Why do we procastinate?

It seems that we are capable of procrastinating anything. Whether it is renewing that magazine subscription or doing homework. I have always tried to rise above this norm and get things done in a timely manner. However, it is just not that simple!

The book Predictably Irrational helps us understand this irresponsible behavior. It is people's judgement states that affect procrastination. There is a cold and hot state in  decision making. Typically cold decisions are made to affect the long term such as where to go to college or buying a car. A hot decision is made more impulsively and gives into immediate satisfaction. This hot state is where our procrastination originates. We usually give into making decisions in a hot state which delays the process decided upon in a cold state.

For example, lets say you wanted to work on a paper that is due on Friday (cold state). However, some friends invited you to dinner, movies on Netflix just had to be watched, and you fell victim to wild Wednesdays (hot state). The result: you are up late writing that paper on Thursday nigh....actually lets make that Friday morning.


Although we are perfectly rational at one moment, how did we become so irrational? I hope that I have enough self control to be able to study over watching Netflix, but unfortunately I am not, well at least not all the time. The author gives some advice to helping us with this hot state of decision making. The two main recommendations include setting deadlines and penalties. The deadline gives you a goal to work toward while a penalty is additional motivation to get it done by the deadline. This would be an affective system for myself; however, I don't want to punish myself! That is involves far too much self control and discipline.

I have used these two forms a little bit in college, but slightly different. For example, if I get something done on time, I might buy a new coat. Although I would have bought the coat anyway, it was a reward to work toward. Unfortunately, a lack of funds and self-control didn't make this an affective system. To help this dilemma I took to the internet to find some additional anti-procrastinating processes. Here are a few tips that:






Link to Tips

These tips make some good points. However, I can only imagine very disciplined person will be able to accomplish all of them. Never the less, these ideas may be affective, and I should probably utilized to them before dead week.