Procrastination: putting things off, not tackling a job that needs to get done, particularly when it’s a task that has a deadline or has some degree of importance, i.e., getting your taxes done, or working on a school assignment that is due by a certain date.
Frankly, everyone puts things off sometimes and that’s completely normal, but chronic procrastination can lead to both emotional and physical problems.
There are many reasons why people procrastinate.
Some are perfectionists, putting off work they need to do because it’s easier to never face the job than face the possibility that they won’t do it well because they are concerned about what others think of them.
Some people procrastinate because they simply think that they won’t enjoy the task, so they will deliberately look for distractions.
For some, it’s confusion because of the complexity of the task (again, think taxes), because of fatigue, low self-confidence, or a lack of a well-structured daily or work/study routine.
Understanding why we procrastinate can be important, especially if it’s become a habit. Are we avoiding the work because we are protecting ourselves against the fear of failure, the fear of being judged by others, from unpleasant work? Or perhaps we enjoy the rush of euphoria when we conquer the task, completing it at the very last acceptable moment.
There are very real, negative side effects though. Procrastination can lead to emotional stress, fatigue, and restlessness. Self-esteem can take a big hit when tasks are not completed, leading to critical self-thoughts, particularly when in a classroom or group situation where others have gotten the assignment done and in comparison, the procrastinator has not. There is less opportunity for creativity in your work in the rush to meet a deadline. Additionally, chronic procrastination and the downsides that result, can lead to lower ambition over-all, because completing tasks and doing them well actually fuels ambition and a passion for doing well, but the opposite can result in a loss of those aspirations.
For teens, the act of procrastinating may find it’s roots in a different reason. It is developmentally appropriate for teens to procrastinate as the conscious or unconscious passive resistance is a way to pull away from a parent’s authority. No doubt, as parents you’ve seen a variety of ways your teen has begun to pull away. It’s a natural and necessary process that we see, particularly as our high-schoolers near their college years. Procrastination is just another way teens express their independence. There is a downside though because the decreased adult supervision can also lead to less study structure and routine, and a greater opportunity for distraction. Putting off the work that needs to be done may also relieve the in-the-moment pressure to get the work done, however, it’s been shown that students who routinely put off their assignments until the last minute tend to get lower grades and produce lower-quality work.
There’s a physical down-side as well. Chronic procrastinators may have a lower sense of well-being, suffer from some level of insomnia, experience anxiety, and develop stress related symptoms such as headaches and gastrointestinal issues.
How can a procrastinator change this habit of avoidance?
Set goals and make it a personal challenge to meet these goals.
Break large or complex jobs into achievable bits and celebrate the completion of each level as it is met.
Intentionally limit the amount of time spent online, particularly on social media.
Embrace imperfection and give yourself the freedom to work, create, and explore without the very stringent goal of perfection.
Read biographies, as many tell the stories of notable and successful people who have experienced rejection, criticism, and failure, and have overcome obstacles on their way to success.
