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That’s what the authors of a new large-scale study from Uppsala University, the Karolinska Institute, and Sophiahemmet University in Sweden claim. They believe that the common habit of procrastination is a sign of much deeper health issues than previously thought by researchers. This includes conditions such as depression, anxiety, various pains, and poor sleep quality.
Quick overview: Psychologists define procrastination as the tendency to constantly delay even important and urgent tasks, leading to numerous problems. Procrastination occurs in the gap between the moment a person decides to start working and when they actually begin. It’s worth noting that procrastination is not synonymous with laziness. A lazy person doesn’t plan to do the work at all, doesn’t worry about not completing it, and instead focuses on resting and recharging.
What the Researchers Discovered
A team of Swedish scientists involved 3,525 students from eight universities in Stockholm and its surroundings in a study that lasted over two years. Volunteers were divided into groups based on their tendency to procrastinate, as reported by the Independent. Every three months, participants filled out questionnaires regarding their personal inclination to procrastinate and the potential consequences it might cause.
The responses to the questionnaire were evaluated on a five-point scale, depending on the frequency of procrastination. To obtain a comprehensive picture, the researchers summarized and analyzed the survey data. After nine months, the researchers made initial conclusions regarding the deterioration of participants’ health based on their self-assessments of procrastination.
It turned out that more than half of the students reported mental health issues (depression, anxiety, and stress), severe pain (primarily in the neck and/or upper and lower back, arms, and legs), and poor sleep quality. At the same time, volunteers reported an unhealthy lifestyle accompanying their tendency to procrastinate, such as a lack of physical activity, skipping breakfast, and the use of tobacco, cannabis, and alcohol. Among the psychosocial factors associated with procrastination, students mentioned loneliness and financial difficulties.
New Findings on the Harmful Habit of Procrastination
Thus, researchers have demonstrated that a high level of procrastination is linked to significantly more severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.
Participants who reported the highest levels of procrastination were much more likely to indicate pain in their shoulders and arms, feelings of loneliness, and financial difficulties, as well as the worst sleep quality.
According to the researchers, this connection remained consistent even after accounting for factors such as age, gender, physical and mental health, and parental education level.
The research team emphasized the need to consider procrastination when assessing students’ health, noting that this phenomenon is particularly prevalent among this demographic.
The study’s results, published in the JAMA Network Open journal, shed light on procrastination as a source of numerous hidden risks to both mental and physical health.
