Scientists have found a link between procrastination and health problems

New research from Swedish scientists showedthat procrastinating students are also more prone to health problems, both physical and mental.

To test the hypothesis, the researchers recruited 3,525 student volunteers to complete questionnaires and health checks every 3 months for a year. To understand how procrastination is related to health problems, students with a higher tendency to procrastinate at the start of the study were compared with students with a lower tendency.

Data analysis showed that higher levels of procrastination were associated with an increased risk of depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms 9 months after the start of the study.

Students with higher levels of procrastination were also more likely to report severe pain in their shoulders or arms, poor sleep quality, greater loneliness, and more pronounced financial difficulties. These associations persisted even when other factors were taken into account, including age, gender, parental education, and previous physical and mental diagnoses.

Interestingly, no relationship was found between the tendency to procrastinate and sex and age, but it turned out that that she was more likely to succumb to technical students, single people and those who were born outside of Europe.

In previous studies, data was collected over a short period of time, so it was impossible to track which started earlier: regular procrastination or health problems. This time, the sequence of surveys helped to confirm: first there was procrastination, health complaints followed later.

The authors admit that they may have missed some factor that could explain this effect. A causal relationship is still not proven, but these data are still more revealing than the results of earlier studies. cross-sectional studies.

But for procrastinators, there is good news: you can fight it. Clinical studies have shown that cognitive behavioral therapy can help reduce procrastination. This is possible when the patient is taught to divide large long-term goals into small short-term goals, less distractions (such as turning off the phone) and focus on the task, even when in a bad mood.

All this requires effort, and such work cannot be done at once, trying to catch the next deadline. But even small improvements have a positive effect in the long run. You can try it yourself: just leave your smartphone in your bag or another room when you work on the next task.