I'll do it right now: The problem with precrastination

You may be familiar with this from your own painful experience: writing theses, cleaning the flat, going for a dental check-up - all things that can easily be procrastinated. But did you know that the opposite of procrastination also exists? I asked Christine Hoffmann, occupational psychologist and coach in Vienna, about this.

Mrs Hoffmann, why is the opposite of procrastination, i.e. precrastination, hardly known?

Christine Hoffmann: Precrastination has a better reputation in our meritocracy: it is seen as desirable to complete tasks quickly. People who precrastinate are seen as hard-working and can be relied on. And people tend to talk about problems rather than the good things. Procrastination becomes a problem at some point, after all it is simply noticeable when to-dos are done later or even never.

**What does it look like when someone procrastinates? **

Precrastinators have the urge to get everything done immediately. At the same time, however, it is not possible to do "everything". Precrastination and procrastination therefore always go hand in hand. For example: you're sitting on the sofa with your partner - and every time you hear a "pling", you look at your mobile. Although you immediately read all the new emails, you are putting off your relationship work and relationship enjoyment at that moment. It could just as easily be your personal relaxation or your experience with your children. Because we have so many behavioural options at any given moment, we have to constantly (unconsciously) decide what to do next and what not to do. As a result, we constantly precrastinate and procrastinate. Ideally, people decide to do the things that are important to them and put off the unimportant things.

**Some people manage this - but others prefer the wrong tasks? **

We humans have a particular need to get things done quickly that promise so-called "quick wins". For example, answering emails, looking at likes on the social web, leaving comments. There are few people who precrastinate their health or work on their life vision every day. And very few people will start their job by writing that stressful report - it's something they'd rather put off. In other words, many people precrastinate on things that are easy to do but often not particularly important. And this behaviour is extremely encouraged by our smartphone society. After all, it's much easier to say to a child: "I'll play with you in a minute, I have to answer this one work email" - quick win included - than to engage intensively with the other person. Our brain also favours these quick wins: because quick success is guaranteed, it releases dopamine, the happiness neurotransmitter.

That's a good thing, isn't it: everyone wants to be happy!Yes, but if you always prioritise the unimportant things, you are constantly torn away from things that require more depth. Research also agrees that the more people do single-tasking - focussing on one thing - the happier they are. But what do we do? Multitasking. We're at the playground with the child AND we're on the phone. We're watching a series AND we're checking our Insta account on the side. Cognitively, people can't actually concentrate on two things, but are constantly jumping back and forth with their focus. This is how we train ourselves to have an attention deficit. Then our thoughts constantly wander during conversations, which our brain does automatically. Or: During sex, we'd like to let go and feel everything - instead we think about the shopping list. In moments when we should be fully in the here and now, we can no longer do this. Does research know the reasons why people are particularly prone to precrastination?There is not yet much research on the topic. People who are more anxious seem to precrastinate more often: for example, because they are afraid of handing things in too late or not completing tasks at all. Precrastination can take on pathological, compulsive traits. But as I said, we all precrastinate, precisely because it is possible to get things done anywhere these days. What's more, people feel the need to reduce mental load (i.e. the burden of multiple tasks in everyday life outside of work). They believe that the many loose ends that we experience every day due to unfinished business can be dealt with by getting everything done immediately ... According to the motto: IF I get everything done, THEN I can treat myself to some free time. But you never get everything done. That's a fallacy.**In a job, on the other hand, someone who precrastinates sounds like a dream employee. **These are often people who have a need for recognition and appreciation from others. They are people pleasers, want to please everyone and find it difficult to say "no". It becomes difficult when someone at work tries to pre-crastinate everything: This can lead to envy from the team, because such an apparent over-performer creates pressure and raises the level for the others. But at the same time, there are of course dangers lurking in precrastination: You don't wait for a good time slot for a to-do, but do everything immediately. This means you work under time pressure and possibly under unfavourable conditions: less depth, less creativity and a higher susceptibility to errors are the result.Can this be bad for your health?Yes. If you try to multitask, you create stress for yourself and, as I said, train yourself to have an attention deficit. And if people really want to get everything done immediately, this can lead to sleep disorders, a permanently guilty conscience, depression, burn-out ... because one thing is clear: we don't usually precrastinate our self-care. What measures do you recommend against everyday precrastination?People who are very self-reflective eventually notice the pressure or realise afterwards: "I didn't need to stress myself out." My tip to each of us would be: engage in self-reflection. Ask yourself: Which tasks are really important? What do you need to do immediately, what can be bundled, pushed back - or even not done at all? You can also outsource or delegate to-dos. I once had an executive coach who put himself under pressure to mow the lawn every weekend. He ended up delegating the task to a robotic lawnmower. You can also choose not to always respond to every comment on social media - or log out of Insta & Co altogether. And even if every to-do list basically creates a new one because we never finish everything: to-do lists are helpful. They reduce mental load: Because the brain then no longer has to keep the task warm, but can forget about it.What other measures are there?It helps to establish structures. For example, setting up fixed time slots for tasks at work. Let's take the example of emails: it's enough to check and reply to all messages two or three times a day at fixed times. If you bundle these short tasks together, you won't be torn away from other, more important things. Of course, you have to communicate such deadlines within the team - and stick to them consistently. This is not easy because we all have the "fear of missing out": Fear of missing out.Every smartphone also tempts you to constantly check everything ...That's why you should consciously leave your mobile at home when you're out jogging, going for a walk or spending time with family and friends, for example. Our brain needs this input-free time. Thoughts must be able to flow freely. Science has been able to prove this in studies: Even when the mobile is face down, the brain is unconsciously activated and we think that a message, a Like, might have come in. So we feel the urge to check immediately. That's why a mobile phone has no place in conferences. Ultimately, precrastination always revolves around the question: What is REALLY important?Well, your boss might see it differently than you do ...Of course, employees have to clarify a lot of things. But my advice is to write lists and discuss them as a team: Which tasks make sense, which don't? What can be done in another form or not at all? What can I sort out? We all do too much - and many things are not necessary. I recommend not doing things for once - and then seeing what happens. Perhaps nobody has noticed that you forgot to send out the in-house newsletter two months ago? Are the minutes, which are always stored on the server after the meeting, not downloaded by anyone anyway? The key question is this: What of what I do would I not start again if I wasn't already doing it? It is best to analyse all processes as a team: Which ones would you no longer introduce? What is really still useful?Cover photo: shutterstock