The science of procrastination:

Why ‘getting it done’ could improve wellbeing

Nine in ten UK adults aged 16-75 surveyeddelay doing at least 1 or more tasks or ‘life updates’¹ despite the fact 67% feel positive² after completing them
New #LifeUpdates campaign is warning that putting off installing the latest software and app updates can result in becoming a victim of cyber crime
Anglia Ruskin psychologist reveals why we are guilty of procrastinating and how we can get better

New research from Anglia Ruskin University, in partnership with the government’s Cyber Aware campaign, has revealed that nearly nine in ten (89%) respondents delay doing one or more ‘life updates’¹. This is despite the fact that overcoming the urge to procrastinate and getting on with our to-do lists could improve our wellbeing, while delaying them could be putting us at risk of serious consequences, such as cyber crime.

The most neglected life updates are changing service providers for our insurance, electricity or bank (48%), going to the dentist for a regular check-up (47%) and installing the latest software and app updates as soon as they become available (47%).

Top 10 list of life updates the public who were questioned delay:

Changing service providers for our insurance electricity or bank (48%)
Going to the dentist for a regular check-up (47%)
Installing the latest software and app updates (47%)
Doing the washing up (46%)
Returning items purchased from a shop or online which you no longer want (40%)
Making the bed (35%)
Servicing the car (27%)
Changing batteries in the fire alarm (25%)
Returning something borrowed (24%)
Doing a tax return (22%)

Many of us start with the best intentions – when asked why we tend to put off these tasks 31% of those of us who delay at least one task³ said they meant to do it but then got distracted. And once we start putting things off, it can be hard to stop – with the majority (58%) of respondents admitting they put at least one task off ‘for as long as possible’ despite the fact that many of the top ten tasks we put off could potentially lead to financial loss in the short or long term. And despite their focus on ‘living their best life’ millennials were most likely to put tasks off, with 96% of 18-25 year olds delaying at least one or more tasks, compared to 84% of 45-75 year olds.

Dr Lewis Goodings, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University explains the science behind why we procrastinate: “So why are we all so guilty of procrastinating? It’s partly because we are lured into a sense of comfort when we delay a task and no immediate negative consequences occur. However, if we delay when it comes to cyber security then negative consequences – such as a hacker accessing your device – can happen and you may not be aware of them until it’s too late and you’ve already become a victim of cyber crime.”

“Luckily if you do have a tendency to procrastinate then there are simple things you can do to make life easier for yourself like checking that software or app auto updates are turned on. And just getting on with it may even make you feel better about yourself – we have a term in social psychology called ‘self-mastery’ which boils down to people feeling better when they complete something. Start with an easy life update to make you feel positive straight away and encourage you to work through your list – installing the latest software and app updates is really simple – and then you can relax while the hard work is done for you. We know cyber security is something people worry about so ticking this off will make you feel better and gives you the comfort of knowing you are making yourself more secure online.”

According to Cyber Aware, by not installing software and app updates as soon as they become available, we miss out on vital security updates which are designed to fix weaknesses in software and apps which could be used by hackers to attack your device and steal your identity. This can lead to lost time and potentially lost money.

Sarah Lyons, Deputy Director Engagement – Economy and Society, at the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) explains that: “Installing the latest software and app updates is an essential ‘life update’ that helps you protect yourself online. Software updates are designed to fix weaknesses in software and apps, helping secure your device against attacks from hackers. All you have to do is check that auto-updates are turned on and turn them on if they’re not. Updates don’t have to get in the way – you can set them to run overnight, when you’re not using your phone.”

To help us protect our private and personal information from being exposed to hackers, Cyber Aware has released the following tips:

Always install the latest software and app updates as soon as they become available
Use a strong, separate password for your email
Activate two step authentication on your email
Consider using password managers.
Secure your tablet or smartphone with a screen-lock
Always back-up your most important data
Don’t use public WiFi to transfer financial information
Avoid clicking on suspicious links

For more information you can visit the following websites:

Footnotes

¹Respondents answered from a list of 13 tasks including:

Changing service providers for our insurance electricity or bank
Going to the dentist for a regular check-up
Installing the latest software and app updates
Doing the washing up
Returning items purchased from a shop which you no longer want
Returning items purchased online which you no longer want
Making the bed
Servicing the car
Changing batteries in the fire alarm
Returning something borrowed
Doing a tax return
Paying off a monthly credit card bill
Paying off rent or mortgage repayments

²Respondents answered from a list of emotions. 67% said they experienced at least one of the following emotions when completing the sorts of tasks covered in the survey: relieved, accomplished, satisfied, calm, happy or productive, and no negative emotions

³1,993 delayed at least one task