Maris Grove	UPDATED: Tuesday, March 06, 2007
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America’s newest epidemic hits hard

Posted on Thursday, March 01, 2007

Study tracks nation’s growing procrastination problem

By Melissa Borgerding
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

America is at risk of a procrastination epidemic, a new study shows. In 1978, just 5% of Americans thought of themselves as chronic procrastinators. Today, that number has leapt to 26%, according to the study published in the American Psychological Association’s Psychological Bulletin.

As the rate of procrastination rises, researchers warn of serious consequences to Americans’ health, emotional well-being, and wallets.

“I’ll do it tomorrow”
Procrastination is often mistaken for laziness when, in fact, most procrastinators work hard to complete a task—they just do it at the last minute. Author of the study and self-described procrastinator, Dr. Piers Steel of the University of Calgary, believes that confidence, not laziness, plays a large role. “Essentially, procrastinators have less confidence in themselves and less expectancy to actually complete a task.”

Disorganization may also be a key cause. Someone who is easily distracted, forgetful, or who has difficulty prioritizing tasks is more likely to procrastinate than an organized person. Most often, procrastination is simply a way to avoid an unpleasant or difficult task, like mowing the lawn, scheduling a doctor’s exam, or calling a plumber to fix your leaky faucet.

Too many distractions
Unfortunately, technology makes procrastination easier today than ever before. Video games, TV, iPods, email, and the Internet provide an onslaught of distractions. In fact, Steel’s study suggests that the U.S. national gross product would rise $50 billion if the sound notifying office workers of new e-mail disappeared.

Older adults join the trend
Procrastination isn’t limited to office workers and college students cramming for exams. The trend is growing at an alarming rate among older adults. The number-one task most older adults put off: planning for their retirement.

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Henny Coppoolse, an Erickson resident, worried that if she waited too long to make plans for the future, she might have to settle for an option that wasn’t her first choice. “I’m a procrastinator,” she admits. “I thought, I want to move but I can’t this year. But I knew if I waited until next year or the year after, it wasn’t going to be any easier for me. My house was too big and I didn’t want the responsibilities anymore.”

Another Erickson resident, Kathryn Lord, is frustrated to see other seniors put off making important plans. Kathryn and her husband John both say they are relieved to have made the decision when they did. “If you move now, you could start your wonderful lifestyle soon instead of waiting,” Kathryn says. “I have friends who say well, I’ll wait. This is for later. But you’re depriving yourself of so many experiences. Don’t wait.”

Hurting your wallet
For people of all ages, the costs of an “I’ll do it tomorrow” attitude add up. By delaying a task, procrastinators usually end up making more work for themselves and experiencing far more stress as they scramble to complete that task at the eleventh hour. In addition to high levels of stress, procrastinators frequently suffer from feelings of guilt and anxiety, and can miss out on important opportunities.

Putting off paying an electric bill or updating appliances can have serious financial consequences. “[Procrastinators] tend to be poor performers overall and live their lives less healthy and make less money,” says Steel, whose study estimates that delays in filing taxes alone cost people $400 a year.

Avoiding the patterns
While there is no magic bullet to stop procrastination, there are several ways to recognize and minimize it. First, set a timeline on your tasks. Whether you want to clean the house by 3:00 p.m., re-organize your filing system by St. Patrick’s Day, or move by June 1st, giving yourself a specific deadline will motivate you to get the job done.

Be sure to prioritize what’s important or most urgent. When faced with several tasks all at once, tackle the simple things first to avoid feeling overwhelmed. If you still can’t seem to focus on the task at hand, speak to your doctor. In some cases, chronic procrastination is a sign of serious disorders like depression or memory-loss.

The risks of procrastination are too serious to put off facing until tomorrow.

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A problem you can’t put off
95% of Americans say they procrastinate occasionally. Here are a few common procrastination problems and how you can solve them today—not tomorrow.

Problem: Time slips away from me.

Solution: Set up a timeframe in which to complete a task. Be sure to post the deadline on your calendar and anywhere else that will motivate you and help you to remember.

Problem: Tasks pile up.

Solution: Stop adding to your to-do list. Put no more than five tasks on your list at any one time, and don’t start a new list until you have completed them all.

Problem: I have so many things to do that I don’t know where to start.

Solution: Whenever possible, take care of the simple tasks first. This will free you up to prioritize your larger, more time-consuming tasks.

Problem: I can’t focus on the task at hand.

Solution: Chances are that the task at hand may feel too overwhelming. Rather than approach that task as a whole, break it down into “chunks” that you can complete more easily and in less time. However, if you continue to have difficulty focusing, speak to your doctor.