Problem
You’re a self-described procrastinator.
Reality
You’re more likely to have heart problems, according to a study published in the Journal of Behavioural Medicine.
Method
Researchers gave a group of people with heart problems (hypertension and cardiovascular disease) and a group of healthy people personality questionnaires.
Results
The people with heart problems also tended to be procrastinators, agreeing with statements like “I keep saying I’ll get it done tomorrow.”
The study didn’t go into why procrastinators are more likely to have health problems, but there are a bunch of obvious links. Procrastinators are more likely to ignore signs of bad health, more likely to put off going to the doctor, more likely to put off exercising . . . it doesn’t look good for procrastinators.
The Takeaway
Unfortunately, it’s pretty hard to change your personality, and telling a procrastinator to stop being a procrastinator is a bit like telling a workaholic to stop working so much. They can change, but it’s hard.
Instead, do us one favour. Just one favour. If you’ve been putting off scheduling your annual physical, do it now. You don’t have anything better to do—after all, you were just reading posts on a men’s lifestyle website.
