Personality Trait Report: Procrastination, Essay Example

The act of putting off necessary tasks is sometimes refers to as laziness. Almost all people experience periods of laziness in their everyday lives, meaning that there are times when almost everyone puts off doing certain things that they realize should be done. Behaving this consistently is called chronic procrastination and it is a personality trait that research suggests afflicts at least two out of every ten people. According to the article “ Psychology of Procrastination: Why People Put Off Important Tasks Until the Last Minute; Five questions for Joseph Ferrari, PhD” (2010) the statistical number regarding procrastination includes multiple age and gender sub-groups: “20 percent of U.S. men and women are chronic procrastinators. They delay at home, work, school and in relationships.” (Psychology, 2010, p.1). In fact, it is the frequency with which an individual delays performing needed tasks and jobs that the degree of procrastination is measured. The more tasks that are avoided for a loner period of time, the more acute the personality trait of procrastination can be said to be in regard to any given individual.

While it is true that psychological research has “found some links with chronic procrastination and personality challenges like ADHD, passive-aggressive tendencies, revenge, obsessive-compulsive disorder and other areas”(Psychology, 2010, p.1) the actual cause of chronic procrastination is till commonly understood to be rooted in personality types. The damages that can be caused by chronic procrastination are many and range from the obvious issues of financial and economic responsibility to the inability to take care of or follow up on serious health issues. The basic inability to take care of tasks is the core attribute of chronic procrastination and, as such the personality trait of procrastination must be regarded as negative trait. The best way to deal with chronic procrastination is to attempt to identify and treat the underlying pathology that is at the base of the continued inability to meet tasks.

Reference

Anonymous, April 5, 2010; Psychology of Procrastination: Why People Put Off Important Tasks Until the Last Minute; Five questions for Joseph Ferrari, PhD; www.apa.org; accessed 3-3-13;

http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2010/04/procrastination.aspx.