Task Initiation – How it Works

“Procrastination is identified as one of the least understood minor human miseries and a complex psychological phenomenon with significant links to lower levels of health, wealth, and well-being”^​1​

There are many cognitive factors that contribute to task initiation (TI), including:

• Time categorization (is the task due in a “like-the-present” (leading to the task being started promptly) or “unlike-the-present” time category (leading to delayed task initation)?)^​2​
• Is an approach motivation (“direction of behavior toward positive stimuli”) or avoidance motivation (“direction of behaviour away from negative stimuli”) activated?^​3​ (See Models)
• Are there only goal intentions (“I will do X,” a.k.a. “outcome focus“) or implementation intentions (“When situation Y arises, I will do the goal-directed response Z!” a.k.a. a “process focus“^​3–5​(See Models)
• Executive functions (how effective are the person’s inhibition (impulsivity and distractibility), organizational skills, planning (including time management), self-monitoring, and working memory?^​3​

There are also intrapersonal, situational, and task-specific factors involved, including:

• Personality – studies have shown that neuroticism (high emotional instability) is “positively associated with procrastination; whereas, conscientiousness [thoughtfulness, self-control, organization] is negatively associated with procrastination.”^​1​ Perfectionism,
  low self-efficacy (belief in ones self) and learned helplessness, evaluation anxiety, irrational beliefs, unrealistic expectations, and fear of failure can also contribute to poor task initiation.^​1,3,6​
• The cognitive styles “self-downing (negative and disparaging self talk), low frustration tolerance, and hostility” have also been associated with procrastination.^​1​
• Situational – situational factors such as extrinsic motivation,^​7​ environmental influences such as clutter, noise, and interruptions,^​7​ as well as other factors out of ones control, such as sickness^​1​ can all influence a person’s TI. Needing to do something that is not a part of your routine, waiting for a later time to begin, multitasking, or being preoccupied with something else can cause someone to forget to start a task.^​8​
• Task characteristics – TI is negatively impacted by tasks that: have a distant or no clear deadline; are or seem impossible; are considered low value or not important; or if priorities, goals, and objectives are unclear..^​1,3​

All of these and more can determine how efficiently any person will get started on any given task.

When a person regularly delays or avoids initiating tasks, they are considered a procrastinator. It is important to remember that procrastination is not necessarily a conscious choice, and many people struggle with task initiation even when they actively want to complete the task promptly.

Procrastination

Along with being an organic failure of executive function, procrastination has been conceptualized as the brain’s “maladaptive way of coping with life stressors.”^​1​ Though TI may be (consciously or subconsciously) delayed when the task involves stress in an attempt to avoid it, procrastination itself causes stress, causing a loop of inaction^​1​ which can be difficult to break.

Psychology researchers have identified five different types of procrastination:^​9​

1. Academic procrastination (task avoidance) – preparing for tests and doing projects and assignments at the last minute
2. Life routine procrastination (task avoidance) – difficulty in scheduling and doing everyday chores and routines and life tasks
3. Decisional procrastination (decision avoidance) – delaying making everyday decisions (a.k.a. indecisiveness^​10​) 
4. Neurotic procrastination (decision avoidance) –  delay in making important life decisions
5. Compulsive procrastination –  Both task and decisional avoidance within in the same person.^​10​

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