Procrastination is the act of delaying or putting off tasks until the last minute or past their deadline.
It’s not just a time management problem.
Researchers suggest that it’s a failure inself-regulationthat leads us to act irrationally.
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We put things off, even though we know this delay will lead to negative consequences.
How Common Is Procrastination?
While some people are better at motivating themselves to tackle unpleasant tasks, procrastination is a highly prevalent problem.
Among college students, nearly all admitted to procrastinating sometimes, while 75% described themselves as habitual procrastinators.
when you should have been spending that time on work or school-related projects.
In most cases, procrastination is not a sign of a serious problem.
It’s a common tendency that most people resort to at some point.
What Causes Procrastination?
Waiting for motivation isn’t the only problem that contributes to procrastination, however.
The following are a few other factors that can play a role.
Academics
Researchers suggest that procrastination can be particularly pronounced among students.
According to researchers, some major cognitive distortions lead to academic procrastination.
This is why it feels good in the moment to procrastinate.
Depression
Procrastination can also be a result ofdepression.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Procrastination is also pretty common in people withobsessive-compulsive disorder.
Is Procrastination a Mental Illness?
Procrastination itself is not a mental illness.
Why Do You Procrastinate?
We often come up with several excuses or rationalizations to justify our behavior.
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Types of Procrastination
Some researchers classify two types of procrastinators: passive and active procrastinators.
Rather than worrying about how other people see them, they are more concerned with how they see themselves.
It’s often the tasks we dislike the most that get pushed off until the last minute.
Fortunately, you could do things toreduce that urge to stall.
Understanding why you’re struggling to get started can help.
Remember to create a to-do list of things that need to be done and start small.
When you feel the urge to procrastinate, force yourself to do just one small thing.
Sometimes, just getting started is half the battle.
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