A just-published review article (abstract only) on procrastination, which looks good, and an interesting talk by the author of the review, Piers Steel, a professor of business at the University of Calgary. No mention of an evolutionary explanation.
Update of my earlier post about procrastination: To keep my email In Box un-jammed and my kitchen table unembarrassing, I now realize I must play a few games of Sudoku every day.
From the end of the abstract: “Continued research into procrastination should not be delayed”. I hope that’s meant to be ironic.
Maybe the author will tell us.
I think you shouldn’t neglect the possibility that stimulating tasks like Sudoku, by raising your dopamine levels temporarily, simply make things done very shortly afterwards seem more interesting than they would otherwise. (Not to deny that the reward mechanism is part of it, too.)
“research into procrastination should not be delayed”: The author tells me that yes, this was meant to be humorous.
pdf23ds, before I started using Sudoku as a reward I wondered if just playing it would be helpful. It wasn’t: Playing it left me feeling like I had wasted my time. I think I find Sudoku mildly pleasant under some conditions. The curious thing about my findings is that making a little deal with myself (do this stuff then you can play a game of Sudoku) gets me started on an unpleasant task where otherwise I would go do something else. That can’t be due to the aftereffects of Sudoku.