Read the following passage carefully :
(1) Looking at his pile of unpaid bills always makes Ramesh feel uneasy.
More often than not, Ramesh leaves his paperwork undone and sweeps
the floor or watches TV instead, waiting until the last moment to write
the monthly cheques. Sometimes he incurs late fees because of his
habit of putting things off, but in many ways the emotional toll is
worse. ‘‘The longer the bills go unpaid,’’ says Ramesh, 58, ‘‘the more my
anxiety soars.’’
(2) Everyone procrastinates. ‘‘It’s part of the human condition,’’ says
Suresh Kumar, a psychology professor at Universal University. ‘‘One of
the ways we cope is avoidance, and that’s what procrastination comes
down to. We want to feel good at that moment. The way to do that is
avoid the task.’’
(3) You can procrastinate on nearly anything, even enjoyable tasks such as
planning a vacation. ‘‘Some people procrastinate cleaning. Some people
procrastinate by cleaning,’’ says Dr. B.V. Rao, a management professor.
Research has shown that the top tasks people delay are cleaning,
advancing their careers, taking care of their health, and planning their
finances.
(4) One big factor for them is fear of failure, of not living up to
expectations. Arti Singh, a 57-year-old functional health coach,
procrastinated about looking for a new job for years. That inability to
take action only confirmed her belief that she would never do any
better. Some people embrace procrastination, believing that they thrive
under pressure. But researchers have debunked that notion. ‘‘I did an
experiment several years ago, putting procrastinators under restriction
of time,’’ says John Brown, a psychology professor. ‘‘They did worse
than non-procrastinators, but they thought they did better. They made
more errors. They took longer.’’
(5) ‘‘Procrastinators experience higher levels of stress, both from leaving
things to the last minute and from their own negative and self-critical
feelings about their procrastination,’’ says Farah Ahmed, a psychology
lecturer. ‘‘Some of the research has shown that this stress increases
their vulnerability for catching colds and experiencing digestion issues,
insomnia, migraines, and muscle tension.’’
(6) Bedtime procrastination can lead to sleep deprivation, which in turn
can bring about obesity, heart disease and many other health issues.
There’s one bit of good news: People tend to procrastinate less as they
age.
(7) For those of us in need of motivation, the best advice might be to think
small. Next, try sending yourself signals to prompt action. For instance,
you might put your lights on a timed dimmer switch to encourage a
consistent bedtime. Finally, reward yourself for each step you take
towards your goal. After you’ve gone to the gym, take a relaxing bath.
After you’ve paid the bills, watch your favourite TV show.
Answer the following questions, based on the above passage :