To further my understanding in the topic of procrastination, I thought it would be beneficial to have an understanding of the science behind procrastination. After reading this article, I found it incredibly insightful. I’ve always known procrastination was more than just a lack of willpower, but understanding the science behind it—the battle between the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex—made me see it in a new light.
https://insightspsychology.org/the-neuroscience-of-procrastination/#:~:text=Dopamine and Instant Gratification%3A The,of avoiding the challenging task.
The article explains how procrastination is a struggle between two key brain regions:
When faced with a difficult or unpleasant task, the limbic system pushes us toward immediate relief—like scrolling social media or watching Netflix—because these activities release dopamine, making us feel good in the moment. Meanwhile, the prefrontal cortex struggles to keep us focused on long-term goals.
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I’ve definitely experienced this tug-of-war when trying to start a big project. The immediate relief of avoiding a task feels so good, but it’s fascinating (and slightly frustrating) to realize that my brain is wired this way. Instead of feeling guilty about procrastination, I now see it as a natural response that I can actively work against.
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One of the most interesting concepts in the article is temporal discounting—the idea that we prioritise short-term pleasure over future rewards. This is why a funny video feels more appealing than working on a long-term project.
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This made me rethink how I approach deadlines. Since my brain naturally devalues future rewards, maybe I need to make future goals feel more immediate by setting mini-deadlines closer together, rewarding myself for small progress steps or using visualisation techniques to make the long-term reward feel more real
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The article also explains that procrastination initially reduces stress, which is why we keep doing it. But later, as deadlines loom, the stress returns even worse than before—fueling the cycle all over again.
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This was a huge realisation for me. I always knew procrastination caused stress, but I never thought about how I’m actually conditioning my brain to prefer avoidance. This makes me wonder for my project: How can I “rewire” my brain to prefer productivity instead?
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The article suggests that habitual procrastination can physically change the brain, leading to: