Great reading. Procrastination. You or someone you know ? How it developed ? Who’s the enabler ? It affects health and EVERYONE they encounter !

In general, we all procrastinate once in a while.  Whether it’s putting off that one task you don’t want to do, till the end of the day, or letting a couple of weekends go by, not wanting to face that garage.  However, if it’s a DAILY encounter, it’s putting you at different level of procrastination than the norm.

Is Psychology Today’s description/defining you or someone you know ?

“They don't pay bills on time. They miss opportunities for buying tickets to concerts. They don't cash gift certificates or checks. They file income tax returns late. They leave their Christmas shopping until Christmas eve”.

The article continues to say:

·         “Twenty percent of people identify themselves as chronic procrastinators.

·         For them procrastination is a lifestyle. And it cuts across all domains of their life”.

 

It also states:
“As a culture we don't take it seriously as a problem. It represents a profound problem of self-regulation. And there may be more of it in the U.S. than in other countries because we are so nice; we don't call people on their excuses ("my grandmother died last week") even when we don't believe them”.

One of the world’s leading experts on procrastination, Dr Ferrari (associate professor of psychology at De Paul University in Chicago), identifies three basic types of procrastinators:

·         “Arousal types, or thrill-seekers, who wait to the last minute for the euphoric rush.

·         Avoiders, who may be avoiding fear of failure or even fear of success, but in either case are very concerned with what others think of them; they would rather have others think they lack effort than ability.

·         Decisional procrastinators, who cannot make a decision. Not making a decision absolves procrastinators of responsibility for the outcome of events”.

 

Also stated:
“Procrastinators are made not born. Procrastination is learned, but not directly. It is one response to an authoritarian parenting style. Having a harsh, controlling father keeps children from developing the ability to regulate themselves (internalizing their own intentions and then learning to act on them). Procrastination can even be a form of rebellion”. Though a parent may have not tolerated the procrastination, through teenage years and adulthood, the procrastinator is more than often enabled by other family members, friends, co-workers, and their boss, who don’t know what else to do, other than tolerant their excuses.

Procrastinators enable themselves as well as do those around them:

“Procrastinators tell lies to themselves. Such as, "I'll feel more like doing this tomorrow." Or "I work best under pressure." But in fact they do not get the urge the next day or work best under pressure. In addition, they protect their sense of self by saying "this isn't important." Another big lie procrastinators indulge is that time pressure makes them more creative. Unfortunately they do not turn out to be more creative; they only feel that way. They squander their resources.   Procrastinators actively look for distractions, particularly ones that don't take a lot of commitment on their part. Checking e-mail is almost perfect for this purpose. They distract themselves as a way of regulating their emotions such as fear of failure”.

There are big costs to procrastination.

·         “Health is one”. During a college student study, it left evidence of compromised immune systems; more colds and flu, more gastrointestinal problems. And insomnia.
·         “In addition, procrastination has a high cost to others as well as oneself; it shifts the burden of responsibilities onto others, who become resentful”; requiring more worked hours or at a faster speed; often causing you to be late and not meeting your work or personal deadlines; leading to more stress; personal sickness.

Procrastinators often do not consider themselves to the extreme of this article.  Nor do they believe procrastination has anything to do with their health.  Nor could they possibly be affecting those around them to such a depth.  Whether the procrastinator chooses to face it or not, this article from Psychology Today, clearly states, “Procrastination destroys teamwork in the workplace and private relationships”.  And those around these folks, need to stop enabling them or it will continue to affect your live and your work-place.

Know that procrastinators can change their behavior with the help of a psychiatrist or coach or hypnotherapist.  It takes dedication and lots of energy !  And it takes highly structured cognitive behavioral therapy.  

If you have a boss who is enabling a co-worker as this, consider sharing this article !  Not with vengeance but with compassion !  Not only will you be helping this co-worker, though they may not see it this way, isn’t it about time to consider your own stress, your own work load, your own job, your other enabling co-workers ?