Understanding and addressing procrastination: Implications for health and well-being

This is especially the case when avoiding unpleasant tasks becomes a habit. The first part of this talk will present evidence that highlights procrastination as harmful form of delay that confers risk and vulnerability for health-related outcomes, including mental health, health behaviours, sleep, stress and coping, and even chronic disease. The second part of the talk will then focus on the science behind why people procrastinate using evidence from observational, longitudinal, experimental, and brain imaging studies, which support a central role for emotions in procrastination. The talk will conclude with a discussion of potentially fruitful areas of investigation to further understand the role of emotions in procrastination, and for developing novel ways of reducing procrastination and its toll on health and well-being. 

Speaker Bio

Professor Fuschia Sirois is a social/health/personality psychologist interested in the factors that create risk or resilience for health and well-being. She has a particular interest in the how self-regulation (how we manage and direct our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours to reach our goals) can impact health and well-being and the factors and qualities that contour people’s capacities to self-regulate.