’s weaker cousin, the prefrontal cortex, takes a full three seconds to react to stimuli. The prefrontal cortex is the area of the brain that integrates information and makes decisions. The time lag between the firing of the amygdala and the engagement of the prefrontal cortex explains why we are more likely to comply with our pleasure-seeking impulses. Unlike the amygdala, connecting with the prefrontal cortex is not an automatic process. We must actively engage the prefrontal cortex, which then helps us focus and eventually pushes us to complete a job or task.
An interesting aside, scientists have identified the existence of the prefrontal cortex as the key brain function that separates humans from animals. It is our ability to operate outside the domain of instinct that allows us self-determination instead of simply the animal’s ability to survive. Although our lack of motivation may appear lazy to some, we are indeed separated from the animal kingdom by our ability to set and achieve goals and our determination to remain focused on the things that are important to us—even if we have a difficult time getting started!
Fight-or-Flight Response
On a neurobiological level, procrastination appears to be habitually driven by a desire to avoid the negative emotions associated with fear or failure. The “fight-or-flight” response, commonly linked to a perceived threat to our survival, has also been linked to task avoidance and procrastination. When we begin to feel overwhelmed by a situation or a series of tasks, the amygdala tries to protect us from feelings of anxiety, panic, or self-doubt by inducing a similar fight-or-flight response.
During a situation of anxiety or fear, the amygdala releases a flood of the hormone adrenaline. Adrenaline makes it possible to exit a difficult situation swiftly, either by running or fighting. It’s the brain chemical that gives parents the super strength to rescue their trapped toddler from beneath the wheels of a car. Unfortunately, a flood of adrenaline can blunt the reactions of the prefrontal cortex, making it more difficult to make rational decisions.
Winning the Procrastination Battle
Knowing that our own brain is against us, how do we get off the couch and get busy? Researcher Kenneth McGraw has found that the biggest weakness to success is simply getting started. Our tendency to procrastinate on large is reinforced by our imagination. We visualize the worst parts of the task, adding layers of emotion each time we picture ourselves performing it, and that makes it easier to delay getting started. But we can overcome this inertia by implementing the 10-minute rule.
The rule is very simple: commit to starting the project and sticking with it for 10 minutes.
The goal is to achieve a small success and build upon it. When you’ve been active with a project for 10 minutes, momentum begins to build, and that momentum will drive you forward for another 10 minutes, and so on. You may start out by making your bed and then decide to vacuum the bedroom as well. Since you’ve got the vacuum cleaner out, you may as well do the living room and hall—before you know it, you’ve accomplished the goal of straightening the house and you can give yourself a pat on the back.
If you find you are still having difficulty getting started at the end of 10 minutes, disengage from the activity and do something physical for 10 minutes—take a walk, do some yoga poses, or play with your dog. Give your brain time to relax and come to grips with the idea that you are doing this, but don’t fill it with competing projects. Then go back to your task, set the timer for 10 minutes, and get to work. Chances are good that you’ll achieve a significant measure of success the second time around.
Self-control is the Key
It seems that if we can move our conscious mind past the initial freak-out phase of tackling a project, our subconscious takes over, devising ways to help us stay focused on reaching the goal. Baby steps could be crucial. After we’ve defined our main goal, we can learn to sidestep the overwhelming fear that paralyzes us, the insecurity that whispers, “You aren’t good enough. You can’t do this. It’s too big.” That’s why breaking down the goal into a series of smaller tasks and completing those tasks one by one gives us the self-confidence to keep moving forward. Soon our mindset shifts to, “This isn’t so hard. Look how far you’ve come! You’ve got this!”
Self-control is the key to mastering procrastination. Understanding that we are wired to shy away from tasks that are complex is the first step in overcoming our natural tendencies. Developing the willingness to commit to a task for 10 minutes can be a valuable check to either giving up or getting into other “productive” procrastination activities. (Excerpt is from ‘The Science of Powerful Focus’ by Peter Hollins).
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