10 facts about procrastination

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

20% of people are chronic procrastinators. For them, procrastination is a lifestyle. They are late paying bills and projects, skipping concerts, and often failing to cash gift certificates and checks. The life hacker cites some interesting facts about procrastination that may motivate you to fight it.

Procrastinators are not born. They become procrastinators.

Procrastination is a complex problem, and the approach to solving it must also be complex. Two leading experts in the world of procrastination - Ph. D. philosopher and professor of psychology Joseph Ferrari and psychology professor Timothy Pichil - answered questions from Hara Estroff Marano, editor of Psychology Today. The result is interesting material that will help everyone get to know themselves better.

1.20% of people are chronic procrastinators

For them, procrastination is a lifestyle. They are late with paying bills and submitting projects. They skip concerts and often do not cash gift certificates and checks. Chronic procrastinators buy New Year's gifts on December 31st.

2. Procrastination is not considered a problem

Of course, it's okay if you are late all the time - everyone is already used to it. And due to the fact that we will draw up the report on the last night and are late with its delivery, the end of the world will not come. And we also postpone calls to friends and family. What can happen?

And a lot can happen. For example, someone close can pass away, and we will find out about this only after a week. Or you may be fired for delaying work. And sometimes not only you, but also a few more people for the company and inept leadership. And if for you this may not be a problem, then for someone it can be a real tragedy. So there is a problem, and it is much more serious than everyone thinks.

3. Procrastination is not a time management or planning issue

The timing of procrastinators and ordinary people is no different. Chronic procrastinators are more optimistic, though. Dr. Ferrari believes that advising a procrastinator to buy a time planner is the same as telling someone to cheer up who is in constant depression.

4. Procrastinators are not born

They become procrastinators. And the chances that a procrastinator will appear in a family with a tough authoritarian style of government is much higher than in a more tolerant environment. This is a kind of response to parental pressure - action from the opposite.

In adolescence, all this develops into a riot. Friends who are more tolerant of constant procrastination become top advisors and role models.

5. Procrastination leads to increased alcohol use

Procrastinators end up drinking more alcohol than they intended. And this is all because of the underlying problem that underlies procrastination. It consists not only in starting to do something on time, but also in giving the brakes on time.

6. Procrastinators love self-deception

Statements like, “I'm not in the mood today. It will be better if you postpone this matter until tomorrow "or" I work better under pressure "are actually banal excuses that a person says to himself and others in order to explain the reasons for his laziness, inaction or unwillingness to make important decisions.

Another variation on self-deception is the claim that procrastinators become more creative under tight timelines. Although in fact all this is self-hypnosis. They just squander their resources.

7. Procrastinators are constantly on the lookout for distractions

And he who seeks always finds. Even in the most unthinkable situations. Checking email is the most common option, as it not only distracts from more important things, but also provides an alibi for excuses in front of management.

It is also great food for fear of failure. Because if you start doing something really important and difficult, it may not work out.

8. Procrastination procrastination strife

Procrastination can manifest itself in very different ways and sometimes in very unexpected ways. People postpone things for a variety of reasons.

Dr. Ferrari identifies three main types of procrastinators:

• Thrill seekers are people who put things off until the last minute in order to feel euphoric. They like it when their heart is pounding because of the understanding that they may not be in time. At the same time, a decent dose of adrenaline is injected into the blood.
• Gray mice are people who avoid fear of failure or even fear of success. They are afraid that they will not cope with the task at hand and constantly look back at others. Such people listen to other people's opinions and prefer to remain in the shadows than to break forward, making mistakes, alternating defeats with victories.
• The irresponsible are those who postpone making a decision out of fear of being responsible for the consequences. He who does not make decisions is not responsible for anything.

9. Procrastination is quite expensive

Health problems are also a costly part of it. And it's not just about the fact that if you do not postpone the annual check-ups at the same dentist, the cost of treatment will be much lower.

It's about the constant stress in which a person is. For example, students who constantly postpone everything, and before the session begin to prepare voraciously, more often than others suffer from digestive problems, more often get colds (due to low immunity), they have more sleep problems than others.

And if you imagine working with reports that need to be submitted once a month, then the consequences will indeed be catastrophic. To this you can add problems in relations with family, friends and colleagues due to failure to fulfill promises, shifting their work to someone else and a banal unwillingness to take responsibility.

10. Procrastinators can change their behavior

However, this is a time consuming and energy consuming process. It does not mean at all that a person suddenly felt internal changes and a desire to immediately do something. These changes must be comprehensive. Well-structured cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help. The "Change yourself" option is possible only in cases that have not been started.

In the case of the chronicle, you will not only have to sweat in working on yourself, but also fork out for a large sum. No wonder good psychoanalysts are so popular and so expensive. If there is demand, supply will not be long in coming.

We all periodically hesitate with certain deeds and decisions. And sometimes it really poisons life. But coping with yourself is very difficult.

For example, I feel a great deal of relief and sometimes even pride in myself when I file my tax reports, because any interaction with our government services brings little joy. But I always delay this lesson whenever possible. Why? Because it is unpleasant for me to go there.

The last time I tried to remember the feeling of lightness after the next quarterly reporting, and now I do not delay it, having transferred this task to the list of mandatory routine tasks. Delaying the execution of these cases is stupid.

But it's one thing to deal with such little things, it is quite another to start making really important decisions. For example, decide to move, get involved in a new project, start your own business, and so on. This is no longer a trip to the tax office. These are life-changing decisions.

The steeper the change, the harder it is to make up your mind. Sometimes it helps to have a conversation with a good and intelligent friend or group of people. But in more advanced cases, the help of a professional is really needed.