7 Reasons Not to Procrastinate

Research has suggested that chronic procrastination has become increasingly more prevalent in North America, Europe, and beyond. Many people believe that they achieve superior outcomes by procrastinating because they work better under pressure. The evidence, however, suggests that there are a number of costs associated with procrastinating and important benefits of resisting the urge to procrastinate.

Krystine I. Batcho

1. Lower your overall stress level and protect your health and well-being

Research has shown a reciprocal relationship between anxiety and procrastination. Negative emotions, fear of failure, lack of self-confidence, and feelings of self-doubt can contribute to a greater risk of procrastination. Procrastination itself can reinforce self-defeating beliefs and increase anxiety and feelings of guilt. Worrying about meeting a deadline imposes stress until the deadline is met. Having vague deadlines or getting extensions prolongs the stress and increases the anxiety under the pressure of rushing to achieve with increasingly less time to complete a task. In some contexts, delay can result in limited returns on our effort, such as penalties or poorer outcomes. Delaying behaviors related to our health, for example, can adversely affect treatment options or chances for recovery.

2. Get more done with greater quality and enhance your self-esteem

Chronic procrastination is associated with poorer academic achievement, job performance, health-related behaviors, and general physical and psychological well-being. Resisting the temptation to procrastinate is one aspect of our lives that we can control. By avoiding procrastination routinely, we can accomplish more and enjoy greater quality in the outcomes of our efforts.

Greater quantity and quality of work counteracts the irrational beliefs that promote procrastination. People who procrastinate often believe that their work will reflect badly on them. Fear of being judged in a negative light contributes to the habit of putting off the dreaded inevitable evaluation. The increased achievement that comes from overcoming the habit of procrastinating can shift unhealthy beliefs to more constructive ones. Believing that our work will be appreciated can enhance our hope for growth and improvement with sustained efforts.

3. Take greater advantage of opportunities

Many people who habitually procrastinate are reacting from a perfectionist desire to do their best or to be good enough or better than in an increasingly competitive world. They believe that something can always be better if we keep tweaking it. But while we continue to strive toward the ideal, an opportunity might pass us by. Some opportunities might be replaced by others that are equally good or better, but others can be difficult or impossible to replace. We can get used to missing an occasional opportunity, but over time the accumulated effect can be one of becoming stagnant rather than growing.

Although procrastination is usually associated with unpleasant or difficult tasks, people also often delay taking advantage of good things. People often wait to use gift cards, go to a concert, sign up for a gym membership, or obtain a discount. Whether we’re aware of it or not, we might miss a chance to discover a new activity, learn a new skill, or follow a new career path. We might have met someone who could have been instrumental in our career or who might have become a profoundly important friend or lover.

4. Live a more orderly, less chaotic lifestyle, allowing for greater leisure and creativity

Procrastinating complicates our lives as we need to monitor timelines, activities, and goals. Keeping track of deadlines and unfinished tasks or responsibilities takes cognitive effort and can induce considerable stress. Staying on track contributes to a more orderly lifestyle. Maintaining structure enhances a sense of control and diminishes the feeling of life becoming chaotic or overwhelming. Control and structure permit windows of opportunity for leisure activity that promote feelings of calm and serenity, as well as the conditions for inspiration and creativity. Whether we compose a new song, spend time in a favorite craft, make up a story to tell a toddler, or paint a personal masterpiece, we indulge our need to create and transcend the mundane reality of ordinary life.

5. Let others know that you respect them and don’t take them for granted

In our professional and personal lives, waiting until the last minute to meet an obligation or engage in voluntary acts of thoughtfulness sends a message that those affected were less important than other people or matters in our lives. Procrastinating implies “I’ll get around to you after I deal with more important people and things.” When people know they and their concerns are a priority, they feel appreciated, respected, and cared for. Studies have shown that when one partner in a couple procrastinates routinely, the relationship can suffer. Lifestyle is one aspect of our identity, and similar styles of identity are associated with greater relationship satisfaction.

6. Minimize later regret

In Bring My Flowers Now, Tanya Tucker cautions listeners not to wait to help, forgive, and express their love for others: “We all think we’ve got time until we don’t.” Don’t wait to show your love, gratitude, and admiration for others. There may come a time when it’ll be too late. In a broader sphere beyond us, time may be infinite, but the time we have with one another can be more limited than we think.

Procrastination Essential Reads

From Procrastination to Productivity in the New Year

Breaking Bad: Procrastination

7. Live a more meaningful life with greater resilience

Strengthened relationships and enhanced personal growth have been associated with greater life satisfaction and a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in life. Living with meaning and purpose provides resilience in the face of challenges and supports healthy coping strategies during difficult times. Sustaining hope, meaning, and purpose can protect one from despair and disillusionment in times of major disappointment and profound loss.