Do you put things off until the last minute? Or do you delay your tasks more often? Then, you must be a procrastinator. Procrastination might mean delaying the tasks and stressing over them being incomplete, but it also has some benefits that amaze you. So, if you have a procrastinator in your home, then worry no more. Reading the advantages and disadvantages of procrastination, you will realize that procrastination can benefit you even if they have some downsides.
However, before we discover the pros & cons of being a procrastinator, we must ask ourselves if we delay the tasks because of procrastination or if there are other reasons behind this behavior.
Some Common Traits of Procrastinators
Before covering the advantages and disadvantages of procrastination, I will give you a sneak peek into the common characteristics that make procrastinators what they are.
Fear of Failing
The reason behind procrastinators delaying their tasks is they fear failure. The constant fear of not producing their desired results often causes procrastination. And ultimately, they feel anxious and depressed when they worry about their tasks and goals being incomplete.
Low Self-esteem
People who think low about themselves and remain critical of their capabilities lack self-esteem. And this thought damages their ability to undergo activities or tasks that they might complete effortlessly. Therefore, they avoid engaging them in jobs and delay them out of fear of not achieving them.
They Can’t Take Criticism
Procrastinators often fear criticism and shame attached to not meeting society’s standards. They think people might criticize them if they are unable to succeed. As a result, they avoid doing something that might hurt their ego.
Goal-Oriented
Procrastinators are goal-oriented and avoid doing something that does not meet their goals. Hence, they can delay some tasks until they can’t identify their goals.
Lack of Motivation
Motivation creates the willingness to do something, and procrastinators often lack the will. Therefore, they avoid doing something until they feel more driven and motivated.
Perfectionism
Some perfectionists procrastinate because they always wish to achieve the best and can not afford failure. Therefore, they take some time to gather their energies and creativity. They delay the tasks until they feel they can succeed.
Lack of Energy
The reason behind putting off things till the last moment is mainly associated with the lack of energy. And procrastination is another name for the absence of energy. It means if you delay a task, you are mostly doing it because you need the energy to initiate them.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Procrastination
Procrastination is often considered a negative behavior where people postpone, avoid, or delay their responsibilities or tasks. However, you might be unaware that this behavior can sometimes benefit you in unique ways. But how? To discover their benefits and drawbacks, continue reading.
Advantages of Procrastination
Did you know that procrastination is sometimes good for you? If you were unaware, the pros of procrastination can excite you and give reasons to not stress yourself about not accomplishing something.
Offers you Fresh Ideas
Some people often delay doing something because they lack excellent or fresh ideas. It means waiting is better than being frustrated over your inability or lack of ideas. So don’t pressure yourself about getting the job done. Instead, use that time to recharge yourself and accumulate unique ways and ideas to produce outstanding results.
No one is Perfect
The idea of perfection is destructive and damaging to your mental and emotional health. The more you think about being perfect, the more you will have anxiety and stress. As a result, the seemingly more manageable tasks will become more complex.
Whenever you stress about not being able to set goals, initiate the tasks, and complete them on time, remember that you are a human and no one is perfect. Even though you are incompetent today, tomorrow might open new doors for you. Trust the process.
Increases Creativity
Sometimes people postpone a duty because they feel like losing their energy or creativity. Although delaying them might disturb you, it can also help you to take that time to improve your creativity and gather your lost energies. Thus, you will notice a difference in the quality of your work, and you will be able to reduce failure successfully.
Odds of Errors Reduces
People who procrastinate are indirectly eliminating the likelihood of making errors. When you try to come up with solutions and ideas instantly, you can make mistakes that usually go unnoticed. Therefore, it is necessary to take time to plan your activities, accumulate ideas, and execute them with proper attention and notice.
Disadvantages of Procrastination
Although postponing the tasks and not fulfilling your goals might benefit you, we can not deny that some cons of procrastination are worth considering. Before you delay any responsibility, think about the following outcomes:
Mental Disturbance
When you deliberately delay a job and reach the point of losing the opportunity, you are only left with regret and stress. The fear of inevitable failure and the loss of opportunity can quickly put anyone in mental disturbance, leading to a never-ending depression. Therefore, we use the right time to take the right opportunity and avoid losing success.
Possibilities of Errors
When we delay a task and then try to achieve it within a limited time, we rush things and often make mistakes.
Affects your Image
People often tend to think of procrastinators as undisciplined and lazy. They can doubt your work ethic, professionalism, and capabilities if you continue postponing a task. People will still not focus on your productivity, no matter how fast you can do something after you delay it for a certain amount of time. As a result, this behavior damages your image in front of others, and you will still be considered incompetent.
You can Miss Deadlines
Postponing a task for too long can make you miss deadlines. And when you cannot produce something at the supposed or required date, you will face ultimate shame and inevitable criticism. This event can also hurt your emotions, making you feel more depressed.
Final Thoughts
Suppose you notice that you have a procrastinating nature. In that case, you must know the advantages and disadvantages of procrastination because it helps you understand how much procrastination is good for you. and also because you can control your behavior if you think it will lead to adverse outcomes. In this manner, you will be able to mindfully use your time to gather your energies and produce the best results.