The Reason You Procrastinate Is Not What You’re Thinking | The Mel Robbins Podcast

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

February 20, 2023

Duration

44m

Channel

The Mel Robbins Podcast

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Order your copy of The Let Them Theory 👉 https://melrob.co/let-them-theory 👈 The #1 Best Selling Book of 2025 🔥 Discover how much power you truly have. It all begins with two simple words. Let Them. — In this episode, we’re attacking #procrastination head on – using #science. Just think about how many hours, or heck YEARS, you have wasted thinking about what you needed to do instead of doing it. That ends today. This episode is packed with a simple, research-backed method to understanding why you #procrastinate (it’s not what you think) and what researchers claim is the best way of tackling it. Nothing is more important than taking control of your time, so hit play and I’ll lead the way to ending that vicious cycle you feel stuck in. Xo Mel In this episode, you'll learn: 00:00 Intro 03:52 Takeaway #1: Please stop labeling yourself as this. 04:48 Takeaway #2: Two kinds of procrastination; which one are you doing? 06:02 If you can’t do what you need to get done… you’re normal. 09:41 Believe it or not, this is the #1 task most of us procrastinate on. 12:45 Takeaway #3: You are not stuck being a procrastinator. 13:38 Takeaway #4: This is actually what’s behind your procrastination. 14:27 Procrastination defined in a way you’ve never heard before. 24:52 Comfortable doesn’t mean you LIKE where you are. 29:40 Do this when you catch yourself procrastinating. 30:36 What the world’s leading expert found through his research on procrastination. 33:49 The best question to ask yourself next time you catch yourself procrastinating. 35:41 The #1 science-backed hack to break your procrastination habit. 36:47 Your problem is not that you can’t; it’s that you’ve been trapped. 39:55 You have to do THIS before you start believing in yourself. — Follow Mel: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melrobbins/ TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@melrobbins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melrobbins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melrobbins Website: http://melrobbins.com​ — Sign up for Mel’s newsletter: https://melrob.co/sign-up-newsletter A note from Mel to you, twice a week, sharing simple, practical ways to build the life you want. — Subscribe to Mel’s channel here: https://www.youtube.com/melrobbins​?sub_confirmation=1 — Listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop every Monday & Thursday! https://melrob.co/spotify https://melrob.co/applepodcasts https://melrob.co/amazonmusic — Looking for Mel’s books on Amazon? Find them here: The Let Them Theory: https://amzn.to/3IQ21Oe The Let Them Theory Audiobook: https://amzn.to/413SObp The High 5 Habit: https://amzn.to/3fMvfPQ The 5 Second Rule: https://amzn.to/4l54fah

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Mel Robbins

  host

• Vidi

  guest

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast, featuring Mel Robbins and Vidi, The Reason You Procrastinate Is Not What You’re Thinking | The Mel Robbins Podcast explores procrastination Isn’t Laziness: It’s Stress Avoidance—And You Can Change Mel Robbins reframes procrastination as a stress-driven coping mechanism rather than a character flaw, using science and listener examples to unpack the real causes behind avoidance. Drawing on research from Dr. Timothy Pychyl, she explains that procrastination is a subconscious attempt to feel better in the moment when we’re overwhelmed. Robbins outlines a simple three-step process—self-forgiveness, identifying the underlying stressor, and acting as your ‘future self’ with the 5 Second Rule—to break the procrastination cycle. The episode emphasizes building self-belief through action, showing that consistent small steps can transform both productivity and self-worth.

🔗 RELATED EPISODES

How to Eliminate Self-Doubt Forever & Build Unshakeable Confidence

The Reality of Adult Friendship: Here’s Why You’re Lonely & How to Make Real Friends as an Adult

Harvard Business School Professor: This One Research Study Will Change Your Life and Career

Eat THIS to Live Longer, Stay Young, and Transform Your Health

Surprising Signs of Anxiety and How to Heal It | The Mel Robbins Podcast

You’ll Never See Your Family the Same After This Episode