With only a few hours to research and write an article, I found myself site-hopping in parts of the web that were not in any way correlated with my topic. Twenty minutes into my dawdling, I found myself on the home page of the Procrastination Research Group of the Department of Psychology at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. Interestingly, the group is studying the correlation between procrastination and Internet use. Naturally, I volunteered to participate. Later, I browsed through the site and learned some interesting facts about this common problem. The following information is summarized entirely from citations presented at the site, which can be accessed at http://www.carleton.cal~tpychyl/index.ht...
Procrastination has been the subject of research since the early 1960s. A 1994 study suggested that 40 percent of us have suffered a loss due to procrastination and that in 25 percent of us, it is chronic and debilitating. While researchers cannot say whether it is the cause or the symptom of other disorders, certain relationships are strong:
--Procrastination has behavioral, cognitive and emotional components. --It is positively correlated with some personality disorders. --It occurs more frequently among adult children of alcoholics, substance abusers, incest survivors and post-traumatic stress disorder sufferers. --It is a risk factor for depression. --It seems to peak during one's 20s then decrease through the 60s, with students showing higher occurrences.
The causes of procrastination vary widely. Some studies suggest it is related to stress and relieves anxiety, that it is an escape, that it allows one to substitute one activity for a less pleasant one. Others uncovered a cognitive component, suggesting that problems in perceiving and estimating time may be involved. Still others point to deficits in the individual's self-image, specifically self-efficacy and self-esteem. Fear of failure is also thought to be a factor, as are impulsiveness and lack of self-discipline.
Procrastination in the workplace is especially serious because of the impact it can have on one's career or business. Time management techniques, according the PRG site, seem to be effective in minimizing procrastination. Although no speculation is offered, one must wonder why time management techniques work. It could be because the procrastinator is made more aware of the passing of time and the amount of time a task requires; or it might be that he is made accountable not only for his results but also, by way of logs and schedules, for the way he spends each hour of his day.
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