One view of procrastination is that it is a form of preserving self-worth.
There are 3 deep inner fears that cause us to procrastinate (and seek to preserve self-worth):
- Fear of failure
- Fear of being imperfect
- Fear of impossible expectations (overwhelmed)
For fear of failure, if you procrastinate and start late, your brain gives you a way out if you fail. “Ah, it’s not a true representation of my abilities. Had I started on time I may have done well!”
Procrastination can also rear its head when there is resentment, along with a loss of autonomy. As an example, if you feel you’ve often been passed up for promotion, you may show symptoms of procrastination (being tardy at your work, etc). I don’t know if I really would call this procrastination, though.
A fear of success can also lead to procrastination. You could be in a comfy position at work, and are concerned that if you get promoted you may not be able to handle the extra workload. This is called the fear of delayed failure.