WHY do I put things off till the last minute?

Question

There is a deadline. I have no choice but to meet it. Why do I do this every time?

Answer 1

I love that whizzing noise deadlines make as they zoom by.

Answer 2

Any number of reasons!

Laziness is one,not in a bad sense but just don't feel like dealing with this right now.

Procrastination (now there's a word for you!).

Habit-something you are doing consistently and you know it needs to be broken!

There's always a deadline but we either chose to ignore it or make a mad scramble to meet it and kick ourselves in the head for taking so long again and rushing like fools in the process.

Welcome to the club! baby! If we knew the real answer to this question than we would always be on time to get things done in a timely fashion now wouldn't we?

Answer 3

Many people, myself included are one of those who put thing off until that last minute, just before that deadline and in my opinion it has to do with ones personality and having the type of personality that works well under pressure and with a deadline you get that adrenalin rush just knowing that you must get the work done and get it done RIGHT NOW!!!! Does this make ant sense at at all?

Answer 4

based on experience and close friends:


you might be a perfectionist ( yes) who puts it off because if you start 3 weeks early you feel you will have to do nothing else, for 3 weeks, until it is perfect. And you don't want to give up everything else for 3 weeks.
OR
you are waiting for more info
OR
you work REALLY well under pressure, and you have learned you CAN do this without penalty
OR
it is something you don't want to do anyway. if you delay, maybe something will happen so it isn't yours anymore.


I'm sure there are lots of other possibilities.


If you really want to know why you do this, put some thought into what you get out of this behavior. Really. Either this is a reward or it prevents/delays something you don't like. Deep seated reasons can be very strange.

Answer 5

I've thought a lot about this too. First you probably come by this naturally but it's also a sense of responsibility that's not shining through.

You put it off till later on a regular basis and then you're up against a wall. I sympathize but I have to say just get up and do it instead of putting it off for what you want to do now.

Answer 6

I do the same thing every time, and ask myself the same question. I think it's because stress is a great motivator. If you get something done early, there's nothing left to do except sit back and be bored.

Answer 7

i do the same thing. i don't know. i just can't bear the unpleasantness of homework, then i go into panic attacks (almost). just force yourself to change little by little, it won't happen over night. once you feel the relief of getting it done early once, you might want to do it again. you forget you have the ability to get things done ahead of time when you are in the habit of always doing things last minute.

Answer 8

You need to develop the will power. Get up before the sunrise and do some exercise. Eat well.

Answer 9

You are not alone. A number of people do that, but if it bothers you that much, just make a desperate effort to do what ever you have to do earlier.

Answer 10

time runs away with its self before u know it u are on the last push