Chronic procrastination isn’t laziness.
It’s your brain trying to protect you from discomfort, pain, and threats.
After 20+ years of study, Dr. Tim Pychyl uncovered how to break this pattern.
Here’s his science-backed protocol:
Dr. Tim Pychyl’s 20+ years of research show that procrastination is an emotion regulation failure.
You’re not avoiding the task.
You’re avoiding the feelings attached to it:
• Fear of failure
• Not feeling good enough
• Shame from past experiences
As someone with ADHD, I've noticed this in my life and work.
My brain often sees writing as a threat:
To my identity, safety, and professional appearance.
Here’s Dr. Pychyl’s 6-step protocol to beat chronic procrastination (backed by 20+ years of data):
1/ Develop emotional awareness
Ask:
“What emotion am I avoiding right now?”
Not:
“What’s wrong with me?”
Labeling the emotion lowers amygdala activity and brings back executive function - giving you more control over your actions.
2/Pause without judgment
Instead of judging yourself - I’m lazy - simply observe.
This activates the prefrontal cortex, helping you regain control.
Shame fuels procrastination.
Self-compassion leads to agency, coherence, and better decisions.
3/ Shrink big tasks
The bigger your work feels, the more threatening it seems.
Break big tasks into small action triggers:
• Find one idea
• Write one sentence
• Work for 5-10 minutes
Momentum leads to dopamine, which makes it easy to keep working.
4/Forgive your past self
Research shows that forgiving yourself for past procrastination reduces future procrastination.
I call this identity distance:
The degree of psychological space between your lower and higher self.
Guilt keeps you stuck. Forgiveness gets you moving.
5/ Adopt a fluid identity
Don’t aim to “get everything done.”
Aim to become the kind of person who starts.
Tell yourself:
“I’m a starter.”
“I take small steps.”
“I build momentum.”
When you identify as an action taker, you behave like one.
6/Reward effort, and not results
Done is better than perfect.
But starting is also better than procrastinating.
I reward myself for finishing small tasks by working on fun personal projects I'm obsessed with.
This trains your brain to associate effort with safety.
This is the neuroscience that saved my life.
I often still feel like procrastinating instead of writing.
But now, I follow this system to get into a flow.
I've been writing 3 threads per week ever since.
Follow @TaylinSimmonds to rewire your brain.
PS. If you’re a coach or mental health professional looking to:
- 2x your lead flow
- Build an audience
- Increase brand presence
With content just like this, click here to see if you qualify: https://t.co/fRUWQkKvF5
We just helped a client get:
- 135M Impressions
- $100k revenue
- In 8 weeks
With high performing X content. Apply here: https://t.co/fRUWQkKvF5
Chronic procrastination isn’t laziness.
It’s your brain trying to protect you from discomfort, pain, and threats.
After 20+ years of study, Dr. Tim Pychyl uncovered how to break this pattern.
Here’s his science-backed protocol: Dr. Tim Pychyl’s 20+ years of research show that procrastination is an emotion regulation failure.
You’re not avoiding the task.
You’re avoiding the feelings attached to it:
• Fear of failure
• Not feeling good enough
• Shame from past experiences As someone with ADHD, I've noticed this in my life and work.
My brain often sees writing as a threat:
To my identity, safety, and professional appearance.
Here’s Dr. Pychyl’s 6-step protocol to beat chronic procrastination (backed by 20+ years of data): 1/ Develop emotional awareness
Ask:
“What emotion am I avoiding right now?”
Not:
“What’s wrong with me?”
Labeling the emotion lowers amygdala activity and brings back executive function - giving you more control over your actions. 2/Pause without judgment
Instead of judging yourself - I’m lazy - simply observe.
This activates the prefrontal cortex, helping you regain control.
Shame fuels procrastination.
Self-compassion leads to agency, coherence, and better decisions.3/ Shrink big tasks
The bigger your work feels, the more threatening it seems.
Break big tasks into small action triggers:
• Find one idea
• Write one sentence
• Work for 5-10 minutes
Momentum leads to dopamine, which makes it easy to keep working. 4/Forgive your past self
Research shows that forgiving yourself for past procrastination reduces future procrastination.
I call this identity distance:
The degree of psychological space between your lower and higher self.
Guilt keeps you stuck. Forgiveness gets you moving. 5/ Adopt a fluid identity
Don’t aim to “get everything done.”
Aim to become the kind of person who starts.
Tell yourself:
“I’m a starter.”
“I take small steps.”
“I build momentum.”
When you identify as an action taker, you behave like one. 6/Reward effort, and not results
Done is better than perfect.
But starting is also better than procrastinating.
I reward myself for finishing small tasks by working on fun personal projects I'm obsessed with.
This trains your brain to associate effort with safety. This is the neuroscience that saved my life.
I often still feel like procrastinating instead of writing.
But now, I follow this system to get into a flow.
I've been writing 3 threads per week ever since.
Follow @TaylinSimmonds to rewire your brain. PS. If you’re a coach or mental health professional looking to:
- 2x your lead flow
- Build an audience
- Increase brand presence
With content just like this, click here to see if you qualify: https://t.co/fRUWQkKvF5 We just helped a client get:
- 135M Impressions
- $100k revenue
- In 8 weeks
With high performing X content. Apply here: https://t.co/fRUWQkKvF5
