It is well known that Buddhism embraces the idea that living in the present moment while not dwelling on the past or anguishing about the future is necessary to live in harmony with oneself and follow the path to enlightenment. Does instant gratification help us live in the present moment? It briefly appeaces our anxiety, for certain, but doesn’t help us seize the present in a righteous way, as living in the here-and-now must be accomplished with a perspective of the consequences of our current actions.
Wild animals fulfill their basic needs in generally simple ways. They do so by feeding themselves when hungry, finding shelter when cold, or sleeping when tired. They don’t worry about the past or stress about the future in unnecessary ways (e.g. a bird builds a nest as it plans to brood its eggs on it, which is necessary for the continuation of its species). Thus, one could say that wild animals succeed at living mainly in the present moment and at times in the future because their survival depends on it. Unlike them, many people tend to avoid facing foreseeable uncomfortable challenges in the future by irresponsibly engaging in distracting activities. This illogical and contradictory reasoning process is the phenomenon known as procrastination. In my opinion, it ensues from a lack of evolutionary neurological development of the human brain.
I believe the human brain is not a final product, so to say. It is still evolving, which explains, for instance, why there are so many psychiatric disorders that wild animals don’t present, and why we often fail to succeed in our interpersonal relationships, whether in romance, our relationships with coworkers, or the interaction among groups of individuals (e.g. differences among ethnic groups, which often leads to armed conflict). Our emotions and analytical thinking grapple with one another. In the case of procrastination, anxiety brought up by several reasons (e.g. perfectionism and fear of failure, fear of success and rebellion against authority) blinds objectivity and practicality.
Additionally, with the advent of the internet, smartphones and social media, the world in which we live today is increasingly full of distractions that encourage the procrastinator to triumph in his misdeeds. Likewise, there is a tendency to engage in multiple life projects simultaneously, especially in highly developed countries (which coincidentally suffer from higher levels of stress). To illustrate the latter statement, students in the US often have the opportunity to double major in college, and they have the opportunity to join integrated programs (e.g. BS/MS, MS/PhD, Medical Residency/MS), thus doubling their amount of academic workload and fueling on stress and anxiety.
In order to avoid procrastination effectively, I advise students and working professionals to address the anxiety that causes it. Simplifying one’s life when possible, and engaging in meditation or mindfulness can certainly help. Pursuing cognitive behavioral therapy might also be a smart strategy to challenge the natural tendency for procrastination that afflicts many.
I have written an article that deals with the subject of anxiety and depression, also from an evolutionary neurological standpoint, back in April 23, 2019, titled The Neurological Source of Depression, which I believe can bring interesting additional insights: https://u.osu.edu/juarez.41/2019/04/23/the-neurological-source-of-depression/
Resources:
Lesson: Module 3, slide 6