Two of the world‘s leading experts on
procrastination, Joseph Ferrari, Ph.D and Timothy Pychyl, Ph.D share their insights about the type of self-sabotage known as procrastination.
According to these professors, there are three types of procrastinators:
- The thrill-seekers, who get a rush from doing everything last minute.
- The avoiders, who fear either success or failure, and would rather be judged for their lack of effort rather than lack of ability.
- Those who simply can‘t make a decision because they fear taking responsibility for the outcome.
But how are these procrastinators created? Researchers agree that procrastinators are not born that way. There‘s no faulty gene to blame. One theory is that procrastinators learn it -- indirectly -- through the family setting, as a response to an overly authoritarian parenting style.
Although procrastinators will say it‘s "no big deal," the cost of putting things off trickles all the way down to your health. Procrastinating college students, for example, were found to have more compromised immune systems, leading to more colds and flu, as well as gastrointestinal problems.
So, is it possible for a procrastinator to change ways? I believe so. Figuring out why you‘re doing it can be a great place to start. I recently ran a story on 11 Causes and Cures for Procrastination, which offers quite a few helpful tips on facing the fears behind your procrastination and increasing your personal satisfaction.
PsychologyToday.com