Procrastination is something that everybody deals with at some point in their life. So many people talk about it, they even have Ted Talks about procrastination. There are three main types of procrastination. They are known as the avoiders, the optimists, and the pleasure seekers.

“I usually will set work aside from the class I’m in and will do it the next night,” said senior, Mae Magsino.

The avoiders put things off just because the task makes them feel bad, whether the emotion is boredom, anxiety, or being sad. Some signs that you may be an avoider is you put items related to the task that you are putting off where you can not see it, you get anxious when people talk about the task around you, and you make a list of things to do to convince yourself there are other priorities.

The optimists constantly think that they have more time to do the task or that it will not take as long to complete it. Research by Jeff Conte, psychologist at San Diego State University, identifies optimism as a key trait among those who are chronically late. The research also suggests that some people actually perceive time differently and feels as though time passes by more slowly (Source: inc.com).

Optimists usually are overconfident and almost never make a backup plan. They brush off warnings from other people about deadlines (and consequences if they do not finish the task because they think that they will finish it) and do not need to worry about the consequences. 

The pleasure seeker does not do the task that they have to do until they feel like doing it. They choose to do something better than doing the task they need to do. This is bad because others may get frustrated and pick up on your slack causing you to make a reputation for yourself as being lazy and a slacker.

Some things that you could do to overcome being a pleasure seeker are when you finish the task that you do not want to do, reward yourself, focus on how you will feel when you have the task off your plate, and find ways to incorporate things you enjoy into doing the task, such as doing it in a place that you feel comfortable in. 

No matter what type of procrastinator you are, if you are one, it does not matter how you get the task done, or how much you out it off as long as you get it done on time and you do not ruin your mental health. 

“Being a procrastinator affects my grades and mental health a lot,” said junior Imani Harden.