Why You Procrastinate - and How to Stop it for Good | Fuschia Sirois #149

In this episode, Paul explores the real truth about procrastination with Professor Fuschia Sirois — one of the world’s leading researchers in the field. Far from being a time-management issue or a character flaw, procrastination is revealed as a behavior rooted in emotional regulation. Professor Sirois explains how delaying tasks may offer temporary relief, yet creates long-term stress, undermines confidence, and quietly damages both our health and performance.

Together they examine how avoidance reshapes our nervous system, drives anxiety, and increases the mental load we carry each day. They discuss why self-criticism makes procrastination worse, why high achievers often hide it behind productivity, and how early emotional patterns carry into adulthood. What emerges is a deeper understanding of procrastination as a well-being problem — one that drains potential and prevents people from becoming who they know they could be.

This conversation invites you to look beneath the surface: What are you really avoiding — and what is the emotional cost of delaying it?

About the Guest – Professor Fuschia Sirois

Professor Fuschia Sirois is an expert in social and health psychology whose research on procrastination, emotion regulation, and wellbeing spans more than 20 years. She is the author of Procrastination: What It Is, Why It’s a Problem, and What You Can Do About It.

About the Host – Paul Ryan

Paul Ryan is an entrepreneur, CEO, mentor, and host of The Inner Entrepreneur. As the creator of The One-Hour CEO and The Life Code, Paul works with elite entrepreneurs trapped in their businesses, helping them break free and design lives they really want.

Work With Paul

To explore Paul’s coaching, The Life Code, or programmes such as The One-Hour CEO, visit pauljryan.net.