Procrastination meaning

Source: YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV/Shutterstock But just because procrastination is universal doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. And too often, we find ourselves procrastinating when we know we shouldn’t. We mutter, "I should really be working," as we stalk our sophomore year homecoming date on Facebook, stand in front of the open fridge for the fourth time in an hour, or realize we’re watching banjo lessons on YouTube when we don't own a banjo. Procrastination can also go beyond work, affecting other important parts of our lives. Not getting that irritating symptom checked out leaves an unknown disease untreated. Avoiding a difficult conversation only prolongs the conflict. And delaying an important life decision, like breaking up, making a serious commitment, going back to school, or finally changing In the end, we kick ourselves. We regret the time wasted as deadlines approach, time runs out, and opportunity slips through our fingers. Why do we do this to ourselves? The solution seems so simple: Just do it already. But reality is far more complicated, and to make matters worse, procrastination is in our very Psychological Science notes that procrastination is, unfortunately, a lifelong trait. So what does that mean for us procrastinators? Are we doomed to a lifetime of whiling away hours of absently watching 80s music videos on YouTube? Fortunately, no. Just like the inhibited among us can practice loosening up, and those prone to worry can learn to let go, those of us who procra...

If you’re reading this article instead of tackling one of the many projects you meant to do during the pandemic, or before starting the report due tomorrow at work, or as an alternative to changing your car’s year-old oil, feel no shame: This is a safe space, procrastinators, and you’re among friends. Ferrari was speaking while on a road trip with his wife, who chimed in to say that she’s a procrastinator. Her tendencies helped spur her husband’s research interests. He doesn’t procrastinate — he has a 107-page résumé, he said, because he gets things done — but he’s built a career around understanding those who do. Among his findings: Chronic procrastination doesn’t discriminate based on gender, race or age ; we’re all susceptible. As he put it: “Everybody procrastinates, but not everyone is a procrastinator.” And contrary to popular belief, procrastinating has little to do with laziness. It’s far more complicated, he said, than simply being a matter of time management. To understand what causes procrastination (outside of conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, where executive functioning issues might interfere with task completion), it’s important to be clear about what it is — and isn’t. Procrastination is different from delaying a task because you need to talk to someone who isn’t available , or not getting around to reading a literary classic such as “Moby Dick. ” On its surface, procrastination is an irrational behavior, Sirois said: “Why would so...

When you have a huge to-do list, the best thing is to prioritize and tackle tasks in order of importance. But our modern world is full of distractions that can tempt you to procrastinate. For example, maybe instead of paying bills, you’re sucked into binge-watching a TV series. Or rather than cleaning your home, you start Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. It’s not the end of the world if your bedroom isn’t tidied up on time. Procrastination can be a problem if it affects your work or important tasks, though. Over time, procrastination can affect your finances and your self-worth, and even have a negative impact on your mental health. Clinical psychologist Why do we procrastinate? Being someone who procrastinates is often very frustrating. You might be aware that you’re always running late with deadlines, yet you feel unable to change your ways. There isn’t necessarily one specific reason why you might be prone to procrastination. For example, maybe you’ve simply gotten into the habit of waiting until the last minute. Habits are behaviors that are formed over time. Other people may just need help with time management skills or require more direction at work. “For a lot of procrastinators, it’s not that you don’t have time,” says Dr. Tilahun. “Maybe you’re not organized or don’t know how to budget your time. Maybe you don’t know how to use o...

• • • • • • • • • Psychological Science • Current Directions in Psychological Science • Psychological Science in the Public Interest • Perspectives on Psychological Science • Clinical Psychological Science • Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science • Observer Magazine • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Believe it or not, the Internet did not give rise to procrastination. People have struggled with habitual hesitation going back to ancient civilizations. The Greek poet Hesiod, writing around 800 B.C., cautioned not to “put your work off till tomorrow and the day after.” The Roman consul Cicero called procrastination “hateful” in the conduct of affairs. (He was looking at you, Marcus Antonius.) And those are just examples from recorded history. For all we know, the dinosaurs saw the meteorite coming and went back to their game of Angry Pterodactyls. What’s become quite clear since the days of Cicero is that procrastination isn’t just hateful, it’s downright harmful. In research settings, people who procrastinate have higher levels of stress and lower well-being. In the real world, undesired delay is often associated with inadequate retirement savings and missed medical visits. Considering the season, it would be remiss not to mention past surveys by H&R Block, which found that people cost themselves hundreds of dollars by rushing to prepare income taxes near the April 15 deadline. In the past 20 years, the peculiar behavior of procrastination has...

Share on Pinterest Dean Mitchell/Getty Images Ever put off a chore simply because you weren’t in the mood to handle it? So has nearly everyone else on the planet. This might offer some short-term benefits — namely, the relief of dodging a frustrating job or unpleasant emotions. Still, you can’t ignore the task forever. When the pressing need to complete it resurfaces, you might find yourself right back in the same place. It’s not at all unusual to stall when you come up against situations that inspire discomfort, like writing a paper, scheduling a dentist’s appointment, or having a difficult conversation with your partner. Chronic procrastination, though, is a horse of a different color. When putting things off becomes your go-to solution, it can begin to affect your mental and emotional health, not to mention the ability to get things done. Read on to learn more about possible causes of chronic procrastination (spoiler: It’s not laziness) and get some tips on tackling it productively. Procrastinating usually doesn’t help, but occasional procrastination isn’t necessarily harmful, either. Who hasn’t left the most obnoxious chores for last, or even a different day entirely? Or breezed in just under the wire for an important deadline, like doing taxes on April 14? That said, when procrastination becomes a pattern in your day-to-day life, it can start to cause some problems. A few key signs can help you recognize chronic procrastination, such as if you: • regularly have a hard...