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Abstract
The paper explores five different articles that have been published and which extensively talk about procrastination. They highlight the reasons, dangers, and possible solutions of procrastination. It also tackles computer procrastination that is occasioned by the widespread use of the internet and how that has changed the way things are done. The articles do vary in their definition of the term procrastination and differ in the approach of how to tackle the issue. They also focus on specific topics including how procrastination affects academic performance and how to understand the phenomenon. The paper will also delve into issues of behavioral therapy and how the same can be used to treat procrastination. Lastly, the paper will address what features procrastination may be compared to and any similarities it shares with. The paper will also highlight the need to conduct further research on procrastination and its link with issues such as academic decline and low self-esteem.
Keywords: Procrastination, dangers, solutions
How to cure procrastination
Procrastination has been defined as a tendency to put off doing routine tasks. The behavior is linked to individuals who have high impulsivity. The term impulsivity, on the other hand, means acting without any prior thoughts and doing things on a whim with no significant consideration of the consequences or effects. In essence, procrastination is at the core of impulsivity, and one seems to exist in tandem with the other.

Despite this assertion relating to impulsivity and procrastination, very little research has been conducted. The following paper will analyze five different articles all dealing with various aspects of procrastination.
LITERATURE REVIEW
There is a negative correlation between procrastination and academic performance CITATION Kim16 p 30 l 1033 (Kim and Seo 30). It seems inevitable that if an individual postpones tackling an assignment for other things, then there is a likelihood that he or she will hand it in later than was expected. Doing the assignment in a rush or at the last minute would also mean that the work is not done thoroughly and thus the chances of getting lower marks increase. Late submission of assignments is also usually coupled with a corresponding deduction of marks. Away from that, other instances of procrastination include putting off studying to do it at the last minute. The most noticeable effect or result is that such a person will not be able to cover everything in the required time. This will ultimately mean that he or she will be ill-prepared for the exam and consequently fail or not do as well as he or she would have done if they studied properlyCITATION Kim16 p 30 l 1033 (Kim and Seo 30). All the above are instances of how procrastination can negatively affect academic performance.
Distraction also comes in the form of computers and the internet. Although advanced computer technology and improved internet connectivity has been a blessing, for those unable to control themselves, it has been regressive. There is just something about a computer and the internet which makes procrastination so much easier CITATION Bre14 p 211 l 1033 (Breems and Basden 211). Although not much research has been done about the relationship between computers and procrastination, there is a clear link nonetheless. What little data has been gathered about the link indicates that procrastination with computers in this digital age is a real menace. It is characterized by several features that include an intentional and procrastinatory activity using a computer or computer-like machine. People who procrastinate using computers usually make up flimsy excuses as to why they are doing it. They also feel awful about doing what they do. It takes place anywhere, including the workplace, at home or even at school. However, these characteristics are not enough to understand who a computer procrastinator is as they are not based on any empirical evidenceCITATION Bre14 p 214 l 1033 (Breems and Basden 214).
Although there is a definite correlation between procrastination and academic performance, research has found the relationship to be inconsistent. This inconsistency is down to a number of factors Through a meta-analysis done by Kim and Seo, it was determined that scores such as assignment grade, GPA, course grade, and quiz score were all negatively affected by procrastination. This negative correlation, however, varied from about .12 to .64 depending on the score. The reason for the variation is the difference in performance indicators. The research also found that the link between procrastination and performance was related to whether self-report data or external observations were used. On the one hand, although self-reported procrastination showed a negative correlation between academic performance and procrastination, externally assessed procrastination showed no relationship whatsoever between the two. Therefore, it would appear as though many people seem to exaggerate how they delay in putting off doing something. Many people are also convinced that they would do better in kicking the habit and completing tasks as fast as they canCITATION Kim16 p 32 l 1033 (Kim and Seo 32).
Different research has shown that academic procrastination is the most popular kind of procrastinationCITATION Gli15 p 407 l 1033 (Glick and Orsilo 407). Statistics have placed the figures of those who procrastinate at about 30% to 60%. This is alarming especially because procrastination often leads to negative academic results coupled with an adverse effect on emotional and psychological health. However, the research that has been conducted on the causes of procrastination is still minimal. Interventions have been found to have a profound effect on the reduction of procrastination. The interventions only work on students with a proper work ethic and with high academic values.
Rozental et.al conducted an Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for procrastination. The results showed that procrastination is persistent and is usually associated with distress. Further, the study revealed that internet-based CBT can produce significant improvement in self-reported cases of procrastinationCITATION Roz15 p 820 l 1033 (Rozental, Forsell and Anderson 820) Procrastination has been associated with some elements of the Dark Triad that include psychopathy and entitlementCITATION Lyo14 p 36 l 1033 (Lyons and Rice 36). Individuals who exhibit such features of the Dark Triad have been known to have a fast Life History (LH). For this reason, the same people feel the need to procrastinate so that they can have instant gratification that comes with doing things at the last minute. Contrastingly, people with a slower life history exhibit different facets of the Dark Triad, which include leadership and authority and they do not procrastinate on most mattersCITATION Lyo14 p 36 l 1033 (Lyons and Rice 36). Research has therefore proven that the Dark Triad is made up of individuals with both fast and slow life histories. Sex seem to matter when it comes to procrastination. In women, there is a positive correlation between primary psychopathy and avoidance of procrastination. In men, however, the same trait that is primary psychopathy has been developed as an adaptive strategy for competing for some of the highest statuses that society has to offer.
Procrastination has been found to have a detrimental effect on those that do attain the high status. It negatively affects the salaries of those who practice it more than those who do not. The most obvious example would be a deduction in salary for handing in a task later than was expected or a corresponding deduction for tardiness. Procrastination is also negatively linked to narcissism as it tends to clash with other qualities such as leadership and authority. Narcissism also promotes the avoidance of procrastination but tends to develop low self-esteem. There is an interesting association between the two facets of the Dark Triad that are entitlement and psychopathy. Research also found that those individuals who tend to procrastinate do so to avoid or delay negative feedbackCITATION Lyo14 p 36 l 1033 (Lyons and Rice 36). Therein comes the element of low self-esteem which has been associated with individuals who procrastinate. Narcissism should be looked at from different angles to determine whether there is a direct correlation between it and self-esteem, which ultimately links to procrastination.
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
Different limitations were experienced for a myriad of research. However, some of them were common. For instance, in two of the studies, the sample sizes were small and therefore it was difficult to determine a variance with different personality traits. Since the research was about procrastination, some of the outcomes of procrastination were not bad, and this made it difficult to prove the drawbacks of procrastination. This is especially considering many had hypothesized negative results for the act. The effect of procrastination also differed in different individuals and this also made in difficult to achieve the desired level of consistency.
CONCLUSION AND FUTURE STUDY
In conclusion, there are adverse effects that are associated with procrastination. One area that is most affected is academics with research proving that procrastination often leads to negative results. However, such research has not been exhaustive, and there is still a lot more that can be done to explain just why procrastination is not a good thing. People who do procrastinate always have a reason why they do it, the reason may not be good or particularly convincing, but it is always there. All is not lost for procrastinators. Studies have shown that with the right kind of attitude and psychiatric help, the habit can be kicked to the curb. The problem, however, is that not all procrastination leads to an adverse outcome. Determining where it will lead is the biggest problem. Future studies should focus on the link between procrastination and academic regression to understand more about it.
Works Cited
BIBLIOGRAPHY Breems, Nick and Andrew Basden. “Understanding of computers and procrastination: A philosophical approach.” Computers in Human Behavior (2014): 211-223. Document.
Glick, Debra and Susan Orsilo. “An Investigation of the Efficacy of Acceptance-Based Behavioral Therapy for Academic Procrastination.” Journal of Experimental Psychology (2015): 400-409. Document.
Kim, Kyung and Eun Seo. “The relationship between procrastination and academic performance: A meta-analysis.” Personality and Individual Differences (2016): 26-33. Document.
Lyons, Minna and Holly Rice. “Thieves of time? Procrastination and the Dark Triad of personality.” Personality and Individual Differences (2014): 34-37. Document.
Rozental, Alexander, et al. “An Investigation of the Efficacy of Acceptance-Based Behavioral Therapy: A Randomized Trial.” Journal of Consulting and Clinial Psychology (2015): 808-824. Document.