Almost every one of us is guilty of procrastinating. Experts define procrastination as "a form of self-regulation failure characterized by the needless delay of things one intends to do despite the expectation of negative consequences." But is it a bad thing? Does it affect the productivity of a person, which eventually hinders them from fulfilling the things they want in their lives?
REASONS WHY A PERSON PROCRASTINATE
One of the most common reasons why people tend to procrastinate is explained through a recent study posted in Medical News Today. According to the research, people who tend to set aside their scheduled tasks no matter how important it can be, have lower self-esteem as compared to those who don't.
Another reason why people procrastinate is because of the stress around them. Fuschia Sirois, Ph. D., who is an expert based at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, explains how stress can be a great factor why people choose not to start and finish the tasks given to them. Often these people are hunted by a lot of things that could cause them a lot of stress such as unfinished tasks in the past, uncertain future tasks, and also other responsibilities. This could eventually lead to frustrations, worry, and anxiety in the end.
EFFECTS OF PROCRASTINATING
It may be ironic, but sometimes procrastination can also be beneficial, as reported by Psychology Today. Though it is true that it could negatively affect productivity, efficiency, and quality of output, this tactic can also be a unique way to improve one's happiness and productivity, experts say.
There are two types of procrastination-active and passive. If you are used to being passive, you might be someone who loves to stay indoors and lay in bed without anything to do. But if you are an active procrastinator, then you are someone who would often set aside the things you have to do for a while but still get up to fix yourself in no time.
If you are the latter, procrastinating can help you get more things done in the end. With a little time left to finish several tasks, your body tends to secrete adrenaline, which will enable you to finish your tasks easier and faster.
Another benefit of procrastination is it will help you skip out the things that are least important in your to-do-list. Prioritizing things that are important are difficult, but if you only have limited time to work, then crossing out those that are least important would surely be easier.
So, procrastination isn't always negative. But the effects will still depend on you.
