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We have a tendency to procrastinate from "summary" of Predictably Irrational, Revised by Dan Ariely
Procrastination is a common human behavior that most of us are guilty of at one point or another. We delay tasks that we know we should be doing, and instead, we find ourselves doing things that bring us immediate pleasure or comfort. It's not that we don't understand the consequences of our procrastination - we are well aware of the negative impact it can have on our lives. However, we still can't seem to break free from this habit. One reason why we procrastinate is that we have a tendency to prioritize short-term rewards over long-term goals. When faced with a choice between an immediate reward, like watching TV or checking social media, and a delayed reward, such as completing a work assignment or going to the gym, we often choose the former. This is because the immediate reward provides instant gratification, while the long-term goal requires effort and patience. Another reason for our procrastination is that we have a limited amount of self-control. Even if we set deadlines and make plans to tackle our tasks, we often give in to temptation and deviate from our intended course of action. This lack of self-control leads us to postpone important tasks until the last minute, causing unnecessary stress and anxiety. Furthermore, we tend to underestimate the time and effort required to complete a task. We convince ourselves that we will have enough time to finish it later, only to realize that we have run out of time and are left scrambling to meet the deadline. This cognitive bias, known as the planning fallacy, contributes to our procrastination by giving us a false sense of security about our ability to complete tasks in the future.- Procrastination is a common behavior that stems from our preference for immediate rewards, our limited self-control, and our tendency to underestimate the time and effort required to complete tasks. By understanding these factors, we can take steps to overcome our procrastination and become more productive in our daily lives.
