Self Improvement :The Disease Called Procrastination - Is It an International Disaster?

By Alphayo Sande

You were given a task. The deadline is approaching. But you do not have the energy to tackle it. No zeal to work on it. You think you can do it later, tomorrow or even another day. This is called procrastination. It is the act of delaying a substantial task and focussing on a less vital, easy and enjoyable task. You keep on postponing a task until the "last minute ". Procrastination is a habit that in some way, has affected many people negatively. It is actually painful and shameful to procrastinate.

Look here. You don't feel well. Your body is not as usual. You promise yourself that it is just passing. That you will be fine. Something more develops. Something not good. Your health has deteriorated. You now decide to see a doctor. The doctor tells you it looks impossible as your problem has reached incapacitation. Had you come earlier, your problem could have been fixed. The problem is you procrastinated.

Procrastination is a habit that can turn to be a fierce enemy to u. It brings nothing but stress, disappointment, and anxiety. As much we are told to believe that procrastination is bad-that makes us look lazy, unreliable and unprofessional, it also has benefits. Some people will delay doing work deliberately because they love it when they work under pressure. Procrastination actually has some positives.

The positive side of procrastination include:

It gives individuals time to square out disturbing issues and innovate more ideas. You will have time to pay bills, attend to meetings, engage in other projects and then you will get an ample time to do what you are supposed to do. It cannot be denied that there are really inevitable instances that individuals need to embrace the habit of procrastination.

It leads to creativity. When you are given a task that seems so hard, procrastinating will make you come up with a better way of tackling it. You may come up with a better and amicable idea of handling the task as you gave yourself enough time to think about it.

It leads to better decision making. Procrastinating gives an individual time to think and gather more information which will result to better choice.

Unnecessary work may be scrapped off if you procrastinate. If given a task, then you delay, unwanted work that is not substantial may be done away with when important one comes in.

Procrastination makes one work faster as one has less time available to get a task done. This task you don't like, will be in your life for a short time, as you did it over a little time.

However, as time moves on, procrastination will start becoming a habit in your life. You will have no option but to stop it. If you don't stop it, it will destroy you. Procrastination has so many negatives, among them includes:

Ruining your career-procrastination hinders you from beating your deadline and achieving your set targets. This may pose a serious consequence to your career as you may miss out on a promotion or even lose a job.

Damaging your reputation-you promise to do something. You don't do it. This taints your image as nobody loves vague promises. That aside-you also kill your self-confidence and self-esteem as it is no longer something new to you if you procrastinate. People will not trust you and may not give you opportunities as they are worried that you will disappoint them.

Risking your health-when you procrastinate, you will not be at ease. You will get stressed, anxious and depressed. This will lead to health issues.

Not able to meet your goals-people set goals because they want to achieve them and perhaps to bring a change in their life. If your goals are distracted by procrastination, you are also distracting your future life.

Blowing opportunities-procrastination will make you waste opportunities that would have otherwise changed your life. Opportunities, as they say, come only once. When the world gives you one, avoid procrastination and grab that opportunity!

Wasting time-time wasted can't be recovered. Procrastination is a good time eater! You will live regretting why you did not put into use a particular time. Your precious time is gone, frustration creeps in, knowing you could have done something, yet you did nothing.

Having knowledge of positives or negatives effects of procrastination is not enough. People must understand why they procrastinate. Follow my next article to get the reasons why people procrastinate and the ways to combat it.

After reading 'THE DISEASE CALLED PROCRASTINATION', take action today. Stay tuned for more guidance.