Procrastination vs laziness: what’s the difference?

Procrastination means putting off a task you mean to do, even though you expect to be worse off for the delay. Calling yourself lazy does not explain why you keep putting it off.

How researchers define procrastination

In a widely cited review, Piers Steel defines procrastination as voluntarily delaying an intended course of action despite expecting to be worse off for the delay (Steel, 2007, p. 7). Two parts of that definition matter here. The action is intended, and the person expects the delay to cost them.

Why the difference matters

If a task matters to you and you keep putting it off, look at what makes it hard to start. Calling yourself lazy does not tell you what to do next. The research below points to what drives avoiding a task.

What drives putting a task off

Steel (2007) found that people tend to put off tasks they find unpleasant. Sirois and Pychyl (2013) argue that putting a task off works as a short-term mood fix: you skip the bad feeling now, and your later self pays for it. Steel’s definition puts intention at the centre: the person means to do the task.

Three ways to start a task you keep putting off

• Choose a first step that takes under five minutes. The 5 minute rule asks for five minutes, then lets you decide whether to carry on.
• Write the next action and when you will do it. Our guide to starting a task you keep avoiding covers how.
• Use a timer for the first step. The procrastination timer guide covers how long to set the timer for.

When this is more than a habit

If putting tasks off is affecting your sleep, your work or how you feel day to day, a GP, doctor or psychologist can help. In Australia, Beyond Blue is on 1300 22 4636.

If you're thinking about ending your life, or you're not safe right now, call 000 in Australia or 911 in the US. You can also call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or call or text 988 in the US, any time. Anywhere else, findahelpline.com lists free local lines.

Sources

1. Steel P (2007). The nature of procrastination: a meta-analytic and theoretical review of quintessential self-regulatory failure. Psychological Bulletin 133(1): 65–94. Page numbers in the text refer to the author's accepted manuscript (https://ucalgary.scholaris.ca/handle/1880/47914). doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.133.1.65
2. Sirois F, Pychyl T (2013). Procrastination and the priority of short-term mood regulation: consequences for future self. Social and Personality Psychology Compass 7(2): 115–127. doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12011