THE PROCRASTINATION EQUATION

How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done

PIERS STEEL, PhD

Figure 1.1
Very Seldom or Not True of me Seldom True of me Sometimes True of me Often True of me Very Often True or True of me

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

I delay tasks beyond what is reasonable. 2 4 2 2 4 2 2 4 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 2 4 4 2 4 4 2 4 5 1 5 5 1 5 5 1 5 I do everything when I believe it needs to be done. I often regret not getting to tasks sooner. There are aspects of my life that I put off, though I know I shouldnt. If there is something I should do, I get to it before attending to lesser tasks. I put things off so long that my well-being or efficiency unnecessarily suffers. At the end of the day, I know I could have spent the time better. I spend my time wisely. When I should be doing one thing, I will do another.

1 5 1 1 5 1 1 5 1

TOTAL SCORE

SCORE

COMPARED TO EVERYONE ELSE

19 or less You are in the bottom 10% Your mantra is first-things-first 20-23 You are in the bottom 10-25% 24-31 You are in the middle 50% 32-36 You are in the top 10-25% 37 or more You are in the top 10% Tomorrow is your middle name Average procrastinator

Figure 2.1
Very Seldom or Not True of me Seldom True of me Sometimes True of me Often True of me Very Often True or True of me

1. 2. 3.

When I put in the hours, I am successful. 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 Uninteresting work defeats me. I get into jams because I will get entranced by some temporarily delightful 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5

1 1 activity. 1 4. 5. 6. 7. 1 1 the repercussions.

When I apply myself, I see the results. I wish my job was enjoyable. I take on new tasks that seem fun at first without thinking through 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5

1 1 1 9. 10. 11. 1 1 Work bores me. 1 13. long-term goals.

If I try hard enough, I will succeed.

8. My work activities seem pointless. When a temptation is right before me, the craving can be intense. I am confident that my efforts will be rewarded.

12. My actions and words satisfy my short-term pleasures rather than my 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5

I am persistent and resourceful.

Figure 2.1

(continued) Seldom True of me Sometimes True of me Often True of me Very Often True or True of me

Very Seldom or Not True of me

14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

I lack enthusiasm to follow through with my responsibilities. 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 When an attractive diversion comes my way, I am easily swayed. Whatever problems come my way, I will eventually rise above them. When a task is tedious, again and again I find myself pleasantly daydreaming rather than focusing. 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 I have a hard time postponing pleasurable opportunities as they crop up. I can overcome difficulties with the necessary effort. I dont find my work enjoyable. I choose smaller but more immediate pleasures over those larger but more delayed. 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 Winning is within my control. If an activity is boring, my mind slips off into other diversions. It takes a lot for me to delay gratification.

1 1 1

1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1

To score, add up your answers to each of the following questions: Eddies Scale = 1 + 4 + 7 + 10 + 13 + 16 +19 + 22 = Valeries Scale = 2 + 5 + 8 + 11 + 14 + 17 + 20 + 23 = Toms Scale = 3 + 6 + 9 + 12 + 15 + 18 + 21 + 24 =

Figure 2.2

Figure 2.3

Figure 4.1

Figure 5.1
Twelve Major Life Domains 1. Health: exercise, diet, avoiding or treating illness (e.g., Procrastinating about going to the gym, about going on a diet) 2. Career: jobs, employment, earning a living (e.g., Procrastinating about getting a better job, about getting a raise) 3. Education: school, studying, getting good grades (e.g., Procrastinating about studying for an exam, about getting a degree) 4. Community: volunteer work, political activism (e.g., Procrastinating about helping others, about volunteering your time) 5. Romance: love, sex, dating, marriage (e.g., Procrastinating about asking someone out, about ending a relationship) 6. Finance: decisions about money (e.g., Procrastinating about paying your bills, about saving for retirement or a big purchase) 7. Self: improving oneself in terms of abilities, attitudes, behaviors (e.g., Procrastinating about reading a self-help book, about changing who you are) 8. Friends: interactions with close others (e.g., Procrastinating about spending more time with your friends, about having them over) 9. Family: interactions with parents and siblings (e.g., Procrastinating about talking more to your mom, about having dinner with your parents) 10. Leisure: sports, recreation, hobbies (e.g., Procrastinating about joining a sports team, about going on a trip) 11. Spirituality: religion, philosophy, the meaning of life (e.g., Procrastinating about examining your life, about going to church/temple/mosque) 12. Parenting: interactions with offspring (e.g., Procrastinating about spending time with the kids, about having a family vacation) Average Procrastination (1 to 5)
A Top Three Problem

3.4

42.2%

3.3

56.8%

3.3

32.9%

3.2

12.1%

3.0

24.0%

2.9

35.9%

2.9

29.6%

2.9

23.5%

2.7

18.9%

2.7

11.4%

2.5

8.5%

2.3

4.1%

Figure 6.1 Organizational Team Procrastination

Figure 6.2 Congressional Procrastination

Figure 7.1

Figure 8.1
INVESTIGATIVE
THEME SCIENCE MATHEMATICS MEDICAL SCIENCE MEDICAL SERVICE
MODERATELY HIGH AVERAGE 30 40 50 60 70

58

BASIC INTERESTS

52 49

AVERAGE

AVERAGE

54 50
Mod.Dissim. Very Similar Mid-Range Mod. Sim. Dissim. Similar

AVERAGE

CODE IR IR IR IR IR IR IR IR IR IR IRS IRS IRC IRC IRC IRE IE I I I I IA IA IAS

OCCUPATIONAL SCALES
Veterinarian Chemist Physicist Geologist Medical Technologist Dental Hygienist Dentist Optometrist Physical Therapist Physican Registered Nurse Math-Science Teacher Math-Science Teacher Systems Analyst Computer Programmer Chiropractor Pharmacist Pharmacist Biologist Geographer Mathematician College Professor Sociologist Psychologist

Standard Score M R1 25 36 39 21 44 47 33 40 43 28 15 33 34 28 39 31 32 52 40 34 F 43 31 26 39 28 32 37 34 44 46 S1 24 35 32 37 38 35 43 25 49 45 36

Very Dissim.

12

21 27

39 45

54

Figure 9.1

Figure 9.2