Can CBT help overcome procrastination?

Everyone falls victim to procrastination from time to time. At some point, our self-control wavers. We end up losing sight of our goals and surrendering everything we know about the benefits of delayed gratification.

However, for some people, procrastination takes a more severe hold of in their lives and starts to become a personality trait. This form of chronic procrastination can harm other areas of our lives. We begin to put off important projects at work, delay taking action on a developing health issue or even have hold off important conversation we need have with loved ones.

According to the Journal of Educational Psychology, chronic procrastination can be defined as ‘the practice of carrying out less urgent tasks in preference to more urgent ones, or doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones, thus putting off impeding tasks to a later time.”

Chronic procrastinators often have perpetual problems starting or completing tasks. It is linked to a wide range of mental issues and negative emotions such as guilt, anxiety and depression. Chronic procrastination can negatively impact our self-esteem as well as our physical health and stress levels.