Many of us have tasks that we have put on hold hoping that we would do them at a later stage and never got to do them.
This is called procrastination.
In some instances, the tasks at hand may be insignificant, however, some tasks can jeopardise a greater objective if not attended to.
Procrastination comes in many shapes and forms and has the potential to slow down progress. While it is easy to point out how procrastination has a negative impact on one’s life, it is difficult to not slip back into it now and then, at least for me.
If you’re not sure of the dangers this delay may cause to you, the following will further detail it for you.
Impacts on job performance – People who are serial procrastinators also do so at their workplaces. This can yield negative consequences as they may be seen as lazy, insubordinate or refuse to work, leading to them being fired or given a shorter term of employment, shares mental health information centre PsychCentral.
Putting off regular health checkups – Another danger to procrastination is that it may affect one’s health, especially when people start postponing medical appointments hoping to go later. The above-mentioned information hub shares that a study conducted showed that “those who report higher procrastination were less likely to be up to date on medical and dental checkups.”
Sabotage goals – Many people delay business and project ideas they may want to embark on only to see someone else pursuing their dreams while they watch. This kind of procrastination is very detrimental as it has the potential to reduce prospects of a better life, adds expert-driven information hub LifeHack.
Damages your reputation – It is difficult to trust a person who never sticks to what he or she has said they will do. This later damages your reputation as not many people will take you seriously for serious matters.
Also see: 5 Tips on how to master public speaking