How to Overcome Procrastination: The Science of Not Getting Work Done

Procrastination affects all of us at one point or another. Many studies—such as this 2014 study by Joseph Ferrari, PhD and Juan F. Díaz-Morales, PhD—found that 20-25% of adults are chronic procrastinators. By comparison, similar studies from the 1970s found that only 5% of adults considered themselves chronic procrastinators.

The inability to get started on a project, no matter how crucial it is or how close you are to the deadline, seems to follow us like a shadow. Even if the task is something you've done a thousand times before, like drafting a brief or responding to clients, you may feel that nagging sensation looming over you.

But what causes procrastination to manifest and why is it so difficult to overcome? In this blog post, we'll uncover the science behind procrastination and provide a few useful tips to help you overcome procrastination so you can improve your legal practice or law studies.

Why We Procrastinate

Procrastination doesn't just impact one task or project—it permeates throughout our professional and personal lives. It's much more than putting a task off until the last possible moment; it's a habit that can yield subpar results and, if not taken care of in time, can cause disastrous consequences. You wouldn't want to fail a class or lose a client because you couldn't bring yourself to focus on completing a task.

By implementing ways to overcome procrastination, such as bunching tasks together or setting deadlines, you'll be able to your time efficiently and complete tasks on time instead of having to rush to have something completed. As a result, the work you put into your legal practice or law studies will improve tremendously. But it's much easier said than done.

People may procrastinate because they:

• Fear failure
• Fear success
• Dislike the task
• Find the task boring
• Are overwhelmed by the task or other things
• Don't know where to begin
• Strive for perfectionism
• Lack of energy and/or motivation
• Have time management issues
• Don't have a plan
• Fall into a "doom loop"
• Are upset about something else

Do any of the above examples seem familiar? In some instances, we may experience every single one of these issues at the same time. As a result, the simple act of getting started feels like a Sisyphean task. And, in turn, you don't get started at all—until it's too late, that is. Then you have to rush to finish the project or cram for a test.

But what causes us to feel these emotions when we see a new task in our to-do list? It all comes down to our brain chemistry.

Logic vs Emotion: The Eternal Struggle Between the Prefrontal Cortex and the Limbic System

Before we delve into how to overcome procrastination, we need to define what causes it in the first place. For that, we have two parts (or modules) of our brain to blame: the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system (amygdala).

To understand these two parts of the brain, we need to look at the evolutionary trajectory of the human species. In terms of evolution, the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for logical analysis, planning for the future, and self-control, is much younger than the limbic system, which is in charge of emotions, learning, and motivation.

Procrastination, 30 Million Years in the Making

The limbic system first appeared in small mammals around 150 million years ago. By comparison, the prefrontal cortex evolved in hominoids (apes and humans) around 30-19 million years ago.

There's quite the gap between the two, but what does that have to do with procrastination? Imagine it like two coworkers of varying ages who are forced to work together. One, the older managing partner, is 150 million years old and the other, a youthful summer associate, is 30 million years old.

For the purpose of this example, let's say the young summer associate and the managing partner can't work together. They don't see eye to eye. The generational differences are much too great for them to find common ground and get any work done. This is exactly what happens in your head whenever you start procrastinating.

Simply put, the prefrontal cortex and limbic system push us in opposite directions. The prefrontal cortex is the rational, logical side while the limbic system is the emotional side. You know you should be working but you feel like you'd rather be doing something else, something you enjoy more.

It's All In Your Head, Literally

According to Psychology Today, "the prefrontal cortex and limbic system are opposites." Not only do these two modules account for procrastination, but they are also the reason why our mental health is often confusing and difficult.

Now that we have a deeper understanding of the science behind procrastination, let's take a look at why this conflict actually stops us from getting work done. When a task or due date is looming over us, we go into a fight-or-flight response. The amygdala, which is part of the limbic system and responsible for fight-or-flight, kicks into gear. 

Procrastination is a microcosm of the complex relationship between prefrontal cortex and limbic system, but it doesn't mean we have to succumb to the conflict. Returning to the example of the summer associate and the managing partner, there will come a time where both sides realize they need to reach common ground to achieve a common goal. The same can be said about our limbic system and prefrontal cortex. By working together, they can overcome procrastination and successfully complete the task at hand.

Useful Tips to Overcome Procrastination: Ways for Your Limbic System and Prefrontal Cortex to Work in Harmony

Understanding the relationship between the prefrontal cortex and limbic system is crucial in order to successfully overcome procrastination. It's much more than sitting down and forcing yourself to complete the task at hand; there needs to be an equal give and take.

You can try out some time management methods like Eat The Frog or the Pomodoro Technique to see what works best for you. By keeping both modules of your brain happy, you can complete even the most daunting of tasks. Planning how you'll complete your tasks pleases the logical side of your brain, then completing each task and having time for hobbies or relaxation will please the emotional side of your brain. It's all about balance.

Here are a few other methods you can try out.

Task Batching

This term refers to the act of grouping similar tasks together. This way, you can cut down on "context shifting" or shifting your attention between tasks and projects. Some of the benefits of task batching include:

• Reduced stress
• Increased focus
• Boost in productivity

Whether you're a law student or you run a solo practice, there are countless tasks you need to work on at any given moment. Instead of straining yourself and jumping from task to task, completing them as they come along, group them together in categories and tackle them, one at a time.

A great tip is to devote the last 5-10 minutes of each day to plan for tomorrow. Set this time to batch tasks together. Then when you come in the next day, you'll have your schedule planned out! You can start the day off with quick, easy tasks like checking emails, then move on to more focused, time-consuming tasks.

Make a Plan

Making a plan may seem obvious, but once you have a plan in place, the results will change the way you get work done. To start, take some time to sit down and truly dig into what's causing you to procrastinate. Start by writing down your priorities, and we mean write down: not type on a computer but write on paper. Once you've written your tasks down, you can put the paper in view. Maybe tape it to your computer screen or simply have it on your desk. This way, you won't be able to minimize the task list on your computer screen.

By writing down your tasks, you'll be able to see which tasks can be delegated to someone else or which tasks need to become the focus of your day. You can also group tasks together and block out time to work on them. This will encourage discipline, which is crucial in overcoming procrastination.

You can also make a plan to reflect on what's causing your procrastination. Perhaps you're not getting enough sleep or you're feeling too stressed due to issues not related to school or work. Make a plan to determine the source of your procrastination. Practice mindfulness and reflection, even if it's just for five minutes.

Manage Distractions

If anything has changed between the 1970s and now, it's the unbelievable number of distractions that constantly orbit around us. Our phones are chock-full of distractions that can steal our focus for hours per day. This may be one of the clearest reasons why the percentage of chronic procrastinators jumped from 5% to 20% in the intervening years.

Simply put, it's impossible to get any work done if your focus keeps shifting. While the obvious culprit for distraction is our smartphones and the internet, you also need to consider other distractions. Put your phone in a drawer and set it to "do not disturb" to remove the temptation of checking your phone every three minutes just to scroll through Instagram. If you do the Pomodoro Technique, you'll be able to check your phone during your break. If you want to go even further, consider going on a social media break.

There are other less obvious distractions we should consider. If you're constantly responding to coworkers or classmates who need help, then you're a great person but you're also giving up time to someone else. In some instances, it may be impossible to fully detach yourself from others, but you can set aside a few hours per day when you're not to be disturbed unless it's a world-ending emergency.

The same can be said about responding to emails or calls from clients. Again, if it's an emergency then go ahead and speak with them, but if it's not, you can get to them later in the day. You can even let clients know you respond to emails and calls from 3-4pm every day so they can expect a response at that time, instead of immediately. By successfully managing distractions, your focus will remain on the task at hand.

Overcome Procrastination with Mental Harmony

When it comes to overcoming procrastination, the hardest step is, as always, getting started. Now that you understand the science behind procrastination and the relationship between the prefrontal cortex and limbic system, you can take the first step and start planning for a more efficient workflow in your professional and personal life. Before long, you'll see just how much of an obstacle procrastination was and how negatively it was affecting your output.