Emre Doganer

October 13, 2022

Hard Questions Hard Topics #001: Why Do We Procrastinate?

How hard is it to understand yourself, isn't it? Writing this series came to my mind about a week ago. I thought one day I had to sit down and write. But I delayed :)


In this series, I will try to find an answer by asking the hard questions that I want to ask myself but avoid. I'm not saying I will find it because human beings are complex and the answers are often not as simple as we think.


We keep procrastinating, knowing that procrastination will not have good results for us. We have a job to do. We're watching TV series or surfing on Twitter. Tasks come to our minds, but we choose to avoid them.


We procrastinate because our procrastination is often stronger than our impulse to act. This is usually due to our willpower not being strong enough. In the short term, the pleasure of other things we deal with takes precedence over the anxieties of doing that work.


We procrastinate because we find our work boring, unnecessary, or unprofitable. This is partly due to the perception that our environment creates for us that we should always do pleasant things. Of course, we are also wrong because we accept it this way in essence.


We procrastinate because we are perfectionists. We do not fully understand that starting a business is more valuable than planning it. We have not yet discovered the importance of learning in action.


We procrastinate because we live disconnected from our future selves. We do not fully grasp that the outcome of what we do now is in the future and that we are shaping our future with the present.


We procrastinate because we don't know exactly our goal. Or we don't give enough thought to "why" we work.We delay even finding our reason.


These are the ones that come to my mind and the ones I can list when I ask myself. Maybe there is even more. So how can we solve this problem?


I don't think anyone has a clear answer to this. Because every human being is unique. And it's hard to discover what lies deep in his mind about an action.


That's why the best method I've come up with that works for most people is to build a good environment.


Yes, there is a need for an environment that pulls you upwards, appreciates action and producing output, accepts the present as an investment even though it cannot see the future clearly, and reflects on its actions and reasons.


And this environment no longer has to be physical. An online community, even a person you follow, can mobilize you with environmental influence.


I think the solution is to be aware, of the show's will, and force yourself.


We have come to the end of a postponed article about procrastination :)



- Emre

About Emre Doganer

I'm a fractional CMO for B2B SAAS companies. Also, I am co-founder of Funnel Kafası, Minor Stüdyo, Sadece-Ticaret. And leading Kodgem Straight as fractional CMO from the beginning of startup. Marketing, personal knowledge management, writing and learning are my passions.