Procrastination is a challenge we all have faced at some point in time. It can be some issue you have been delaying or avoiding. It may seem like a timeless problem at times. But if you see yourself on productive days, you temporarily figure out how to stop procrastinating, and the magic happens. You feel accomplished and satisfied on days like this.
But how about other days when you are not productive? If you want to know what procrastination is, the causes and the signs of procrastination, keep scrolling!
What Is Procrastination?
Procrastination is unnecessarily delaying or avoiding decisions or actions. One of the easiest ways to understand if someone is procrastinating is if they delay working on an important assignment or addressing an issue without any valid reason. Various types of procrastination occur because of different reasons. They involve various behaviours, and this often leads to different outcomes.
However, the main features that define if you are procrastinating are:
- It brings in unnecessary delay
- It has a negative outcome
- It often happens due to a gap in intention and action
Causes of Procrastination
Here are some of the issues that cause us to procrastinate:
- Feeling fear and anxiety
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Prioritising short-term mood
- Aversion from tasks
- Habit of perfectionism
- Lack of motivation
- Unclear goals
- Pessimistic about the odds of success
- Any underlying condition or behaviour
- Lesser self-control
- Lower energy
We often make excuses or rationales that let us justify our behaviour. No matter how crucial it is to address the issue, we still give excuses for our behaviour.
Types of Procrastinators
There are mainly two types of procrastinators:
- Active procrastinator
- Passive procrastinator
Active Procrastinator
Active procrastinator delays any task on purpose because working under pressure makes them feel motivated.
Passive Procrastinator
Passive procrastinator delays any task because they find it hard to take decisions and act on them.
Interestingly there are also six different types of procrastinators based on different behavioural styles:
- Worrier: The one who puts off the task due to the fear of change or having to leave the comfort of the known
- Crisis maker: The one who puts off the task because they like to work under pressure
- Perfectionist: The one who puts off the task out of fear of not being able to do it perfectly
- Dreamer: The one who puts off the task because they cannot pay attention to the detail
- Defier: The one who does not prefer to get their schedule dictated by anyone
- Over doer: The one who takes on too much and then struggles with finding time to begin and complete the task
How Does Procrastination Impact You?
Procrastination can have a very serious impact on a number of areas in your life:
- Your mental health
- Your social, professional, and financial well-being
Procrastination causes:
- Higher levels of stress
- Increased burden placed on social relationships
- Resentment from family, friends, and peers
- Consequences of delinquent bills and income tax returns
All-in-all, a pretty negative outcome, right?
Let’s Wrap Up!
Now that you know the negative outcome of procrastinating, it is time you understand the type of procrastinator you are and what is causing you to procrastinate. Why not begin by creating an action plan for yourself and implementing it? It will help you feel accomplished and satisfied once you implement the plan successfully. For starters, check out this goals and action planner we curated!