Tomorrow... Tomorrow: Why We Procrastinate
Special for eDiets
by Hara Marano
There are many ways avoid success in life, but the most surefire way
just might be procrastination. Procrastinators sabotage themselves.
They put obstacles in their own paths. They actually choose paths
that hurt their performance.
Why would people do that? I talked to two of the world's leading
experts on procrastination: Joseph Ferrari, Ph.D., associate
professor of psychology at De Paul University in Chicago, and Timothy
Pychyl, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Carleton
University in Ottawa, Canada. Neither one is a procrastinator, and
both answered my many questions immediately.
10. Twenty percent of people identify themselves as chronic
procrastinators. For them procrastination is a lifestyle, albeit a
maladaptive one. And it cuts across all domains of their life. 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.
9. It's not trivial, although 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.
8. Procrastination is not a problem of time management or planning.
Procrastinators are not different in their ability to estimate time,
although they are more optimistic than others. "Telling someone who
procrastinates to buy a weekly planner is like telling someone with
chronic depression to just cheer up," insists Dr. Ferrari.
7. Procrastinators are made not born. Procrastination is learned in
the family milieu, 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,
from internalizing their own intentions and then learning to act on
them. Procrastination can even be a form of rebellion, one of the few
forms available under such circumstances. What's more, under those
household conditions, procrastinators turn more to friends than
parents for support, and their friends may reinforce procrastination
because they tend to be tolerant of their excuses.
6. Procrastination predicts higher levels of consumption of alcohol
among those people who drink. Procrastinators drink more than they
intend to -- a manifestation of generalized problems in self-
regulation. That is over and above the effect of avoidant coping
styles that underlie procrastination and lead to disengagement via
substance abuse.
5. 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 in 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 on avoiding.
4. Procrastinators actively look for distractions, particularly ones
that don't take a lot of commitment on their part. Checking email is
almost perfect for this purpose. They distract themselves as a way of
regulating their emotions such as fear of failure.
3. There's more than one flavor of procrastination. People
procrastinate for different reasons. Dr. Ferrari identifies three
basic types of procrastinators:
Arousal types or thrill-seekers: They wait to the last minute for the
euphoric rush.
Avoiders:These are people who may be avoiding fear of failure or even
fear of success. In either case they are very concerned with what
others think of them; they would rather have others think they lack
effort than ability.
Decisional procrastinators: Those who cannot make a decision. Not
making a decision absolves procrastinators of responsibility for the
outcome of events.
2. There are big costs to procrastination. Health is one. Just over
the course of a single academic term, procrastinating college
students had such evidence of compromised immune systems as more
colds, flu, and gastrointestinal problems. And they had insomnia. In
addition, procrastination has a high cost to others as well as
oneself; it shifts the burden of responsibilities onto others, who in
turn become resentful. Procrastination destroys teamwork in the
workplace and in private relationships.
1. Procrastinators can change their behavior, but doing so consumes a
lot of mental energy. And it doesn't necessarily mean one feels
transformed internally. It can be done with highly structured
cognitive behavioral therapy.
Hara Estroff Marano is Editor-At-Large of Psychology Today magazine
and Editor-In-Chief of Psychology Today's Blues Buster, a newsletter
about depression. An award-winning writer on human behavior, Hara's
articles have appeared in publications including the New York Times,
Smithsonian, Family Circle and The Ladies Home Journal. She lives in
New York City.
Priced tix from Austin to Harrisburg, we could leave turkey day &
return Sunday for 329 ea. I told Tom I'd charge the tix if he'd take
care of car rental & room, if that would get him off the
procrastination & get him to make a decision.
That procrastination article could have been written *for* Tom. It's
so goddamned irritating.
Also priced out our Vegas trip for Goddessdaughter's bday. 2 adults & 1 kid at
New York New York is 1581+tax. 2 adults & 1 kid at Treasure Island is
1560+tax. 1 adult & 1 kid at Treasure Island is 1073+tax. And then on
top of taxes, there's Mystere tix to buy, meals, transportation,
gambling, so we are looking at 2 grand, minimum.
By way of comparison, Jen & my cruise was less than $600, add in gas
money to NO (50-60), Parking (8), hotel in NO a couple of nights (200)
and being touristy in Cozumel (2-300) AND add the fact that Jen will
be chipping in for at least half of this, and you have a vacation
that is FAR more in my price range than treating my snotty spoiled
friend who treats me like shit and her snotty spoiled child to a
weekend in Vegas.
I sent this email to X:
-----------------------
I've been pricing out J's bday trip to Vegas.
For you, me & J, I have it down to $1,560 + tax for air & hotel.
Throw 3 tix to Mystere and you're looking at 2 grand. No can do.
For just 1 adult and J it is not much better, $1073 + tax for air
& hotel, add a couple tix to Mystere and that's still out of my price
range.
Do you know any travel agents or do you know anyone who can recommend
a good one? I don't think they'll do better than yahoo travel, but
you never know.
I hate to disappoint J, but I am trying my damnedest to get OUT
of debt, I am skipping Xmas this year so
1) I won't charge a bunch of stuff and be deeper in debt &
2) so I can afford Vegas
and I *still* can't fucking afford it.
I am so mad and frustrated.
I don't know what to do.
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