The statistics are telling.
According to researchers, procrastination has quadrupled over the past 30 years. An investigation has found that 40% of people have experienced financial loss due to procrastination. Ouch!
The definition of procrastination is the practice of carrying out less urgent tasks in preference to more urgent ones, or doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable, and thus putting off impending tasks to a later time.
Does that sound like anyone you know?
If you are a practicing procrastinator, you aren’t alone. Procrastination affects 20% of the population and if you are a student, the rates go up to 60%.
Although a study at Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business stated that 95% of the population procrastinate at some time, with the 20% chronic offenders.
With statistics like that, there is no doubt that procrastinating could be affecting your business at some level.
The top 5 reasons procrastination will be affecting your bottom line are:
- Procrastination may result in stress, a sense of guilt and crisis.
- Reduced personal productivity.
- Business and social disapproval for not meeting commitments.
- Not meeting important deadlines.
- Public perception is the belief of laziness.
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The worst thing is these feelings can combine to cause further procrastination.
Apparently there is no correlation between procrastination perfectionism.
Rather the belief is the principal reason we procrastinate is a breakdown in our self-control. You know what you ought to do but you’re not able to bring yourself to do it. It’s that gap between intention and action.
The good news is that procrastination is not a serious problem for most people and if you find yourself procrastinating more and more then there are a couple of tips that will help you get back on task.
Remember…
- Recognise you are procrastinating
- Break the task into small chunks
- Remove distractions
And don’t forget to reward yourself when the task is completed.
