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Can putting off a task be a way to manage an unpleasant feeling?

Setting aside a difficult task can bring immediate relief, even as the deadline gets closer. Psychologist Fuschia Sirois describes this as one way procrastination can involve regulating emotion. It helps explain a possible avoidance cycle without assuming every delay has the same cause or labeling the person as lazy.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • What feeling changes immediately after the task is postponed?
  • What would distinguish avoidance from a sensible decision to wait?

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When a question reshapes a memory

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Can putting off a task be a way to manage an unpleasant feeling? | Speech Topic | speaking.app