CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – You’re not alone if you’ve ever waited until the last minute to do something.
Procrastination happens to the best of us. Knowing when it’s becoming a habit is key.
Paying a bill late or waiting to do your essay at the last minute are just a couple of examples of procrastination. Some people believe it’s intentional.
One University of Virginia expert says it’s the opposite.
“They’re not lazy,” Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences Kim Penberthy said. “They have other issues going on that are driving that procrastination behavior.”
Penberthy says procrastination is linked to bigger issues. Such as anxiety, perfectionism or low self-esteem.
A big part of fixing it she says is knowing how to identify it.
“The key for procrastination is when it’s habitual or interferes with your ability to meet deadlines or manage your time effectively, achieve your goal or keep a job,” Penberthy said.
Procrastination looks different for everyone. Some people claim waiting until the last minute helps them work better.
Penberthy disagrees.
“Being stressed all the time is exhausting, and that also makes it, you know, harder to do things than when you’re distressed by it,” Penberthy said. “Any kind of long-term stress is going to have negative impacts on our health.”
Handling your workload in small segments can make things easier.
Penberthy says knowing what you’re assigned to do will help with planning.
“It can be really helpful to break it down into smaller bits, you know, and sometimes the smaller bits or even look at the question, look at what you actually have to do,” Penberthy said.
Penberthy also added celebrating small wins and showing yourself some compassion helps.
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