Picture this: You're reading this article right now instead of tackling that important task you've been putting off all week. Sound familiar? You're not alone—and according to groundbreaking research, you might not even be a true procrastinator.
Dr. Phil Stieg, Chair and Neurosurgeon-in-Chief of Weill Cornell's Department of Neurological Surgery, kicked off Season 6 of his "This Is Your Brain" podcast with a mind-bending exploration of procrastination that turns everything you think you know upside down. His guest, Dr. Joseph Ferrari, professor of psychology at DePaul University, has spent decades studying why we delay—and his findings will surprise you.
While everyone procrastinates occasionally, only 20% of people are chronic procrastinators. Dr. Ferrari explains that true chronic procrastinators delay consistently across all areas of life: home, work, school, and relationships. They're the people who RSVP late, wait until the gas tank is empty, and pay bills only after receiving multiple notices.
The remaining 80% of us might delay specific tasks (like 70% of college students who procrastinate academically), but we're selective about what we postpone. If there's a free concert or social event, we show up on time—proving we're not true procrastinators, just task-specific delayers.
Unfortunately, learning about time management isn't going to help chronic procrastinators.
As Dr. Ferrari puts it, "You can't control the wind, you can only adjust your sails." Procrastination isn't about managing time—it's about managing ourselves. Chronic procrastinators are skilled excuse-makers who engage in what he calls the "but however" syndrome, always finding external reasons for their delays.
This reframe is crucial for treatment. Instead of focusing on calendars and scheduling apps, effective intervention requires addressing the underlying psychological patterns that drive avoidance behavior.
Procrastinators simultaneously want to be liked while avoiding judgment of their abilities. Dr. Ferrari reveals a fascinating psychological dynamic: "If I never finish, you can never judge my skill." By not completing tasks, procrastinators protect themselves from potential criticism while maintaining the illusion that they could excel if they tried.
But fear of success can be equally paralyzing. High achievers worry that success will raise expectations for future performance, creating more pressure and responsibility. This creates a self-defeating cycle where delay becomes a protective mechanism against both failure and the burden of success.
Procrastinators don't actually perform better under pressure—they just think they do.
Laboratory studies show that when procrastinators work under time pressure, their performance actually decreases compared to when they have adequate time. The "arousal procrastinators" who claim they need last-minute pressure to perform are deceiving themselves.
Similarly, perfectionism isn't the real issue. Dr. Ferrari emphasizes that the healthiest, most well-adjusted people succeed about 85% of the time and fail 15%. The key isn't avoiding failure—it's learning how to recover and grow from setbacks.
Dr. Ferrari stresses that chronic procrastination is learned behavior, often rooted in family dynamics. Because it's learned, it can be unlearned. Chronic procrastinators may need professional help, like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), to change both their thinking patterns and their behaviors. The goal isn't perfection but building resilience and developing healthier coping mechanisms.
For the 80% who occasionally procrastinate, the approach is different: identify why you're avoiding specific tasks, commit to change, and take small, observable steps forward.
The conversation between Dr. Stieg and Dr. Ferrari reveals something profound: procrastination isn't a character flaw—it's a behavior that can be changed. Whether you're among the 20% who need professional intervention or the 80% who can tackle this with targeted strategies, the path forward is clear.
But here's the twist Dr. Ferrari would appreciate: the biggest act of procrastination would be putting off listening to the insights that could change your life. As he reminds us, "Just do it now. Don't worry about failure."
Ready to stop delaying your potential? "This Is Your Brain" contains the strategies, real-world examples, and the complete roadmap for transformation that we've only begun to explore here.
Listen to the full episode now—because the best time to stop procrastinating about procrastination is right now.
