Types of Procrastinators - Tense-Afraid Procrastinators

Procrastinators can actually be divided into two separate groups based on the underlying feelings that an individual has or the underlying feelings that the individual is attempting to avoid when a particular factor causes the individual to procrastinate. These two groups are often referred to as relaxed procrastinators and tense-afraid procrastinators. Tense-afraid procrastinators are individuals that avoid a particular task because they cannot handle the stress of the situation. This does not necessarily mean that they avoid the task because they are attempting to avoid the stress, but rather that the individual is so concerned about the specific task that he or she needs to complete that the individual cannot complete the task. For example, if an individual has waited until the last minute to write a 15-page paper and the individual is so upset and worried that he or she will not be able to complete the paper in time that the individual is pacing around the room, making frequent trips to the bathroom, or taking frequent breaks to try to relax, the individual is a tense-afraid procrastinator.

Tense-afraid procrastinators will often avoid a particular task for a variety of reasons, including that the task is too confusing, the individual is having difficulty identifying which tasks are most important, the individual is afraid that he or she will fail to complete the task appropriately, or the individual is attempting to meet unrealistic expectations. Individuals that procrastinate because they are "stressed out" will usually try to find ways to relax and relieve stress only to realize that everything they do to relax is only adding to their stress. This is because the individual realizes that he or she is wasting time and as the individual runs out of time, he or she will feel guilty and ultimately more anxious about the entire task. The most important thing to keep in mind is that tense-afraid procrastinators avoid tasks because they are overwhelmed by the situation and become depressed or anxious from the excessive stress.