Procrastination is a widespread habit affecting people across the world. Research suggests that most people procrastinate to some degree. Procrastination can vary in severity, and while occasional delays in tasks might cause little harm, chronic and disruptive forms of this habit can have serious, and irreversible, consequences.
This habit is one of the reasons why the road to hell is said to be paved with good intentions. We may have a lofty aim and the best plans to achieve it, but they will not take us anywhere if they are not implemented.
We may procrastinate for a number of reasons, which could arise from psychological, emotional, or situational factors.
If we are not sure of our abilities, or the circumstances are unfavourable, then the fear of failure can lead to avoiding tasks altogether.
If our intentions were formed on a whim or in a burst of enthusiasm, then we may well find ourselves lacking the motivation to follow through with the required action. Without a clear sense of purpose or interest in the task, it is easy to put it off in favour of more engaging activities.
Then, our plans may be grand, or too grand – their perceived magnitude or complexity might overwhelm us and make it hard to get started. The solution is to break the task down into smaller, manageable parts. As they say, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Lofty ambitions apart, perfectionism can also paralyse progress, causing people to delay starting or completing tasks because of the fear that they might fall short of their own high standards.
Sometimes, people procrastinate because they resent the task or want to avoid it due to negative feelings associated with it.
Whatever the reason, procrastination proves detrimental in several ways. Delaying tasks leads to accumulation of work, which can eventually become overwhelming. That can cause stress and anxiety, impairing our ability to work efficiently. Rushing to complete tasks at the last minute results in lower-quality work due to the lack of time for thoroughness and review.
If we consistently fail to complete tasks on time, it not only makes others see us as unreliable, but also leads to feelings of guilt, shame, and reduced self-esteem.
Procrastination does the greatest harm when the tasks involved need to be done at the right moment. Once the time has passed, our efforts prove too late and fail to yield the desired result. Farmers know that there is a time to sow and a time to reap; students know that there is a time to study and a time for exams. If we fail to use the time wisely, the end result is regret.
It is to avoid such a fate that idioms such as make hay while the sun shines, and strike when the iron is hot, urge us to do the right thing at the right time.
On the path of self-improvement, procrastination is a sure-fire formula for failure. Months, years, and a lifetime goes by as we repeatedly put off giving up a bad habit or picking up a good one. Then, when we look back on our life, there is the painful realisation that with just a little more discipline and effort, we could have lived so much better. But time that has passed will not return, and the destiny shaped by lifelong attitudes, habits, and behaviour cannot be easily undone. As all students know, crying over poor grades does not change them. The best they can do is to recognise that it is now or never, and use their time and opportunities optimally.
B.K. Geeta is a Rajyoga teacher at the Brahma Kumaris headquarters in Abu Road, Rajasthan.