Discovery Health Tools

Procrastination Test

15 questions, 8-15 min

  1. Which of the following statements best describes your attitude to deadlines?
      I like having a good time reserve in case something goes wrong.
      I like to get a little bit of the deadline fever but I still need to have a solid time reserve.
      I work best having a deadline in the near future.
      I have the utmost disrespect for deadlines, so I barely finish anything on time.
      I love the feeling of racing against the clock to see if I can meet the deadline.

  2. You have a 10-page paper or report due in a month. When do you start working on it?
      Immediately-better allow the full month for unforeseen complications
      Three weeks before it is due
      Two weeks before it is due
      One week before it is due
      Several days before it is due
      The night before it is due
      I don't do it at all

  3. When I'm at work (or studying), I ____________ find myself daydreaming.
      often
      sometimes
      rarely
      never

  4. Typically, I pay my bills:
      as soon as they arrive.
      sometime between their arrival and the deadline.
      just before the deadline.
      several days after the deadline.
      after the first reminder.
      after repeated reminders.
      when they threaten to discontinue service.
      after the service has been discontinued due to payment delinquency.
      when they send me a warning notice that they are passing it to collection agency.
      I never pay my bills.

  5. It is Wednesday and the deadline for a rather important assignment is Friday. You are not in the zone at all. How do you deal?
      I figure that I'm just not going to get in the groove, might as well not fight it and try again tomorrow when I will surely be better equipped.
      I shift my schedule around and do something that was on tomorrow's schedule today-then do today's work tomorrow.
      I take some time to walk around, do something else, then get back to the task at hand.
      I force myself over the hump and do what I have to do.
      I vow to work for a given time period, promising myself that in, say 1 hour, I won't have to work anymore.
      I wait until I find myself in the mood, or "in the zone".
      I easily get myself into the mood, or "in the zone", and get working.
      I spend a good amount of time on preparations-getting motivated, planning, making lists, developing a strategy, sharpening pencils etc.
      I opt for a state of denial and hope it will go away.
      I break it up into smaller steps and start working.
      I postpone it until I have no choice and then do whatever I can.

  6. When I have something pressing to do that isn't really appealing (cleaning my room, organizing CD's, doing my taxes), I typically:
      find another worthy cause, such as napping or snacking.
      start working on something else.
      start working on that particular task.
      start working on it but drag it out with other distractions (phone calls, making trips to the bathroom, preparing refreshments, etc).

  7. You are in a live-in relationship that isn't working out. You are really quite unhappy, even though your partner is quite in love with you. After long deliberations, you decide that it is necessary to end the relationship, and there is nothing that could change your mind. What do you do?
      I pull him/her aside as soon as I've made the decision and spell it out.
      I think about it for a week before breaking up.
      I think about it for a month before breaking up.
      I think about it for a year before breaking up.
      I write an e-mail/leave a message on his/her answering machine.
      I don't make the break-up, but just wait for it to fall apart in other ways.

  8. I rarely push myself to do the best I can do-I would rather just "get by".
      Mostly True
      Mostly False

  9. A professor or superior at work accuses you of not putting enough effort into a project. You are really steamed about the way in which s/he attacked you, especially since it was in front of three other people! There was nothing constructive about his/her criticism. The next time that professor or boss gives you an assignment, how do you react?
      I do the assignment in plenty of time-I want results for personal gain.
      I have some trouble getting going-but in just enough time, figure that it is in my own best interest to complete the assignment.
      I secretly resolve not to work for this person until the deadline is on top of me-then scramble to get it done at the last minute.
      I absolutely refuse to give this person the satisfaction of my work and don't complete the assignment.

  10. When you set out to complete something, do you have a clear idea of how long the task will take?
      Most of the time
      Often
      Sometimes
      Rarely
      Almost never

  11. When I have several things to do:
      I usually start with the least painful.
      I usually start with the most painful.
      I usually do something else unrelated.
      I usually don't do any of it.
      I construct a plan and start right away.
      I spend so much time planning, that it takes me a long while to get started.

  12. It's springtime and you're finally able to bare your shoulders to the hot sun. One day you notice a mole on your shoulder that seems to have transformed a bit since last summer. You aren't quite sure, but it seems different somehow. You remember hearing warnings about these types of things and you think to yourself that you should really see your doctor. What do you do?
      I go immediately to a walk-in clinic.
      I call my doctor that afternoon for the next available appointment.
      I call my doctor the next day.
      I call my doctor within several days.
      I call my doctor in a week or two.
      I call my doctor at the end of summer when my social schedule has lightened up a bit.
      I let it slide and never call.

  13. How do you keep your living quarters clean?
      I clean up after myself as I go.
      I let things lie around for a couple of days then I put them away (or hire someone to do it).
      I let things build up and clean once a week (or hire someone to do it).
      I let things build up until I can't stand it anymore, then I clean (or hire someone to do it).
      I clean (or hire someone to do it) only when someone is coming over.
      I clean only when someone makes me.
      I never clean.

  14. You are over at a friend's house when you spot a magazine featuring psychological tests and quizzes. You are dying to learn about yourself, but it is an older issue and the magazine is no longer available. Your friend offers to lend it to you, but makes it clear that s/he would like it back. You bring it home and take all the quizzes or make photocopies of them. When do you return the magazine?
      The next time I see her
      I arrange to return it to her immediately.
      I return it after I see her a couple of times (without any reminders).
      I return it to her after she reminds me once.
      I return it to her after she reminds me several times.
      I never return it.

  15. You've just spent a week of celebrating with your family. Every night you ate elaborate meals and every morning you ate pastries and muffins. It was a delightful and delicious affair, but you've gained a few extra pounds. You would really like to shave them off, since you aren't feeling terribly agile. All that fabulous food is weighing heavy on your energy levels. What do you do?
      I consume fewer calories each day.
      I start an exercise program.
      I start an exercise program and cut back on my calories.
      I seek out some weight loss miracle pack.
      I start popping diet pills like they're candy.
      I make elaborate plans to exercise and cut back on calories, but never actually do it.
      I start exercising vigorously for a limited time, then stop before I lose the weight.
      I exercise enough as it is; I'll lose the weight in a reasonable amount of time.
      Nothing-- I never mind a few extra pounds!
      Nothing-I just hope the weight will lose itself.

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