Procrastination is often misunderstood. Many of us chalk it up to laziness, see it as a modern phenomenon and think it simply can’t be overcome.
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Life Kit
The reasons you procrastinate — and how to finally stop
The reasons you procrastinate — and how to finally stop
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But those things aren’t true, says Itamar Shatz, author of a book published in August, . People have been struggling with getting things done throughout history (Mozart was a serial procrastinator). We also tend to push things off for a variety of reasons, like being a perfectionist.
And procrastination is certainly something you can conquer, Shatz argues in his book. The key, he says, is to stop thinking you simply have to work harder. Instead, change your approach. “The really important thing is to figure out what is going to motivate you.”
Take this quiz, based on Life Kit’s interview with Shatz, a social science lecturer at Cambridge University, and his book, , to see how much you know. You may learn a tool or two on how to overcome procrastination along the way.
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The quiz: How much do you know about procrastination?
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