In an intriguing article on why people procrastinate and how to break the habit, Scientific American reports that procrastination “plagues a whopping 80 to 95 percent of college students.”  Research shows various reasons for procrastination:

• Aversion to a task.
• Impulsiveness or indecisiveness.
• Mistaken belief that, “I work best under pressure.”
• Protection of a fragile ego: “I could have done better if I had started earlier.”

Some people are more prone to procrastination than others and 95 percent of procrastinators would like to break the habit. According to Psychologist Timothy A. Pychyl, director of the Procrastination Research Group at Carleton University in Ottawa, “When procrastination becomes chronic, a person is, essentially, running on autopilot.”  While it may be helpful to be specific about where and when you will perform a task, or to set your own completion deadlines, Pychl advises procrastinators to “just get started.” Your anticipation is often far worse than the reality.

For practical tips for the pre-college crowd, see TeamUP! Tutors’ Procrastination Aggravation article.