Why Do We Procrastinate?

By Darcey Thomson – published 5th April 2026

 

Ironically, I’ve put off writing this thing for weeks. Start, stop, start, stop. Write another two words – oh look, a convenient distraction. I need to do other things right now. Don’t have enough time. Don’t feel like it. I’ll do it after XYZ. My toe hurts. It’s a Tuesday.

 

Every excuse under the sun.

 

Chances are you’ve clicked on this because you’re in the same boat and frequently put things off until the last minute (or indefinitely).

 

So, have a pen and paper handy – or your notes app – and think about something you keep avoiding.

 

Now answer the following questions:

 

  • If you were to achieve this thing you know you need to do, what bad thing would happen?

Example: If I complete and submit this application, I might get the job. That would mean change, and that’s a bit scary. I’m not sure I can handle that change.

 

  • What do you currently like doing that you feel you’d need to give up to complete this task?

Example: I like having a flexible schedule, and the freedom to do what I want. If I set time aside to finish this task, that wouldn’t be flexible anymore. I’d feel restricted.

 

This shouldn’t take you too long. Write the first things that come to mind.

 

Notice how the thing you’re concerned with happening is stepping into the unknown, based on one of two things:

 

  1. It’s completely new. Whether that’s a new mindset required of you, a new way of showing up, or letting go of something familiar.
  2. It’s similar to a previous experience that didn’t end well, and you don’t want to repeat it.

In other words, procrastination is the fear of success. Successful completion of the task you’re putting off would mean change in how you approach or handle the outcome.

 

Why is this important?

We each have an identity – who we perceive ourselves to be, and therefore how we fit into the world. This gives us a sense of orientation, structure, and ‘how things are.’

 

Our nervous systems are predictive models. They try to predict the future based off past experiences; therefore, it too loves familiarity and routine.

 

Many, many, years ago, this would increase our chances of survival. Each day was gather food, hunt prey, come back home, eat, repeat. It was routine and familiar, and because of that you could almost guarantee the outcome – i.e. survival.

 

Stepping into the mysterious cave – the unknown – meant you might die.

 

This is still the same in the modern day. Stepping outside of what is familiar often causes uneasiness and tension because, to your system, there is no guarantee of survival.

 

You haven’t been in that situation before (or a successful version of it), and therefore cannot predict the outcome.

 

If your nervous system thinks ‘that’s really scary and unfamiliar,’ and your identity says, ‘We’re not someone who does that,’ it’s incredibly unlikely you’re going to get the task done – at least smoothly and effortlessly – because (as dramatic as this sounds) at a subconscious level your entire system believes the completion of it would be a threat to your existence.

 

This can either be a change or loss in identity (‘Who am I if I succeed?’), feeling a lack of control in a new environment, or uncertainty about how to navigate what comes next.

 

This fear can result in what’s called ‘self-sabotage,’ where your system protects you by keeping you where things feel known and safe.

 

In terms of procrastination, self-sabotage might look like:

 

  • Laziness
  • Constant distraction
  • Conveniently missing deadlines
  • Avoidance

It doesn’t matter how many productivity hacks you try – until the reward of completing the task appears greater than the risk, you’ll always be fighting an uphill battle.

 

Obviously, the intensity of this response varies. It depends on your past experiences, the current state your nervous system, your environment, your support network etc.

 

If every change triggered self-sabotage, we’d never grow and evolve as people. Every day would be Groundhog Day.

 

How do you move through this?

There are two main aspects to be considered – both of which we’ve spoken about today.

 

  1. Regulate your nervous system

Gradually bringing yourself out of fight, flight, or freeze through things like:

  • Breathwork
  • Sunlight exposure
  • Regular exercise/movement
  • Mindfulness
  • Quality sleep

helps to bring you back to the present moment. This allows you to see the situation for what it is, rather than the stress of the future or preoccupation with the past clouding your judgement.

 

  1. Update your identity.

You need to change how you see yourself.

 

Tools like EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) can help you identify and release the fears around embodying a new ‘self’, allowing your system to update and know it’s safe to do so.

 

This can be uncomfortable, but the more time you spend in discomfort, the more comfort you find within it. Your system learns that unknown doesn’t mean unsafe, but rather expansion and opportunity.

 

Final Words

Don’t let this awareness of why you procrastinate become an excuse, where every time you don’t get on with something you go ‘well it’s just how I am, it’s the way my system responds.’

 

With awareness comes choice, and now you can choose whether to stay stuck in the same cycle, or move past what has previously held you back in a way that’s supportive.

 

Stay hydrated, eat a good meal, and get some solid rest.

 

Much love,

 

Darcey