What is Procrastination?

People often wonder, what is procrastination? There are many degrees to the condition so that the question of what is procrastination can become a confusing one.

The best way to determine what is procrastination is to look at the effects of a behavior. The effects of procrastination and the root causes tend to be similar form person to person, such that they become a diagnostic guide to determining what is procrastination.

You can look at the following list of concepts and symptoms to determine if you are dealing with a case of procrastination and to evaluate how severe the situation is.

- Putting off a project until the last moment is procrastination. Procrastinating dramatically cuts down on the preparation time and the perfection time for a project.

Often, people who procrastinate feel they are flying by the proverbial seat of their pants, and their priority is getting something down on paper but not necessarily the best something they can produce. Procrastination is the opposite of proactive.

Proactive people start a project ahead of time to complete it ahead of time, allowing themselves enough space to complete their tasks at a pace that is comfortable. The pace of procrastination goes from zero to sixty the night before deadline, and this switch can be very stressful.

- Procrastination results from feelings of stress and anxiety. People who are anxious or overwhelmed may procrastinate due to fear of failure or a paralysis at the scope of the task at hand.

Sadly, the stress and anxiety that cause procrastination result in even more stress and anxiety. Procrastination is a self-perpetuating art until a person makes a commitment to be more disciplined.

- Procrastination does not always equate to poor performance. There are many people who have done amazing things, and they did them at the very last minute. You cannot look at a poor project and assume procrastination is the cause of the trouble.

Likewise, a fabulous project does not always mean hours of preparation and hard work begun weeks in advance in anticipation of the deadline. Quality is not always indicative of the presence of procrastination.

- Procrastination is a habit, and like any habit can be replaced by one that is more beneficial to you and your circumstances. You cannot quit being procrastination without replacing the procrastination with new habits that help you complete your tasks in a more timely and relaxed manner.

Procrastination is an elusive concept sometimes, because people can work very hard and be very successful at hiding their tendencies to procrastinate.

Taking on more than you can handle, failing to organize and a lot your time effectively, and taking too little time to relax when it is appropriate can all result in procrastination like feelings that will wreak havoc on your work schedule and your peace of mind.

Decide today to combat procrastination in your own life, and begin to take the small and easy steps to control this habit. Once you have answered what is procrastination in your life, determine ways you can address these situations to decrease your stress level and increase your amount of free time.