Welcome to the first issue of Mindset Matters! A weekly newsletter all about growth, mindset, psychology, and inspiration. In this edition, we’re diving deep into one of the most common yet frustrating struggles we face—procrastination.

We all know the feeling: the deadline looms, the to-do list grows longer, yet we find ourselves scrolling, daydreaming, or doing anything but the work. Ever wondered why we procrastinate? The real culprit behind procrastination lies deeper within our psychology—emotions, fears, and even our self-perception.

Today, we explore the hidden forces that drive procrastination and help you reclaim your time and productivity!

Why Do We Procrastinate?

In an article on solvingprocrastination.com, Dr. Itamar Shatz explains the root psychology behind procrastination. Here's a few reasons summed up:

• Perfectionism: The high standards and fear of failure associated with perfectionism can lead to delaying or avoiding tasks as a coping mechanism for the distress of not meeting these standards.

• Anxiety and Fear: Although a task may make people feel anxious, putting it off can make them feel more anxious and create more dread around the task in the long run.

• Expected Effort: The more effort people think is required, and the more reluctant they are to exert effort, the more likely they are to procrastinate.

• Abstract Goals: When goals are too vague or abstract (like "get healthy" or "be more productive"), our brains have trouble connecting them to specific actions.

However, beyond all these reasons, in the 20th century, with the rise of technology and the digital world, the leading cause of procrastination is our phones and the internet itself. The very things we use to help us get better and achieve our work goals are also the ones holding us back. How? Let's find out.

The Digital Paralysis: How Screens Hijacked Our Focus

In an article on cognitiontoday.com, Aditya Shukla talks about how phones have completely changed how our brains focus.

Procrastination pushes us to recover and repair our mood – something our phones can do very well. Phones pull us towards them due to our emotional attachment with them because of their ability to satisfy social needs and offer entertainment. That is why we procrastinate with our phone and forget about pending work, studies, and obligations.

Heavy phone usage is also often associated with coping with social deficiencies like lack of intimacy, loneliness, and social warmth. To cope with those issues, your phone provides a safe “digital security blanket.” It provides enough passive & distant access to social elements like friends, personal lives, photos, memes, games (engagement), etc. which reduce feelings of insecurity and loneliness but also increase negative feelings that emerge from social comparison.

But the question is

How do you stop procrastination?

To start overcoming procrastinating, take a “procrastination pause” when you catch yourself delaying. Spend just five minutes checking in with yourself: What are you avoiding, and why? Is it because the task feels overwhelming or that it might not turn out perfectly? Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward changing them.

Next, focus on intentional time management. Instead of long to-do lists, identify your peak energy hours and reserve these for your toughest work. Use techniques like the Pomodoro Method, working in 25-minute focused bursts with brief breaks to refresh your mind and consolidate what you've learned. Allow buffer time for unexpected interruptions and set aside moments to review your progress and adjust as needed.

Slow Growth is Better Than No Growth

Think of it like learning to ride a bike. Remember how many times you fell? How many times you needed those training wheels? But here's the beautiful thing – each time you got back up, you were a tiny bit better than before.

Fighting procrastination is just like that. Some days you'll rock it – crushing your to-do list like a superhero. Other days? You might spend an hour choosing the perfect playlist before starting work. And that's okay!

Here's a little secret: those people you think have it all figured out? They stumbled too. They just kept going, one tiny step at a time .

So tomorrow, when you catch yourself putting things off, remember this: you don't need to conquer procrastination in a day. Just try to be 1% better than yesterday. That's all. Because slow progress? Is always better than no progress.