Are you a procrastinator or rational decision-maker?

Question

According to Tim Urban at waitbutwhy. com, "For a real procrastinator, procrastination isn't an option - it's something they don't know how to not do."

Tim says this is how a Non-Procrastinator's Brain looks like :

Whereas this is how a Procrastinator's Brain looks like :

Tim further explains that, the rational decision-maker in a procrastinator's brain is coexisting with a pet - the Instant Gratification Monkey.

This Instant Gratification Monkey is the last creature who should be in charge of decisions — he thinks only about the present, ignoring lessons from past and disregarding the future altogether, and he concerns himself entirely with maximizing the ease and pleasure of the current moment.

Given this predicament, how does the procrastinator ever manage to accomplish anything?

As it turns out, there's one thing that scares the shit out of the Instant Gratification Monkey :
The Panic Monster.

The Panic Monster is dormant most of the times, but he suddenly wakes up when a deadline gets too close or when there's danger of public embarrassment, a career disaster, or some other scary consequences.

So, which one are you — a rational decision-maker or procrastinator?

Source : Tim Urban at waitbutwhy. com

lumos · Accepted Answer

It's like 50/50 for me, so C. Sometimes I'm able to calculate the exact amount of time needed to finish a task, and I'll even finish it early because it feels rewarding and I know I'll be able to relax once it's done. Whereas I'm never able to completely relax when I'm procrastinating, so the instant gratification monkey is never capable of maximizing the feeling of relaxation in the same way that having finished a task early does.
However, I sometimes end up procrastinating a bit too much if the task is difficult and I don't know exactly where to start. Not knowing where to start makes actually starting a bit more challenging - hence why procrastination is an easier trap to fall into.
So for instance, some short term tasks that I'll get done today with ease: doing laundry, going grocery shopping, baking cookies. I'll even e-mail my teacher and take a look at some potential courses I could start taking soon.
HOWEVER. I'm procrastinating the shit out of getting started on my bachelor's thesis. I just don't know where to start or how to define what it is that I'm going to research. So fuck that. But the good thing is that I have almost a year to figure it out and finish it, so for now I'm like 40% ok with the instant gratification monkey taking control.

BaileyisDarcy · Accepted Answer

C

Primarily a procrastinator though. Was 15 minutes late for work yesterday, simply because i left it until i had the bare minimum time to ride my bike up, and only then realised my tire was flat. Had to walk. Was damn late.

I've a tendency to prioritise taking a break at work over getting things done before my shift ends. I end up staying overtime more often than i should (i clock out at the right time so my boss doesn't know) its just getting the last few dishes washed but still...

TheLuckyPizzaDog · Accepted Answer

i know i procrastinate... i basically can't do anything without a sense of urgency. sometimes i can't even get shit done *with* a deadline. ill put off starting a project, put off working on the meat of the project, and even when im pushing deadline ill put off finishing the project.

EpicDweeb · Accepted Answer

It depends... anything school related? Yeah I procrastinate... I work better under pressure so yeah. The things I think ahead on are largely the hypothetical. I want to be an economist and I've learned to look past the initial choices and effects policies and such have on the market. I think I tend to make rational judgements most of the time... I just refuse to act on them.

UsernameMadness · Accepted Answer

Anyone who hangs out on GaG is a procrastinator.

Anonymous · Answer

I am a procrastinator-and I will tell you why- tomorrow.

karahiri · Answer

procrastinator. my panic monster is about to wake up

Nice-girl-101 · Answer

Um. I just go hard core with my goal. Compete it. Take a two week lazy break (except for still going to work. Sigh) then go hardcore again. Like every hour I'm not at work - hard core.

RedThread · Answer

I'd like to think I'm rational and a procrastinator. It makes me miserable but I still manage to do well lol

Prettygurl12 · Answer

Hey now... just because I take a while to make a decision doesn't mean that the decision I make isn't rational.

douride2 · Answer

Honestly I'm a little of both depending on my mood.

IdkSomethingRandom · Answer

I.. eh. This is an opinion based thing >.> I'm both, lol. I procrastinate because otherwise would require effort. I don't do it until it's necessary

thinkLancer · Answer

Typically i wait until the last minute, and then make a rational week informed decision.

clampfan101 · Answer

I need to think financial things through carefully with no job. Plus I simply don't like wasting money. (Then again, I've never had a lot to waste. lol) I like to try to be logical and plan ahead.

Anonymous · Answer

I'm good at making quick decisions, but long drawn out ones, I have a hard time with

Listening5 · Answer

It depends.  Sometimes I procrastinate, sometimes I dont.

lMike · Answer

Im on a whole new level tim urban can't even comprehend

Anonymous · Answer

A hell of a lot more rational than I was, you've no idea

GoodGuyBreakingBad · Answer

I'm a procastinator i tend to put things off.

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

I'm C. But I'm working on changing that.

BronzedAdonis · Answer

procrastinator to the core

smkr2992 · Answer

Enough with the serious questions. Relax girl

abc3643 · Answer

I'll get back to you on this later

MimiHashima · Answer

I'm... most likely both 😂

fuzzyjo · Answer

I'm would have to say I'm both

Are you a procrastinator or rational decision-maker?

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