Do you consider yourself a procrastinator?
Do you ever find that despite having a ton
of work to do, you end up distracting yourself
with unrelated conversations, random videos
or maybe even chores?
Maybe that’s what you’re doing right now!
Procrastination is a very common behavior
where people end up doing something at the
last minute, despite having plenty of time
beforehand.
But, it might not be a sign of laziness or
an inability to concentrate.
In this video, we’re going to dig deeper
into the roots of procrastination and explore
how it can significantly affect a person’s
wellbeing.
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Now, back to the video.
What Is Procrastination?
Procrastination is defined as “the action
of delaying or postponing something’.
In modern life, this can refer to anything-
whether it be household chores, completing
a report for work, or writing a dissertation.
The common thread that connects tasks that
are affected by procrastination is that they
are not seen as fun, but rather, stressful.
Nonetheless they are things that we must do.
Interestingly, procrastination isn’t simply
a case of poor time management.
Those who do it are just as capable of estimating
time as everyone else, and they actually tend
to be more optimistic than is the norm.
Procrastination is not always a bad thing.
People tend to equate it with laziness, which
is passive and suggests apathy and an unwillingness
to do anything.
Active procrastination, on the other hand,
is when you avoid the task but do something
else that’s important- which means you’re
still being productive.
What types of people procrastinate?
It’s thought that about 20% of the US population
consider themselves to be chronic procrastinators,
and it manifests across all areas of their
lives.
They may be late paying bills, miss out on
limited time opportunities, or complete their
3000-word essay the night before it’s due.
Psychologists identify three different types
of procrastinators, all of whom procrastinate
for different reasons and to different extents:
Thrill Seekers – These types of procrastinators
are ones who thrive on the rush of last minute
pressure.
They tend to feel like perform their best
when the deadline is looming and they draw
a euphoric rush from the experience.
Avoiders – Those who procrastinate for this
reason usually suffer from a fear of failure,
or even success, and are preoccupied with
what others think of them.
In many cases, they’d much prefer people
think they are lacking effort as opposed to
lacking ability.
Indecisive – Indecisive procrastinators
find it difficult to make definitive decisions,
so take a long time to get anything done.
This often leads to a decision being avoided
altogether and can, in the mind of the person
doing it, relinquishes any responsibility
from how the following events transpire.
How does this behavior develop?
Procrastination is not a behavior people are
born with, it’s one that’s learned throughout
life.
While the full causes are not completely understood,
it’s thought one cause is from the family.
Those who grow up in an Authoritarian environment,
for example, tend to have everything dictated
to them, and don’t develop the ability to
regulate their own actions as well- from both
the internalisation of the importance of doing
something, to carrying out the task.
In our modern, fast-paced society, however,
a major cause of procrastination is thought
to be stress and anxiety.
Procrastinators can be smart, capable, and
hard-working individuals.
However, when stress levels are too overwhelming,
it can become paralyzing, leading an individual
to seek distractions and put off doing a task.
Soon, they are caught in a vicious cycle of
anxiety, panic, and guilt, which just leads
to more stress, and thus, chronic procrastination.
Delaying productivity can have disastrous
consequences in life.
You may be sacrificing job opportunities,
losing the trust of your boss or coworkers,
or be ill-equipped to deal with sudden changes
in your life.
But beyond this, there are also health concerns.
Studies have found that college students who
procrastinate are far more likely to suffer
from immune system and gastrointestinal problems,
as well as serious cases of insomnia.
This is all linked to higher stress and anxiety
levels that are caused by the constant feeling
that nothing is getting done, particularly
when the realisation comes that time is running
out.
How do you change this behavior?
The next time you find yourself procrastinating,
don’t worry.
The key to breaking out of the cycle is to
take it one step at a time but it also takes
a lot of commitment.
Break your tasks down into small chunks, and
create a to-do list.
When you’ve reached a milestone, reward
yourself by taking a short break.
Find the time of day where you are the most
productive, eliminate distractions, and try
to maximize your productivity this way.
You can also use time management apps like
Pomodoro.
In the book “The Procrastination Cure”,
author Jeffrey Combs suggests doing your work
in 15-minute bursts of activity.
There are alot of ways to beat procrastination,
and everyone just needs to find a method that
works well for them.
However those that are more serious chronic
procrastinators may need additional assistance,
such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, to help
reduce its occurrence.
We are all guilty of procrastinating -it’s
part of daily life in some form or another
when faced with daunting tasks or challenges.
Just remember to keep your mind happy and
take it one step at 
a time.
