Surfing the Web all night when you should be finishing an assignment that’s due … yesterday? You’re not alone. About 15 to 20 percent of the general population are procrastinators, with up to 90 percent of college students filling that bill. Now, a recent study reveals some causes of the foot-dragging phenomenon and what dooms New Year’s resolutions to failure. ‘Essentially, procrastinators have less confidence in themselves, less expectancy that they can actually complete a task,’ said lead researcher Piers Steel of the University of Calgary. Procrastination can do more than set your work or school record back a notch. The daily delay can also drain your wallet. A survey by H&R Block found that waiting until the last minute to file taxes costs people an average of $400 because of rushing-caused errors, which totaled $473 million in overpayments in 2002. Why dawdle? Steel analyzed more than 200 past studies on procrastination, dating back to the 1920s through 2006. He found a strong link between impulsiveness and the ‘I’ll-do-it-tomorrow’ phenomenon. The research is detailed in the January issue of the journal Psychological Bulletin. Impulsive people value today far more than tomorrow. ‘So they […]