Procrastination Is Not Laziness
The most common explanation for procrastination is laziness, indecision, or a lack of discipline. This explanation is both incorrect and does not lead to a solution.
Research by Fuschia Sirois and Timothy Pychyl defines procrastination differently: as a failure of emotional regulation (Procrastination, Health, and Well-Being, 2016). People procrastinate to avoid negative emotions associated with a decision—such as uncertainty, fear of failure, or anxiety about being judged. Procrastinating provides temporary relief. In the long run, however, the cost increases.
Understanding this mechanism allows us to view procrastination differently. The problem isn’t willpower; it’s emotion.
Which Emotions Trigger Procrastination
Several emotions typically underlie decision-making procrastination:
Fear of failure: “What if I make the wrong decision?” This fear prevents the risk from materializing by putting the decision on hold—at least for the moment.
Fear of being judged: The decision will be seen by others. The possibility of being judged makes the decision feel heavier.
Intolerance of uncertainty: Making a decision without having all the information unsettles the nervous system. “I’ll wait a little longer” temporarily resolves this unease.
Fear of loss: Kahneman’s research on loss aversion (Thinking, Fast and Slow, 2011) shows that losing feels roughly twice as strong as winning. Making a decision always involves losing something. This asymmetry fuels procrastination.
How Coaching Works Within This Mechanism
Coaching addresses decision-postponement on two levels.
First level — making it visible: The question “What does postponing this decision give you?” brings the function of procrastination to the surface. Once the underlying emotion is named, it automatically loses its power.
Second level — lowering the threshold: a big decision is broken down into smaller parts. The question, “What’s the smallest step I can take on this issue this week?” brings the emotion down to a manageable level.
The Difference Between Procrastination and Not Making a Decision
Not making a decision is sometimes legitimate: more information is needed, conditions are changing, or waiting is a strategic move. This is a conscious choice.
Procrastination, however, is putting off a decision—even when you know it needs to be made—to avoid emotional discomfort. Distinguishing between the two is one of the first steps in the coaching process.
“Procrastination is not about avoiding future failure; it’s about avoiding present discomfort.” > Fuschia Sirois, Procrastination, Health, and Well-Being, 2016
Cevvela’s Perspective
- Decision postponement is not a matter of willpower; it is an emotional avoidance mechanism (Sirois & Pychyl, 2016).
- Fear of failure, fear of judgment, intolerance of uncertainty, and fear of loss are the most common triggers.
- Coaching works by making the underlying emotion of procrastination visible and breaking the decision down into smaller steps.
- Distinguishing between procrastination and a conscious choice not to make a decision is the first step in the process.
- When an emotion is named, its automatic power weakens—this is a fundamental characteristic of this psychological mechanism.
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