Procrastination; Self-regulation; Self-harm; Mental Health; Depression; Fear of Failure; Need for Perfection; Harsh Superego; Reframing; Self-compassion; Helping Professional;
Catching the Thief of Time: The Perils of Procrastination
Kets de Vries M. F. R. (2021). Catching the Thief of Time: The Perils of Procrastination. 2021/56/EFE
Starting with a case study, this article focuses on procrastination and includes a short test to assess the reader’s procrastination tendencies. The conscious and unconscious factors that contribute to procrastination are discussed, suggesting that procrastination can be regarded as a failure of self-regulation, and is linked to the fear of failure and need for perfection.
Procrastination can turn into a self-defeating cycle, making it a form of self-harm that can negatively affect a person’s mental and physical health and jeopardize both personal and professional relationships. Certain character types are more prone to procrastination, in particular people with obsessive-compulsive, attention-deficit, and passive aggressive characteristics.
The article includes a number of behavioural recommendations for tackling this problem, including reframing and self-compassion. It also suggests that a major reason for procrastination is a highly critical superego. In this context, coaches and psychotherapists could help ameliorate its harmful effects.