Procrastination, Solved

EPISODE 2

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About the Episode

In this second episode of Solved, Drew and I go deep into the psychology, history, and science of procrastination. From Plato and Aristotle to Freud and modern research, we break down why we delay the things that matter most—and how to actually stop.

This is not a “just set a timer” productivity talk. We’re diving deep into shame, identity, perfectionism, culture, and why procrastination is ultimately a skill issue, not a moral failure. We cover things like:

How humans have thought about putting things off for over 2000 years
The real reason you avoid the most important tasks in your life
Why “I work better under pressure” is (usually) BS
Why self-compassion is actually more motivating than guilt
Tons of practical, research-backed strategies you can start using today

And much, much, much more.

Episode Notes

Episode Roadmap

What exactly is procrastination?

Plato’s Thoughts on Procrastination

The Buddhist & Confucian Views on Procrastination

Aristotle’s Take on Procrastination

Christianity and Procrastination

Self-Compassion and Procrastination

The Reformation and Procrastination

Freud’s Influence on Psychology

Pleasure Principle and Reality Principle

Id, Ego, and Superego

Defense Mechanisms

Adopting Habits as Identity

The Influence of Childhood and Parenting on Procrastination

Environmental Design

Thriving Under Pressure: A Critique

Expectation, Pressure, and Procrastination

Critique of Behaviorism

Time Management

Knowledge vs Emotion in Procrastination

Mark and Drew’s Personal Productivity Systems

Deep Work and Task Management

Productivity System for ADHD

Productive Procrastination

Importance of Task Completion

Existentialism and Purpose

Purpose and Motivation

Temporal Motivation Theory

Limitations of Temporal Motivation Theory

The Role of Technology in Procrastination

The Dynamic Nature of Temporal Motivation Theory

Critique of Temporal Motivation Theory

Emotional Regulation Theory of Procrastination

Understanding Emotional Regulation

Managing Emotions and Environment

Introduction to the RAIN Method

The Six Types of Procrastinators

The 80-20 of Procrastination

Strategic Use of Friction

Gamifying Tasks to Make Them More Interesting

The Impact of Environment on Productivity

The Role of Purpose in Overcoming Procrastination

The Concept of Minimum Viable Action

Addressing Underlying Emotions to Overcome Procrastination

Leveraging Human Nature and Rewards

The Social Aspect of Overcoming Procrastination

Productive Procrastination: A Double-Edged Sword

The Hidden Costs of Overcoming Procrastination

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