This article will discuss the types of procrastination, what causes them, the negative impacts, and how to overcome procrastination.
What Is Procrastination?
Procrastination is when a person delays a task or puts something off until the last minute or even past the deadline.
Procrastinators will often do other tasks in advance of starting or returning to a task or commitment they’re avoiding. For example, if there’s a difficult conversation to be had at work, procrastinators may take on other tasks to avoid the anticipated discomfort.
Impending deadlines may prompt procrastinators to check out on social media until the last minute or to do menial household activities like sweeping and washing floors, or other tasks they’ve been procrastinating doing for longer, like answering emails.
Types of Procrastination
Identifying what type of procrastinator you are is the beginning step in changing your behavior. There are six types of procrastination based on the main perceived issue causing the behavior:
Perfectionist: Has high standards and fear of not meeting expectations and puts off work because they fear they won’t do it correctlyDreamer: Has big goals but no plan for successWorrier: Fears change, has worst-case scenario thinking, and resists risk-takingDefier: Promise-maker with poor follow-through and many excuses or reasonings for not doing the taskCrisis-maker: May unintentionally or intentionally create chaos at the last minute to delay workOver-doer: Has unrealistic expectations of what can be achieved and lacks priority-setting abilities
What Causes Procrastination?
While everyone’s reasons for procrastinating are unique, there may be a common element of fear and perfectionism motivating procrastinating behavior. Perfectionism makes a person want to do every task flawlessly, which becomes a block to getting things done and leads to procrastination.
Procrastination is also associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression.
What Is Revenge Bedtime Procrastination?
Revenge bedtime procrastination is when a person sacrifices sleep for staying up later and doing whatever they didn’t have time to do during the day. This may include scrolling through social media, watching television past bedtime, or so close to bedtime that it disrupts your total sleep.
This isn’t the same as truly unwinding or relaxing because this type of procrastination quickly adds to sleep deprivation, which is directly associated with mental distress and disorder, including depression.
What Is the Negative Impact of Procrastination?
Procrastination doesn’t do anyone any favors. It can create problems beginning in your school years, when you may delay deadlines, project management, and follow-through. Studies have shown that the earlier an assignment is submitted (indicating less procrastination), the higher the academic achievement.
Other negative impacts of procrastination are:
Increased risk for anxiety and depressionLow self-esteemIncreased stressPoor impulse control
Putting things off you eventually do anyway also takes energy and time. Avoiding tasks doesn’t make you stop thinking about them or worrying about them.
How to Overcome Procrastination
Procrastination is a learned behavior, and it can be unlearned. A good place to start is to acknowledge that you’re procrastinating. Once you recognize this behavior in yourself, you can figure out what’s causing you to procrastinate and change it.
Ways to overcome procrastination include:
Identifying the role of procrastination in your lifeMaking time for time managementBreaking up large projects into smaller tasksFinding productive reasons to keep working on tasks and commitmentsKeeping your goals realistic and reassessing goals and strategies as needed
Summary
Procrastination may stem from many factors, including an underlying mental illness or perfectionism. People who want to stop procrastinating can do so by assessing from where the problem arises and working to develop new coping methods.
A Word From Verywell
Everyone procrastinates from time to time. If constant procrastination is disrupting your life, it may be time to look at what’s causing you to procrastinate. Whether it’s being caused by perfectionism or an underlying mental health issue, there are plenty of ways to stop procrastinating and live a better life.
