The Paradox of Precrastination: Why Doing Things Immediately Isn't Always Better

Introduction: Beyond the Shadow of Procrastination

For years, procrastination has been labeled the "enemy of success" and the "thief of time." Research from IE University has consistently linked it to negative outcomes such as "depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and overall poor mental health." However, there is a lesser-known behavioral extreme that is equally problematic: precrastination.

Defining Precrastination

While procrastination involves delaying tasks, precrastination is the tendency to complete tasks as quickly as possible, often impulsively. The term was coined in 2014 by psychology professor David Rosenbaum, who defined it as the "hastening of sub-goal completion, even at the expense of extra-physical effort."

Rosenbaum’s study, published in Psychological Science, involved an experiment where participants carried buckets of coins from point A to point B. Participants were given a choice between a bucket nearby or one further along the path. Surprisingly, most chose the closer bucket, despite it requiring them to carry the weight for a longer distance. This revealed a fundamental human bias: we are often driven by the "desire to relieve the stress of maintaining that information in working memory," which leads us to "overexert ourselves physically or take extra risks."

The Illusion of Productivity

In our professional and personal lives, precrastination often manifests as "responding to emails the minute they arrive," "leaving an hour early for work to avoid rush hour," or attempting to finish an "entire to-do list before lunch." While these behaviors are often mistaken for being "productive and organised," they are frequently counterproductive.

By rushing to clear tasks, individuals often become "mentally drained and more prone to errors." The podcast highlights that this behavior does not necessarily make one more effective than someone who procrastinates. Instead, it shifts the burden from the task itself to the individual’s cognitive and physical resources, creating a false sense of accomplishment that lacks strategic depth.

Finding the Middle Ground

The core message of the discussion is that both procrastination and precrastination are extremes on a behavioral spectrum. The goal should be to find a "middle ground."

Listeners are encouraged to re-evaluate their past behaviors. If you have been hard on yourself for waiting to complete a task, consider whether you were actually procrastinating or if you were "simply taking the necessary time to think things through properly." Furthermore, one must distinguish between true procrastination and the act of delaying a task because "it wasn't yet a priority."

Conclusion: Productivity vs. Speed

Ultimately, the podcast argues that we must stop "equating productivity with speed." True efficiency is not about how quickly you can empty your to-do list, but about focusing on your priorities. By understanding the concept of precrastination, individuals can move away from the anxiety of immediate completion and toward a more thoughtful, balanced, and sustainable approach to work.