Procrastination: Science Finally Explains Why You Keep Putting Things Off

A study from Ruhr University Bochum (Germany) may have finally found the scientific explanation for procrastination. If some people systematically delay important tasks, it could be due to two parts of their brain… poorly connected. Analysis and solutions.

Two brain regions explain the reason behind procrastination

Why do something you’ll do just as well tomorrow? You’re a fan of that phrase and, therefore, of procrastination. Don’t panic—scientists may have finally uncovered why. Indeed, in a study, researchers from Ruhr University Bochum (Germany) identified two brain regions that may be responsible for the difference between procrastinators and others(1).
To carry out their work, the researchers scanned the brains of 264 people using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They analyzed both the volume of specific brain regions and the connections between these regions. The study participants also completed a survey about their ability to control their actions.

 

The French Are Procrastination Champions

Ultimately, people with weaker action control tended to have a larger amygdala (or amygdaloid complex: a part of the brain not to be confused with the amygdalae in the larynx!), which evaluates scenarios and the negative consequences an action could bring. They also showed a less pronounced connection between the amygdala and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which uses information from the amygdala to determine what to do in a given situation. The study shows that you cannot successfully control your actions if the connection between the amygdala and the dorsal ACC is impaired. By the way, the French are procrastination champions. An OpinionWay study, published in March 2018, reveals for the first time the numbers of procrastination in our country, and they are telling.

Our anti-procrastination tips

It’s often easier to keep busy than to actually tackle the tasks you have to do, and to blame the lack of time for it. To counter this:

• If you don’t have a deadline, focus on defined active periods: use a timer. For example, in 25-minute blocks, with 5-minute breaks and a longer break every 90 minutes.
• Draft a to-do list, but break it into several smaller and more specific tasks. This makes them easier to act on and complete.
• Minimize interruptions (notifications, calls…). Put your phone on airplane mode or work in a quiet space.

The “anti-crastination” recipe: the five-minute ritual

When faced with a task that freezes you, apply the five-minute rule. Tell yourself you’ll devote only 5 minutes to it. No more. This small contract with yourself short-circuits the amygdala, which tends to overestimate the task’s difficulty. Once you start, it’s often much easier to keep going. This is known as the Zeigarnik effect: our brain hates unfinished tasks and will naturally want to finish what it started.

Reflection: could procrastination also be a form of intelligence?

If science points to poor neural connectivity, procrastination has its defenders too. Some researchers argue that waiting until the last moment can boost creativity and focus. By postponing a task, our brain works in the background unconsciously, which can lead to more innovative solutions. The real challenge, then, may not be to eliminate procrastination but to learn to master it so that it becomes a tool rather than a handicap.