I put off writing this article for an entire week. 

Even though I’m passionate about this topic—and my editors were not even pressuring me—I was still too overwhelmed to write it. Ironic, right?

If you claim to have never procrastinated before, you’re lying. The art of not getting stuff done is so common that research has been done to find out why our brains find it difficult to complete tasks with deadlines.

The good news is procrastination is not a reflection of your character, at least not entirely. There is a fascinating process happening inside your brain that causes you to begin writing a 13-page research paper due at 11:59 p.m. at 11:23 p.m. 

Dreading deadlines

Procrastination of menial tasks like chores or making a doctor’s appointment has a number of scientific explanations themselves. 

But in school settings, procrastination is different.

You are told you have a month to read a book for a test. This seems straightforward. If you read a 400-page book for half an hour a day (20 pages per day), you’d get it done in 20 days! But you don’t do that. Instead, you put it off. Then it’s the week of the test, and the book is still sitting unopened on your nightstand just waiting to be read.

So the question is why? It could have been done with minimal effort ahead of time. Nothing to lose, all to gain. Still, you don’t do it. 

The issue begins with the deadline.

When you are told that you have until a date to complete a task, your body gets stressed. There is a tiny pebble of brain matter in your head called the amygdala that handles stressors, anxiety, fear and pleasure in your body. Deadlines activate your amygdala to go into fight, flight or freeze as your body perceives them as danger.

The amygdala sends signals to your hypothalamus (another part of your brain) and tells it that there is danger. The hypothalamus then does a series of front flips and back handsprings with other parts of your body to pump you full of epinephrine (adrenaline) and give you a burst of energy strong enough to fight off a lion. 

Unfortunately, your body does not recognize the difference between taking a math test and being held at gunpoint, so it responds with the same chemicals for both situations.

I’ll do it tomorrow

The battle between your amygdala and prefrontal cortex comes next. Your body is filled with adrenaline and fear, so your prefrontal cortex begins to look for solutions. The prefrontal cortex is a hemisphere of the brain in charge of the logic and reasoning in the body. 

The prefrontal cortex is the voice of reason. It’s the small voice in your head telling you to just lock in and start the assignment, and that putting it off will only hurt you further. But this part of the brain is fighting with your amygdala which is freaking out and urging you to do things that will give you immediate satisfaction like bring your screen time up from two hours to seven.

This is where the drift between those who get things done and those who don’t happens. Some use this biological chain reaction as a signal to get started on the work immediately. They know if they can deal with the stressor first hand, then it will not snowball, and the danger will be diminished. These are the fighters. 

But then there are the people who freeze or evade (flight). Working in similar ways, these people often avoid the task out of overwhelm and anxiety, or many simply believe it can be done later. 

That’s due today!?

The final stage of procrastination is when the moment finally comes, and the deadline can no longer be avoided. You must confront it head on. In these moments you begin to question if dropping out might be the next step.

During this step, your body starts to feel the consequences of procrastination. If you are reminded of the project or assignment every day, your body is constantly going through a stress cycle. This chronic anxiety can raise cortisol levels, which can lead to diabetes, and it can also cause digestive issues and cardiovascular diseases.

Once the deadline has ended, your body faces even more issues. This constant cycle of stress and relief leads to the wear and tear of your prefrontal cortex. This means that tasks get harder to complete, and your mind begins to be unable to do things as creatively and efficiently.

Stop the stalling

Thankfully, science has allowed us this look into our brains and the processes behind procrastination. This research has provided many solutions to curb procrastination and the negative side effects that come with it.

Break it up

When getting work done, completing it in parts can feel much less overwhelming than taking on the whole task at once. Setting a goal can be a great way to divide work up and make it less stressful. 

A method that is often found to be helpful for this specifically is the Pomodoro technique. In this, you can channel the body’s reaction to deadlines in a positive way to encourage productivity. You set a timer for 25 minutes, and, during that time, you lock in. Once the timer is up, you can take a 5-10 minute break: eat a snack, get a drink, stretch or look at social media. Then start another 25 minute increment. After the third session, take a longer break of 25-30 minutes. This will not only help to keep you focused and on task, but it will also mitigate the weight of completing it. 

If 75 minutes of total study time seems like a bit of a stretch (especially if you’re deep in the trenches of chronic procrastination), then you can modify the technique to your liking. You can do 10-20 minutes of intermediate work and still do it in increments of three.

The little things first

Another method which I have personally found to be very helpful is organizing the order in which I do assignments. I often dread completing AP Biology assignments as they can be confusing and tedious. So I choose to begin by doing small things, like making my flashcards for Biology or another class, completing assignments that I started but did not finish or reading a part of the textbook and taking notes.

Doing easier assignments that take less effort puts you in the flow of work and ultimately encourages you to move onto the harder ones. Additionally, it ensures productivity even while still avoiding the harder tasks. This is especially true if you are a person who gets so overwhelmed by the need to finish something, that you avoid it completely. 

Pat yourself on the back

If you are able to take anything from this article and actually get things done—be proud! Overcoming procrastination is seriously difficult, but research supports the fact that getting stuff done is worth it in the end.

Learning to be productive will improve your mental, physical and academic performance. So if you successfully complete a task on time—or better yet, early—reward yourself! Go get a sweet treat or allow yourself one day of fun and whimsy. This will, in turn, condition your brain to associate finishing tasks with joy and rewards, motivating you to do more.

Procrastination does not mean you are lazy or broken. It just means your body is misdirecting its job of keeping you safe. However, you need to put in the effort to collaborate with your brain and get things done.

So when you find yourself thinking “I’ll do it tomorrow” or “I’ll just take a zero on that paper”—just do it.

How many missing assignments do you have? Let us know in the comments!