WorkLife with Adam Grant: The real reason you procrastinate

The real reason you procrastinate

You procrastinate because you're lazy, right? Wrong. The truth is more complex -- and far more interesting. Learn how to stop putting off important tasks ... with a little help from master procrastinator Margaret Atwood. (Audio only)

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Procrastination is less about laziness and more about managing uncomfortable emotions. Research shows up to 95 percent of students, and a significant portion of adults, regularly put off tasks, often to escape anxiety or self-doubt. Even highly productive people may delay work they fear, not work they dislike. Approaching these feelings with self-compassion and removing temptations can help transform avoidance into action.