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Why You Procrastinate – and How to Stop it for Good | Elyssa Smith | TEDxBabsonCollege

TEDx Talks

355K views 2 years ago

Warm-up Questions

When do you usually procrastinate most: school/work tasks, household tasks, or personal goals?
What do you hope to learn from a talk called “Why You Procrastinate – and How to Stop it for Good”?
Do you think procrastination is mostly laziness, fear, stress, or something else? Why?

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Why You Procrastinate – and How to Stop it for Good | Elyssa Smith | TEDxBabsonCollege

Procrastination as a stress warning system (and trauma) (00:00 – 05:13)

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1. At the beginning, what does the speaker say about the “two groups” of people?

They are based on right brain vs. left brain.
She invented them; they are not actually a real division.
They are scientifically proven personality types.
They are real categories used in trauma therapy.

2. Why did the speaker personally procrastinate?

She wanted to rebel against teachers.
It was a coping mechanism to avoid the pain and pressure to be perfect.
She didn’t care about grades or success.
She thought procrastination was the best way to learn.

3. What is “tiny T trauma,” according to the speaker?

Nonviolent events like bullying or losing a pet
A medical condition affecting memory
Little unmet needs in childhood that create negative self-beliefs
War, disasters, or domestic violence

Why You Procrastinate – and How to Stop it for Good | Elyssa Smith | TEDxBabsonCollege

Right brain vs. left brain, fear, and the Band-Aid metaphor (05:13 – 08:30)

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1. What does the speaker say the right brain focuses on?

Keeping you safe and helping you survive
Higher-level decision-making and logic
Planning long-term goals
Creative storytelling and imagination

2. In an emergency, what does the survival brain tell the logical brain to do?

Take a hike because higher-level thinking isn’t needed
Ignore fear and focus on perfection
Work harder and calculate faster
Shut down the body’s stress response

3. In the race metaphor, what does procrastination represent?

Training more before competing
Tying your shoelaces before the race
A strategy to guarantee winning
A Band-Aid that makes you feel safe but doesn’t solve the problem

Why You Procrastinate – and How to Stop it for Good | Elyssa Smith | TEDxBabsonCollege

Client examples and a practical technique to calm the nervous system (08:30 – 13:27)

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1. What was one reason the speaker’s client resisted getting to work on time?

She thought being early was unprofessional.
She didn’t like being told what to do and being bossed around.
She had no transportation and could not commute.
She enjoyed being late because it gave her attention.

2. What did the speaker say the other client wanted before starting her project?

To plan every single thing “to a T” and finish in one fell swoop
A strict punishment system to stay motivated
To hire someone else to do it
To work only under extreme stress

3. What is the physical technique meant to activate, according to the speaker?

The visual cortex, linked to concentration
The vagus nerve, linked to the calming response
The digestive system, linked to energy
The adrenal glands, linked to anger

Why You Procrastinate – and How to Stop it for Good | Elyssa Smith | TEDxBabsonCollege

Transcript will load here…

1. What is the main claim about procrastination in this talk?

It is mainly a sign of laziness and poor morals.
It is necessary for creativity and should not be changed.
It is a stress warning system and a survival coping mechanism.
It is caused only by bad time management tools.

2. What does the speaker suggest is the deeper, long-term way to stop procrastinating?

Use more alarms and stricter schedules.
Wait until pressure forces you to act.
Avoid challenging goals permanently.
Rewire negative self-beliefs created by trauma and create safety for the brain.

3. Why does the speaker argue procrastination can reduce performance?

It eliminates fear completely.
It makes the survival brain take over and creates an imbalance.
It improves left-brain logic permanently.
It increases available time and energy.

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

Why You Procrastinate – and How to Stop it for Good | Elyssa Smith | TEDxBabsonCollege

The speaker says procrastination can be a “stress warning system.” Do you agree? Why or why not?
Which fear seems most connected to procrastination for you: fear of failure, fear of judgment, fear of success, or something else?
Have you ever felt you “perform better under stress”? What are the benefits and costs of that pattern?
Which strategies help you calm down your nervous system (breathing, movement, routines, talking to someone, etc.) when you feel overwhelmed?