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Formula For Procrastination Found

Posted by kdawson on from the putting-it-off dept.

kandela writes "Science Daily reports that a University of Calgary academic has published a paper titled The Nature of Procrastination: A Meta-Analytic and Theoretical Review of Quintessential Self-Regulatory Failure in the Psychological Bulletin. The research reveals that most people's New Year's resolutions are doomed to failure, most self-help books have it completely wrong when they say perfectionism is at the root of procrastination, and procrastination can be explained by a single mathematical equation. The research is apparently the culmination of 10 years work. However, no indication was given of how much time was spent putting it off before it was begun." From the article: "Essentially, procrastinators have less confidence in themselves, less expectancy that they can actually complete a task... Perfectionism is not the culprit. In fact, perfectionists actually procrastinate less, but they worry about it more."

25 of 191 comments (clear)

  1. That's great! by Vengeance · · Score: 5, Funny

    I have to remember to read it later.

    --
    It was a joke! When you give me that look it was a joke.
    1. Re:That's great! by AoT · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yeah, it's like they say, hard work may pay off later, but procrastination pays off now.

      P.S. I would've gotten first post, but I kept putting it off and putting it off.

      --
      A blog about stuff.
    2. Re:That's great! by genesus · · Score: 5, Funny

      "Never put off till tomorrow, what you can do the day after tomorrow."

    3. Re:That's great! by jginspace · · Score: 4, Funny

      "I have to remember to read it later."

      No worries, the dupe'll be around in a couple of days.

    4. Re:That's great! by williamhb · · Score: 3, Funny

      Tenagers rejoice -- now whenever your parents ask why you haven't tidied your room, you can give them the formula and tell them to work it out for themselves.

    5. Re:That's great! by NicknamesAreStupid · · Score: 5, Funny

      I can't find the thread anymore, but this is in response to the criticism about DOS 2.0. While the file system inprovements aren't perfect, they are much better than 1.1. Now we can use hard disks along with the 360KB floppies. I've seen some as big at 10MBs.

    6. Re:That's great! by esmoothie · · Score: 5, Funny

      "procrastination is like masturbation: it's all good until you realized that you just fucked yourself"

    7. Re:That's great! by Joebert · · Score: 2, Funny
      You can't fix self confidence with a calendar and a rubber band.

      McGuyver could do it with a broken rubber band & the month of February.
      --
      Wanna fight ? Bend over, stick your head up your ass, and fight for air.
    8. Re:That's great! by eyendall · · Score: 2, Funny

      Procrastinate now, don't put it off.

    9. Re:That's great! by LearnToSpell · · Score: 4, Funny

      Masturbation's way better - you're fucking yourself now AND you're fucking yourself later.

      --
      Haida Manga
  2. End link tag please... by RyanFenton · · Score: 1, Funny

    Could it be, that the poster procrastinated in adding his ?

    Ryan Fenton

    1. Re:End link tag please... by jerkface.us · · Score: 3, Funny

      Just look at the page's src code. I'll do it later.
      --
      Fortune favors the bold.
  3. I was going to submit this story months ago by Timesprout · · Score: 2, Funny

    but just didnt get around to doing it.

    --
    Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
    What truth?
    There is no dupe
  4. HD-DVD keys by teamhasnoi · · Score: 4, Funny
    The movie industry is going to master a bunch of different versions of every movie, with different keys in each - hoping that it will stem the tide of 'piracy'. I don't think it's going to work.

    I wanted to post this in the last story, but I just got around to it now.

  5. Re:What the TFA is about? by DiamondGeezer · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'll get back to you on that one...

    --
    Tubby or not tubby. Fat is the question
  6. Old news by i_should_be_working · · Score: 3, Funny

    A law for procrastination was found centuries ago.

  7. Quite a title there by Arramol · · Score: 5, Funny

    "A Meta-Analytic and Theoretical Review of Quintessential Self-Regulatory Failure" - sounds like something out of Calvin and Hobbes. "The Dynamics of Interbeing and Monological Imperatives in Dick and Jane: A Study in Psychic Transrelational Gender Modes."

    1. Re:Quite a title there by Masato · · Score: 3, Funny

      Although I've already seen at least one post to PhD comics, I figured I'd post another since it fits your title so well: Thesis Titles

  8. So this is it by zakeria · · Score: 4, Funny

    So this is slashdot.. I'll report my cure for cancer ... sometime soon ... perhaps..

  9. Obligatory by KoldKompress · · Score: 2, Funny

    I already came up with the formula, I was just too lazy to publish it.

  10. The word has always creeped me out by Flipao · · Score: 4, Funny

    I've always thought Procastinators were people who kept their virginity in exchange for money... or people who cut each other's genitals in exchange for money... either way I think I probably need a shrink :/

    1. Re:The word has always creeped me out by Joebert · · Score: 2, Funny

      You're thinking of a Pro Castrator.

      --
      Wanna fight ? Bend over, stick your head up your ass, and fight for air.
  11. Re:It's a PR agency playing pseudo-scientist by Joebert · · Score: 5, Funny

    Boy did you ever pick the wrong subject to post that monster sized comment in.
    Wish I had mod points, I'd just mod you informative & call it a day.

    --
    Wanna fight ? Bend over, stick your head up your ass, and fight for air.
  12. Re:At least in my case, totally wrong. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    In the working world, most "urgent problems" that come up, go away without any intervention by the next day. Long term projects have their budgets slashed at the end of the quarter. reports never get read anyway.

    So, by putting everything off until the last minute, I find myself with a hell of a lot more time to spend on meaningful (aka "self directed") activities.

    Hi, pla, this is your boss. I'm going to have to put off your next raise. And your next paycheck.

    ;)

  13. I'm procrastinating by reading this comment thread by eldalonde · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm procrastinating by reading this comment thread.

    I'll also echo that I procrastinate things because I'm accustomed to being able to wing them and do well.