6 Types of Procrastination: Identify and Overcome Your Procrastination Style

Do you constantly delay tasks or struggle with procrastination? You’re not alone. Procrastination affects 20% of adults and can negatively impact your mental health and productivity. This article explores six types of procrastination, their causes, and effective strategies to overcome them.

Now, estimates may be higher today because of many distractions around us. Do you think you’re also a procrastinator? Well, let’s just take a short brief idea about who are procrastinators first…

What is Procrastination?

Procrastination is the act of delaying tasks or work constantly or in simple words putting the work to the last-minute deadline. Procrastination is not a serious concern however, it’s a common tendency of people that might be followed by negative consequences. Negative impacts of procrastination can be an increased risk of depression and anxiety, increased stress, poor impulse control, and low self-esteem.

Do you know that there are six types of procrastinators? Do you wish to know which type of procrastinator you are? Keep reading this blog to understand and fix your procrastination type.

6 Types of Procrastination in Psychology

In psychology, six types of procrastinators are identified based on different behaviors, causes, and symptoms. To identify which type of procrastinator you are, focus more on the details over the titles, as they will help you to understand symptoms and behaviors related to your procrastination style.

• The Perfectionist
• The Dreamer
• The Worrier
• The Crisis-Maker
• The Defier
• The Overdoer

1.The Perfectionist

Perfectionists often procrastinate because they focus excessively on minor details. They fear that their work won’t meet high standards, which leads to delays and missed deadlines.

Symptoms of Perfectionist Procrastination:

• Difficulty starting or completing tasks due to fear of imperfection.
• Obsessing over details at the expense of progress.

Do you recognize yourself as a perfectionist procrastinator? Here’s what you can do to fix this type of procrastination:

• Never let your obsession with perfectionism come between your achievements. To solve this obsession, be clear about your purpose, aim right at the purpose, and work on details, but don’t involve yourself too much. Instead, focus on the process and try to complete your task before the deadline.
• Use the 80/20 rule to prioritize essential details over minor ones.
• Practice self-compassion and remind yourself that imperfection is part of growth.
• Sometimes, focusing on simplicity can also be a solution to achieving your goals correctly. Don’t focus on writing complex words. Instead, keep it simple and focus more on the figures to achieve your ultimate goal before the deadline.

2. The Dreamer

We all have experienced that day when we have enjoyed planning the day instead of taking action or pursuing our plans. Well, if it’s only a day, it can be normal. If you procrastinate like this constantly, you might need to fix this tendency because it can hinder you from reaching your goals.

Do you know that people with dreamer procrastination are best at their creative thinking levels? However, their thinking is too constant, stopping them from taking action.

According to a study published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior (2018), excessive planning without execution leads to a 40% decrease in task completion rates among creative professionals.

Symptoms of Dreamer Procrastination:

• Overplanning without execution.
• Spending excessive time imagining outcomes rather than working on them.

How to Overcome Dreamer Procrastination:

• Set Small, Actionable Goals: Use the SMART goal-setting technique to break tasks into manageable steps.
• Track Your Progress: Reflect regularly to balance creativity with productivity.
• Limit Planning Time: Allocate specific time slots for planning and commit to immediate action afterward.

3. The Avoider/Worrier

The avoiders or worriers are the same type of procrastinators because they are too scared of taking up tasks as they think they are unable to manage things the right way. Additionally, they also might have a fear of being judged by others especially when they make mistakes.

This type of procrastination can also be a cause of underlying mental health conditions, therefore, if you think you’re a chronic type of worrier or avoider, it’s always better to seek the help of a mental health professional.

A 2020 survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that 45% of adults with chronic procrastination reported experiencing heightened stress levels due to fear of failure or judgment.

Symptoms of Worrier Procrastination:

• Avoiding tasks due to fear of failure or criticism.
• Overthinking every decision, leading to inaction.

How to Overcome Worrier Procrastination:

• Use Stress Management Techniques: Practice mindfulness or deep breathing to stay calm.
• Divide Tasks into Smaller Steps: Focus on completing one small step at a time to build confidence.
• Challenge Negative Thoughts: Reframe fear of judgment into opportunities for growth and learning.

4. The Crisis-Maker

As the name implies, crisis-makers are the ones who push off the work to the last minute and get their work done just to meet the deadline. During this process, such people forget to focus on the numbers or figures, which can result in disasters during presentations or meetings.

Such type of procrastination not only impacts their professional life but also impacts their psychological well-being as they get into stress, depression, and anxiety because of not achieving things they’ve planned. One of the facts about the crisis-maker procrastination type is that they find deadlines exciting, and they wrongly believe that they work better under pressure, which leads to various mental health issues.

Research from Harvard Business Review (2019) revealed that 84% of people who rely on last-minute work experienced burnout, leading to decreased productivity and lower-quality outcomes.

Symptoms of Crisis-Maker Procrastination:

• Thriving on adrenaline from last-minute deadlines.
• Believing that pressure improves performance.

How to Overcome Crisis-Maker Procrastination:

• Pre-Set Mini Deadlines: Break projects into smaller parts with earlier deadlines to reduce stress.
• Use the POMODORO Technique: Work in short, timed intervals with breaks to maintain focus.
• Prioritize Long-Term Benefits: Remind yourself that steady progress leads to better results.

5. The Defier

The defier type of procrastinator is the one who wants to appear cooperative and nice to others, and they expect you to do something for them in return. This type of procrastinator is not negative, but they indirectly procrastinate on many things. They regularly challenge their procrastination levels and end up looking like a pessimistic personality because they lack the motivation to do things.

A 2021 study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that resistance-driven procrastinators were 30% more likely to experience relationship conflicts due to their unwillingness to cooperate on group tasks.

Symptoms of Defier Procrastination:

• Resistance to authority or imposed tasks.
• Procrastinating to assert control or independence.

How to Overcome Defier Procrastination:

• Understand Your Motivations: Learn about self-determination theory to align tasks with personal values.
• Set Personal Goals: Frame tasks as challenges you choose to take on, rather than obligations.
• Focus on Collaboration: Work with others to feel supported and motivated.

6. The Overdoer/Busy-bees

After reading the type name, we could think of a fussy co-worker who’s a hard worker, works all the time, looks busy all the time, focuses on details but is still unable to achieve the goals correctly! Right? Do you know why this happens even after doing everything right? Such people face problems while prioritizing their tasks; they focus too much or overdo an unimportant task.

This results in not getting enough time to focus on the important tasks. In the end, they feel unworthy, and as a result, they don’t feel like working anymore. The only reason behind this type of procrastination is that they constantly postpone decision-making and do the wrong tasks.

Studies from Forbes Insights (2022) show that over 70% of professionals who overcommit experience task overload, leading to mental fatigue and decreased efficiency.

Symptoms of Overdoer Procrastination:

• Overcommitting to tasks but struggling to complete important ones.
• Constant busyness without significant progress.

How to Overcome Overdoer Procrastination:

• Focus on Prioritization: Use tools like Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks by importance and urgency.
• Avoid Multitasking: Concentrate on one task at a time to improve quality and efficiency.
• Set Realistic Limits: Learn to say “no” to unnecessary commitments and delegate when possible.

Wrapping Up

If you’re a procrastinator, know that procrastination can be a negative habit or tendency to keep. Therefore, it’s important to know the stem of your type of procrastination. One of the best ways to stop procrastination is to assess the root of your problem and work on developing new coping methods accordingly.

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, there can be different factors, such as perfectionism, underlying mental health issues, and more. However, procrastination does not mean that you can’t achieve your goals.

To stop procrastination and achieve your goals the right way, you can take the help of the below-listed articles covered on CalmSage:

• How to find the right balance between short-term and long-term goals?
• Personal Development Goals to Achieve This Year
• How to Fulfil Your Dreams?
• Habits that can destroy your focus
• How to stay energetic throughout the day?
• 51 Self-Improvement Tips to Change Your Life

I hope this blog helps you understand the six types of procrastination and how to fix them. Comment down and tell us “Which type of procrastinator are you?” so that the Calm Sage team can help you fix your negative tendencies and achieve goals in your life.

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Thanks for reading!