It is the rare person who has never experienced problems with procrastination. At one time or another, most of us have put things off until another time. We then usually feel pressured to get it done at the last minute.
There are all sorts of areas in life where people may procrastinate. People might procrastinate socially-they may not call friends, avoid initiating interactions with others, or not show up on time for gatherings. For others, procrastination may involve health issues-they avoid medical appointments or put off diets and exercise. Procrastination is also common in the workplace-people put off unpleasant tasks until later or do not do the things a boss wants done. Finally, people might procrastinate about their finances-they do not get tax information in, get proper insurance, or pay bills on time.
Procrastination is not necessarily a problem, especially if it only happens occasionally or with minor things. For some though, procrastination takes on a life of its own. It can bring on worry, depression, regret, and stress. Most of all, procrastination has the power to reduce people's ability to function normally.
Like perfectionism, procrastination is sometimes the result of obsessive compulsive disorders and responds well to the approaches effective in treating OCD. At other times, procrastination may be the result of depression or anxiety and the cognitive behavioral approaches useful in treating these disorders are effective. In still other instances, procrastination is the problem and the goal of treatment is to learn certain techniques that can reduce the procrastination.