Preemptively completing tasks can lead to negative consequences such as decreased effectiveness and unfavorable results. As an illustration, individuals who hastily tackle a task immediately after receiving it, without having all the necessary information, often find themselves exerting more effort and producing subpar results compared to if they had exercised patience.
Understanding the consequences of precrastination is crucial in order to avoid potential problems. In the following article, you will discover more about precrastination and find effective ways to deal with it.
Terminology
There are alternative spellings for “precrastination,” such as “pre-crastination,” and it is occasionally called antecrastination, although this term is informal and uncommon.
Instances of precrastination
An example of poor time management is a student who hastily completes and turns in a paper without seeking feedback or making necessary edits, resulting in a low grade. In addition, if this kind of behavior is something the student consistently exhibits, they may be labeled as a precrastinator.
Here’s another instance of precrastination from the original study that first identified this behavior. Participants were asked to walk down an alley and choose between two buckets. One bucket was located near the beginning of the alley, while the other was closer to the end. Despite being instructed to choose the more manageable bucket, participants frequently opted for the one located at the beginning of the alley, requiring them to carry it a greater distance compared to the one near the end. When questioned about their decision, participants explained that their main goal was to complete the task quickly. However, choosing the closer bucket did not actually contribute to this objective. Instead, it only resulted in them having to exert more physical effort.
Furthermore, here are some additional examples of how individuals tend to precrastinate:
- Checking emails right away upon starting the day, despite the potential benefit of prioritizing creative tasks,.
- It is important to resist the urge to constantly check phone notifications as they come in. While it may be tempting to stay on top of every alert, it is more beneficial to set aside specific times to review notifications in batches.
- Choosing to park the car in the first available spot when going grocery shopping, even though there may be more convenient spots to choose from,.
- Politely waiting for others to finish speaking before contributing to the conversation, showing respect for their thoughts and opinions.
- Hastily developing a product or conducting an experiment without allocating sufficient time to evaluate its design.
Lastly, there are also numerous sayings that caution against precrastination. Take a moment to think before you act. Consider the possible outcomes of your actions. Rushing through tasks without considering the consequences can lead to problems. Similarly, it’s important to carefully consider our actions before diving into a project. Rushing without proper planning can lead to mistakes and wasted effort.
Exploring the psychology and underlying factors of precrastination
Doing things too early, also known as precrastination, can be attributed to several potential causes:
- Being proactive and taking action ahead of time often results in more favorable results overall. When it comes to getting things done, starting early can often lead to better results. This is especially true when the consequences of delaying are more severe than the benefits of starting early. As a result, many people have a natural inclination to begin tasks early, even if it may not always be the most advantageous approach. This can be the situation, for instance, if beginning too soon on school assignments can result in a slightly lower grade but starting too late can result in failure, so students prefer to start too early rather than too late.
- It can help alleviate mental burdens. When it comes to managing tasks and meeting deadlines, there is a cognitive load that can be alleviated by starting or finishing tasks ahead of time. As a result, individuals tend to precrastinate when it helps to decrease the mental effort required for a task. Furthermore, evaluating circumstances to determine the most advantageous moment to begin can also have a cognitive toll. Therefore, it might be more convenient and effective to initiate tasks early as a default approach.
- It can provide a boost in satisfaction in the short term. Given the tendency for people to place greater importance on things that are more immediate, they often prioritize short-term mood and may feel compelled to quickly finish certain tasks, particularly ones that are seen as easy wins. However, delaying the completion of these tasks could ultimately result in greater overall satisfaction. This is related to the idea that focusing on smaller tasks can make the overall task feel more achievable, which can create a sense of progress and fulfillment, even if completing the smaller tasks early may not be the most advantageous approach.
- It can help minimize the duration of time one needs to be concerned about unpleasant tasks. For instance, if someone strongly dislikes having to handle a particular task, they may prefer to complete it quickly.
- It can assist in addressing concerns related to tasks. For instance, if someone is concerned about not being able to finish a crucial task on schedule, they may choose to begin working on it well in advance to alleviate their worries about meeting the deadline.
- It can serve as a means of avoiding unpleasant tasks. For instance, if someone wants to avoid tackling a task they dread, they might delay working on it by getting an early start on a different task. This way, they can still feel productive while putting off the dreaded task. This is commonly referred to as productive procrastination.
Numerous variables, many of which are interrelated, can occasionally cause preemptive action. For instance, one might engage in precrastination when the advantages of freeing up mental resources also imply that starting early is a helpful strategy to embrace in general, or when shortening the time one has to worry about a task also results in mental resource liberation.
These factors also shed light on why precrastination can seem like the logical choice, as staying productive and accomplishing tasks can be more mentally satisfying than waiting or being idle, even when postponing would be more advantageous. This also implies that individuals who engage in early action may not experience any adverse emotions as a consequence of their behavior, unlike in the case of delaying tasks, which can hinder their ability to recognize its drawbacks or attempt to evade them.
Additionally, there may be other factors contributing to people’s tendency to precrastinate. This encompasses a range of individual and contextual elements, such as the influence of others and individuals’ vulnerability to it. In addition, certain psychological factors can also play a role in precrastination, including individuals’ inclination towards taking action rather than being inactive or prioritizing urgent tasks over important ones.
In general, starting tasks early can lead to improved outcomes, as well as provide mental relief, immediate satisfaction, and less time spent worrying about unpleasant tasks.
Just a reminder: researchers have discovered instances of precrastination in both humans and animals, including pigeons. These tendencies and the action bias may have provided an advantage from an evolutionary standpoint, particularly if taking immediate action increased the chances of obtaining limited resources.
Potential risks and advantages of prioritizing tasks ahead of time
Getting tasks done ahead of time can sometimes lead to potential issues, including:
- Regrettable choices. For instance, this can occur when individuals hastily make a decision without taking into account all the available choices.
- Underwhelming results. For instance, this situation can occur when individuals hastily finish a task without verifying their work or seeking input from others.
- Ineffective resource allocation is the cause of decreased productivity. For instance, this can occur when individuals hastily begin a project without obtaining all the necessary details, resulting in the squandering of resources like time and effort on superfluous tasks.
- Questionable prioritization. For instance, this can occur when individuals exhaust all their energy on the initial task they come across in the day instead of prioritizing the most crucial task they should be concentrating on.
- Decreasing mental and emotional well-being. For instance, this can occur when individuals experience frustration due to their difficulty effectively organizing tasks.
However, there can be some advantages to precrastination, despite its overall negative consequences.
One interesting approach is to consider precrastination as a practical method of exchanging resources. As an illustration, this situation arises when completing a task ahead of schedule demands additional exertion, yet it also relieves the individual from pondering over the task (i.e., liberates mental resources).
Furthermore, prioritizing tasks ahead of time can occasionally provide emotional advantages, particularly in the immediate future, such as a feeling of accomplishment. Nevertheless, long-term satisfaction may be diminished when compared to not precrastinating at all, despite the advantages.
In general, engaging in tasks prematurely can lead to a range of negative consequences, such as making poor decisions, performing poorly, being less efficient, prioritizing tasks incorrectly, and experiencing negative mental and emotional states. However, there are potential advantages to precrastination, such as the ability to allocate mental energy more effectively. However, these benefits may come with drawbacks, such as the need for greater effort.
Just a reminder: one common problem that can arise is the tendency to jump into optimizing too soon, before it’s necessary or beneficial. This can then result in additional problems that precrastination can cause, such as decreased performance and squandered resources.
The concept of precrastination versus procrastination
Preferably, precrastination can be seen as the antithesis of procrastination, as it entails completing tasks ahead of schedule, whereas procrastination entails delaying tasks until the last minute.
There are significant variations in terms of the individuals who are likely to participate in these actions. It is worth mentioning that precrastination shows a positive correlation with conscientiousness, a trait characterized by being organized, disciplined, achievement-oriented, and focused. This suggests that individuals who possess a higher level of conscientiousness tend to exhibit a tendency to precrastinate. On the other hand, there is a clear connection between procrastination and conscientiousness. Individuals who lack conscientiousness tend to be more prone to procrastination.
There is a notable distinction in the personality profiles of individuals who exhibit these behaviors. It is worth noting that impulsivity and precrastination are not linked, whereas increased impulsivity is associated with increased procrastination. Based on other findings, it appears that precrastination is a separate concept from procrastination.
Furthermore, another distinction lies in the fact that precrastination is not as widely recognized or frequently debated as procrastination. Precrastination is a relatively recent term that was officially introduced in a study conducted in 2014. In contrast, the word “procrastination” has been used in English writing since 1548. Although the term “precrastination” was rarely and informally used before the mentioned study, earlier research has identified similar phenomena.
However, both behaviors typically result in unfavorable consequences and are thus considered to be counterproductive. In addition, both behaviors can stem from similar underlying factors. As an illustration, aversion to tasks can prompt individuals to precrastinate, where they feel compelled to hastily complete a task in order to remove it from their to-do list. Conversely, it can also lead individuals to procrastinate, as they put off dealing with a task that they find unpleasant.
Just a reminder: starting a task early with the expectation of achieving a positive result is not considered precrastination. This is similar to how intentionally waiting for the right moment, which is likely to result in a favorable outcome, doesn’t typically qualify as procrastination. This also pertains to an early action pacing style, which entails tackling tasks promptly (typically, as soon as possible) and can result in either favorable or unfavorable results.
How to overcome the habit of precrastinating
In order to overcome the tendency to do things too early, it is important to analyze the timing, method, and motivation behind your actions. Then, considering this information, you should choose and apply appropriate techniques for prioritizing tasks, such as the following:
- Organize your tasks in order of importance. Determine the tasks that require your attention, assess their urgency and importance, and identify the optimal timing for completing each task.
- Consider the advantages and disadvantages of getting a head start. This can assist you in recognizing situations where beginning early can be more expensive compared to starting later and will aid you in understanding and absorbing the related expenses.
- Consider the disadvantages of starting early or the advantages of starting later. It’s important to resist the temptation of starting too early. Consider the potential consequences of starting prematurely or lacking the necessary resources for your work. Inefficiency and a less enjoyable experience may result from these factors.
- Question the decision to begin. Before beginning a task, it’s important to consider your motivation for starting at this moment. Should I do this task now or should I wait until later? Sorry, but I need more context or information to provide a response.
- Discover other areas of emphasis. If you’re aware that you tend to jump the gun on certain tasks, rather than forcing yourself to do nothing, redirect your attention towards other tasks or activities that can act as a distraction.
- Organize your tasks. Instead of addressing tasks as they come up, it’s more effective to schedule them for the most suitable time.
- Make sure to keep track of your tasks and schedules. There are multiple methods to accomplish this task, including maintaining a physical checklist or utilizing a specialized application. It is crucial to address this issue as it helps alleviate the mental burden of remembering these tasks, which is a common cause of precrastination.
- Take into consideration your natural cycles. For instance, if you notice that you have a tendency to make hasty decisions late at night due to fatigue and lack of focus, you can plan to make those decisions in the morning when your mind is clearer.
- Establishing milestones and timeframes can help keep you on track. For instance, if you have a substantial project at hand, consider breaking it down into smaller, more manageable tasks and assigning a specific deadline to each task. This will assist in organizing your approach to tasks, leading to a consistent flow of satisfying achievements. This approach minimizes the risk of rushing through the entire project prematurely.
- Be ready for any future uncertainties. For instance, if you’re aware of your tendency to begin school assignments prematurely, you can make a conscious decision to consult your planner before starting any task. This way, you can determine whether it would be more beneficial to tackle the task at a later time.
- Identify and resolve any issues you may have. For instance, if you notice that you have a tendency to start tasks early due to a desire for perfection, you can remind yourself that it’s okay if your work isn’t flawless, and there’s no rush to begin excessively early.
- Build confidence in your abilities. Believing in your own capabilities to accomplish tasks and reach your objectives can be a powerful tool in overcoming precrastination. By instilling confidence in your ability to complete tasks on time, you can alleviate fears and reduce the need to start excessively early. To enhance your effectiveness, consider exploring different approaches that can help you reach your objectives and reflecting on your capability to implement those approaches with success.
You can apply similar strategies to discourage or minimize precrastination in others, such as your students if you’re a teacher or your employees if you’re a project manager. There are multiple approaches to achieving this, including taking charge of the implementation process (for example, by setting intermediate deadlines) or providing support and guidance to facilitate their implementation (such as encouraging them to set intermediate deadlines for themselves). In addition, it may be beneficial to educate individuals about precrastination—its definition, causes, and potential drawbacks. This knowledge can enhance their drive to address this matter and provide them with effective strategies to tackle it.
Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that these techniques can be helpful not only for addressing precrastination but also for addressing procrastination. For instance, taking into account your natural productivity cycles can assist you in determining the optimal time of day for decision-making. This will not only prevent hasty decision-making (i.e., precrastination) but also minimize unnecessary delays in making decisions (i.e., procrastination).
In summary, to overcome the habit of precrastinating (i.e., completing tasks too early), it is important to analyze the timing, method, and underlying reasons behind this behavior. Considering this information, it is important to choose and apply effective strategies to prevent precrastination. These strategies include prioritizing and scheduling tasks, keeping a written record of your tasks and schedule, evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of starting early, questioning your decision to delay starting, finding alternative activities to focus on, and preparing for potential obstacles in the future.
