The psychology of “I’ll do it later” 🧠

So yesterday I wrote 12 pages for a project I’m excited about, redesigned my office layout, and did a workout.

I also let an insurance claim form wait in my inbox for the 17th day in a row. An unreturned Amazon package has been in my trunk for weeks. And I have not canceled that $10 subscription that keeps showing up on my statement.

This used to drive me crazy. How can I have the discipline to build an entire business but can’t make myself schedule a simple appointment?

How can my friend Sarah file her taxes in January but literally freeze when she needs to write a sales email?

Turns out, we’ve been thinking about procrastination all wrong.

It’s not about being lazy. It’s about understanding that we all have different resistance zones - and once you know yours, everything changes.

It’s an endless loop (vicious cycle), that can only be exited once you make the decision to complete a task. See this handy chart I made with ChatGPT.

Once I mapped this out, everything made more sense.

Here’s where I’ve found the main categories of resistance live:

Zone 1: Administrative Tasks The maintenance of life. DMV registration, dental cleanings, paying bills. The unseen work that keeps everything from falling apart with no reward except avoiding disaster. When they’re not done, there’s background anxiety. Complete them and you get cortisol drop, GABA activation for calm, and freed up mental bandwidth.

Zone 2: Creative Tasks Writing your chapter, designing the app, developing your TED talk. You have to pull something from inside that doesn’t exist yet. Your brain goes “I’m not good enough” or “what if it’s terrible?” Push through and you get the flow-state cocktail of dopamine, endorphins, norepinephrine, plus new neural connections forming.

Zone 3: High-Discomfort Tasks Cold calling prospects, asking for raises, pitching investors. These push you outside your comfort zone into total uncertainty. Your primitive brain thinks you’re in actual danger. Do it anyway and you get massive dopamine proportional to the risk, testosterone spike, and endorphin rush.

Zone 4: Emotional/Interpersonal Tasks Apologizing, setting boundaries, relationship talks. These require vulnerability which feels risky. Complete them for oxytocin bonding release, serotonin mood stabilization, and improved vagal tone.

Zone 5: High-Cognitive Tasks Business strategy, research, decision making and learning new skills. These can overwhelm you and analysis paralysis sets in. Push through for dopamine, acetylcholine (focus chemical), and BDNF that literally grows your brain.

Zone 6: Physical Tasks Working out, cleaning, errands. Your body wants to conserve energy and stay still. Force yourself to start and you get endorphin flood, BDNF brain growth, plus dopamine and norepinephrine that boost energy for hours. Motion creates energy.

Discover which type of task you procrastinate on the most and find your Power Zone.

Rate each statement: 1 = Rarely, 2 = Sometimes, 3 = Often

Give each question a score of 1, 2, or 3 based on how true it feels for you.

1. Admin / Maintenance Tasks - I tend to delay admin or maintenance tasks like paying bills and scheduling appointments, organizing files.

2. Creative Tasks - I often postpone creative work like writing, brainstorming, or designing.

3. High-Discomfort Tasks - I avoid tasks that could stretch me or expose me to failure like pitching, selling, or asking for something I want.

4. Emotional / Interpersonal Tasks - I delay having difficult conversations, giving feedback, or expressing how I feel - even when I know I need to.

5. Cognitive-Heavy Tasks - I put off mentally demanding tasks like planning, researching, or making complex decisions.

6. Physical Tasks - I procrastinate on physical or movement-based tasks like cleaning, errands, or workouts.

Total up your scores.

RESISTANCE ZONE: Your Highest Score (Score of 3)

POWER ZONE: Your Lowest Score (Score of 1)

Your Scores for Each Zone:

📋 Admin / Maintenance Tasks

• Resistance zone: Batch everything into one weekly “admin hour” with a timer. Hire a VA.

• Power zone: You’re the person who reads contracts and remembers birthdays - own it

🎨 Creative Tasks

• Resistance zone: Start with “create one terrible sentence/sketch” - lower the bar

• Power zone: You see possibilities and create them - this is your superpower

🎯 High-Discomfort Tasks

• Resistance zone: Do the smallest scary thing first thing in the morning

• Power zone: You’re naturally brave and bias toward action - huge competitive advantage

💬 Emotional / Interpersonal Tasks

• Resistance zone: Script it out first, then set a deadline and stick to it

• Power zone: You read rooms and navigate conflict like a pro - invaluable skill

🧠 Cognitive-Heavy Tasks

• Resistance zone: Break it down to stupidly small steps and do them when fresh

• Power zone: You’re built for deep thinking - you solve complex problems

💪 Physical Tasks

• Resistance zone: Pair with something fun (music/podcasts/friend calls)

• Power zone: You think with your body - movement is your secret weapon for clarity

Some days you’ll crush your to do list, other days you’ll reorganize your drawer to avoid making that phone call. Both are fine.

The point isn’t to become some productivity robot who never procrastinates. It’s to know yourself better. What drains you and what energizes you.

Maybe you’ll batch your admin stuff, maybe you’ll trade tasks with someone whose power zone is your resistance zone, or maybe you’ll just accept that tax forms will always suck and plan accordingly. Whatever works.

Your brain’s not broken. You’re not lazy. You’re human. Be kind to yourself and stop beating yourself up and start getting curious.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some paperwork I’ve been avoiding for three days. Or maybe I’ll just write another newsletter instead. 😉

Talk soon,
Noemi

P.S. - If you figured out your resistance and power zone from the quiz, comment and tell me what it is. I’m actually curious if anyone else out there is “would rather die than do paperwork” like me?