Introduction
In the seventh blog, we unraveled the concept of task paralysis, where the magnitude of a task freezes us into inaction. In the eighth blog, we explored the dangerous illusion of task substitution, where smaller, easier tasks distract us from meaningful progress. Now, in this ninth blog, we delve deeper into a powerful and deceptive driver of procrastination: making excuses.
Excuses aren’t just delays—they are the subconscious stories we tell ourselves to avoid discomfort, fear of failure, and emotional resistance. This blog exposes the psychology behind these justifications, offering practical tools to identify and challenge excuses, break the cycle of avoidance, and take immediate, meaningful action. By addressing the emotional roots of procrastination, this post arms you with strategies to reclaim your time and focus.
Making Excuses:
When procrastination kicks in, one of the first things we often do is come up with excuses to justify our delay. Common phrases like “I don’t have time right now” or “I’ll start tomorrow when I’m more rested” begin to surface. These excuses might seem valid in the moment, but they often mask deeper issues related to fear of failure, perfectionism, or a desire to avoid discomfort. The reality? These excuses are rarely grounded in truth.
According to Dr. Joseph Ferrari, a leading researcher on procrastination, procrastinators frequently believe that they will have more time, energy, or motivation to complete the task in the future. This belief, however, rarely aligns with reality. Ferrari’s research shows that people who procrastinate often convince themselves that tomorrow will be a better day to start, but this “tomorrow” tends to get postponed again and again. This mindset perpetuates the cycle of procrastination, leaving people stuck in a loop of inaction and self-deception (Ferrari, 2010).
The Psychology Behind Excuses
When we make excuses, it’s not just about poor time management—it’s about avoiding the emotional discomfort that comes with starting a task. Psychologists call this “temporal discounting,” where we place greater value on immediate comfort and relief rather than the long-term benefits of taking action now. For example, skipping today’s workout or meal prep feels more appealing because the immediate reward is comfort and relaxation. We discount the future consequences (like missed fitness goals or poor diet habits) because they seem far away.
Procrastination as Emotional Coping
Excuses often function as a coping mechanism to protect us from the fear of starting, particularly if the task seems daunting or if we feel we might fail at it. Dr. Timothy Pychyl calls this the emotional aspect of procrastination, where the root cause of delaying tasks is often tied to a fear of failure, inadequacy, or perfectionism. When we feel like we’re not going to perform a task perfectly—or that it’s going to be too difficult—our brain seeks a way out. In this case, making excuses provides that escape route. The thought of “I don’t have time” is more palatable than confronting the fact that you’re avoiding a task because you’re scared of failing (Pychyl, 2013).
Interestingly, this ties into the concept of cognitive dissonance, which occurs when our actions don’t align with our beliefs or goals. In the context of procrastination, we know that skipping a workout or pushing off meal prep is counterproductive to our long-term fitness goals. To reconcile this internal conflict, we generate excuses to justify our inaction. By telling ourselves we’ll “do it tomorrow” or that we “don’t have time today,” we temporarily reduce the discomfort of this dissonance. However, the issue remains unresolved, and the stress of delaying the task compounds over time.
The Fallacy of Future Time and Energy Dr. Ferrari also highlights the fallacy of future planning that procrastinators often fall into. We tend to believe that “tomorrow” or “next week” we’ll have more time or energy to complete the task. This belief is not grounded in reality because our future circumstances are rarely more conducive to action than the present. In fact, putting tasks off until later often makes them harder to complete because they pile up and the associated stress increases. The mental load of having delayed an important task can weigh heavily on us, leading to increased anxiety and further avoidance.
This phenomenon is closely related to “time inconsistency,” a concept from behavioral economics that explains why we favor immediate rewards over future benefits. It’s easier to tell ourselves we’ll start tomorrow because we’re not emotionally attached to the consequences of delaying our goals. Dr. George Ainslie’s work on time inconsistency demonstrates that when people delay tasks, they tend to overestimate their future ability to complete them, failing to account for the fact that the conditions—time, energy, and motivation—are unlikely to improve in the future (Ainslie, 2001).
Excuses and the Illusion of Control Another key insight from Ferrari’s research is that excuses give us the illusion of control. By saying “I’ll do it tomorrow,” we feel like we’re still in charge of our decisions. It gives us a sense of autonomy, even though in reality, we’re allowing procrastination to control our behavior. This illusion of control is what makes excuses so dangerous—they perpetuate the belief that we are being intentional about our delay, when in fact, we are succumbing to avoidance.
Breaking Free from Excuses
To break free from the habit of making excuses, the first step is to recognize that they are often driven by emotional avoidance, not logical reasoning. Ask yourself: “Is this excuse really true, or am I just trying to avoid discomfort?” When you recognize that you’re making excuses, it becomes easier to challenge them.
One effective strategy is to flip the script: Instead of telling yourself, “I don’t have time today,” challenge yourself with, “What small part of this task can I start today, even if it’s just 5 minutes?” This approach, supported by Dr. David Allen’s 5-minute rule, helps overcome the inertia of procrastination. Once you begin, even with a small action, you’re more likely to keep going because starting is often the hardest part (Allen, 2001).
Another way to combat excuses is to use implementation intentions, a strategy developed by Dr. Peter Gollwitzer. This involves setting clear “if-then” plans to counter common excuses. For example, “If I feel like I don’t have time for a full workout, then I will do a 10-minute HIIT session.” By having a pre-made plan in place, you reduce the likelihood of making excuses when the time comes to act (Gollwitzer, 1999).
What are implementation intentions?
Definition: A planning strategy that involves creating specific “if-then” scenarios to preemptively address obstacles. It helps reduce procrastination by making responses automatic.
Context: A fitness example would be, “If I don’t have time for a full workout, then I’ll do a 10-minute HIIT session,” reducing the chance of skipping exercise altogether.
Conclusion
Excuses are more than just delays—they are barriers disguised as reasons. By understanding their emotional roots in fear and discomfort, you can break free from their grip and start taking action, even in small steps. Through strategies like flipping the script and using implementation intentions, you gain control over your decisions and avoid falling into the procrastination trap.
As we move forward, the tenth blog will teach you how to reframe your task and explaining how and why this reframing will transform it into a powerful motivator. Get ready to learn these and skills and how to implement them. Your breakthrough is just ahead!
