Gauge Your Procrastination Habit With a Simple Quiz

Gauge Your Procrastination Habit With a Simple Quiz Theories Personality Psychology Print Gauge Your Procrastination Habit With a Simple Quiz By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on July 10, 2018 Paul Bradbury / Getty Images More in Theories Personality Psychology Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Behavioral Psychology Cognitive Psychology Developmental Psychology Social Psychology Biological Psychology Psychosocial Psychology Just how bad is your procrastination habit? The fact is that we all procrastinate at some time or another. You might even be procrastinating right now by taking an online quiz instead of focusing on something else you really need to be doing. There are plenty of reasons why we procrastinate, but one of the first steps toward overcoming this often destructive tendency is to evaluate your own behavior. Procrastination Quiz Grab a pen and a piece of paper to jot down your responses for each statement and then score yourself at the bottom of the page.   1. You have a major deadline approaching and lots of work to finish. a. I usually find things to distract myself until the last minute and then finish just in time in a hair-raising frenzy.b. I work on things here and there  but still find myself rushing to finish at the last minute.c. I set a schedule, work a little each day, and actually end up finishing early. 2. How do you feel about deadlines? a. Whats a deadline? Seriously, I just tend to ignore them.b. They are annoying and I always feel like Im struggling to get things done in time.c. I enjoy them. They help me stay focused and on track. 3. Do you have a tough time getting started, particularly with things that you dont enjoy doing? a. Yes! I sometimes spend hours just planning to get started.b. Sometimes. Or I will start something and then stall out before I finish.c. Never. The soon I get started, the sooner Ill be done. 4. How do you react when something is difficult or if you are not sure how to do it? a. I usually just avoid doing it altogether.b. Ill put it off until the last minute.c. Ill do some research or ask for help and then get started. Id rather tackle the difficult projects right away. 5. What approach do you use for staying on track? a. I like to just wing it and I never make plans.b. I hate feeling constrained by schedules so I like to leave things open.c. I make to-do lists for each project and set deadlines for each step. 6. How often do you find yourself feeling stressed out because you waited until the last minute to finish a project? a. Almost every day. I feel like Im always behind on something.b. Sometimes, especially if Im dealing with a big project.c. Rarely. I try to stay on top of things because I hate dealing with last-minute stress and anxiety. 7. How often do you wait until the last moment to pay bills? a. All the time. Most of my payments are actually a couple of days late. Oops!b. Sometimes I forget and barely make my payments on time.c. Never. I carefully track all of my payments and utilize any automatic payment options that are available to help me stay on track. 8. Which motto sounds most like you?   a. Why do today what I can put off until tomorrowb. Its easier to keep up than to catch up.c. The best way to get something done is to begin. 9. How often do you think about improving your time management skills? a. Frequently, but it just seems like a lot of work.b. There are times I think I could probably do better.c. Rarely. Im a time management maven. 10. Whats your favorite way to waste time at work?   a. I think I spend more time playing online games, checking my email, and playing on Facebook than I spend working.b. Sometimes I wander into another cubicle to chat with a co-worker for a few minutes.c. I sometimes switch to working on other work-related tasks just so I can stay on top of things. Scoring Your Procrastination Quiz Results Mostly As: If you answered A on most of the questions, then you probably have a fairly serious problem with procrastination. Your habit of putting things off might be having a negative impact on multiple areas of your life, including your personal life, work, and social life. It may be a good idea to review a few tips that can help you stop procrastinating as much. Mostly Bs: If you answered B on most of the questions, then you probably dont have a terribly serious problem with procrastination. Sure, you might find yourself dawdling on certain things, but you have managed to avoid making a habit out of dithering. If you find that there are certain times of day or tasks that you procrastinate more often, explore some tips on overcoming those challenges. Mostly Cs: If you answered C on most of the questions, then you are not much of a procrastinator. You are good at organizing your time. You enjoy tackling projects and crossing them off of your to-do list. Keep this up and dont let procrastination become a bad habit in the future. A Word From Verywell We all procrastinate just a little bit and its not the end of the world and some people simply thrive on deadlines. It only tends to become a problem if it interferes with our work, social and home life, or if it leads to a dangerous situation. Keep this quiz in mind and do your best to avoid putting things off too long. You might notice a significant reduction in stress when you do.