In positive sense, several writers have mentioned it as a functional delay or as avoiding rush (e.g.

, Bernstein, 1998; Chu & Choi, 2005; Ferrari, 1993b). For example, Bernstein (1998) explained, Once we act, we forfeit the option of waiting until new information comes along. As a result, no-acting has value. Procrastination is the deferment or avoidance, without good reason, of an intended or scheduled task until later (Bradford) Academic procrastination In an academic context it appears to affect a great number of students. Selfreporting by students suggest that 80-95 per cent engage in procrastination of some sort (Ellis and Knaus, 1977; O'Brien, 2002), and almost 50 per cent procrastinate consistently, which leads to problems with assignments or other set tasks (Day, Mensink, and O'Sullivan, 2000; Haycock, 1993; Onwuegbuzie, 2000). A common form of procrastination is for students to delay starting an assignment beyond a scheduled start time and then have to work furiously to finish it on time. In some cases, a time extension has then to be sought, although institutions usually only allow this in exceptional cases. one procrastinates when one delays beginning or completing an intended course of action (Beswick & Mann, 1994; Ferrari, 1993a; Lay & Silverman, 1996; Milgram, 1991; Silver & Sabini, 1981). This is a useful distinction, as there are thousands of potential tasks that one could be doing at any time, and it becomes cumbersome to think that one is putting them all off. The distinction also separates procrastination from simple decision avoidance (C. J. Anderson, 2003), with which peoples original intention is to delay.

People procrastinate we delay doing unpleasant tasks that we wish we would do sooner. Such procrastination can be very costly. We skip enjoyable events in mid-April because we procrastinate in completing our taxes; we die young because we procrastinate in quitting smoking, starting a diet, or scheduling a medical check-up; and we are denied tenure because of our own, co-authors, or journal referees procrastination.(Ted&Mathew 1999)

"A common source of procrastination is the idea that we have to wait until we have a big block of time before starting on a task - any task. One of my great frustrations in life is not being able to get done everything I need to get done even when I am trying. I think this is because I don't make good use of the many small pockets of time that are available throughout a day.(Rockhardington 2010)
Are you a procrastinator? The formula is pretty simple: A = You postpone things you should be doing B = You feel guilty about doing it A + B = procrastinator If you don't feel guilty, you are likely just being selective about the things you do. For example, you are not procrastinating if you put off calling friends because you think it is more important to finish a class assignment - even if your friends think the calls should come first.