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6 Minute English
Intermediate level
Why do we procrastinate?
Episode 230216 / 16 Feb 2023
Why do we doomscroll?
Exercise for the lazy
Can AI have a mind of its own?
Introduction
Why do people procrastinate? We’ll hear from a comedian who likes to leave their work until the last minute, and as usual, we’ll be learning some new vocabulary as well.
This week's question
According to recent research by DePaul University in Chicago, what percentage of people procrastinate so much that it interferes with their day-to-day life?
a) 10 percent
b) 20 percent
c) 30 percent
Listen to the programme to find out the answer.
Vocabulary
procrastination delaying doing things that must be done until later, often because they are boring, difficult or unpleasant
without a shadow of a doubt used to emphasise that you are completely certain of something
under pressure feeling stressed or anxious because of having too much to do
impulsive acting suddenly and instinctively, without thinking about the consequences of your actions
gratification feeling of pleasure and satisfaction
oodles of (something) a very large amount of something pleasant
TRANSCRIPT
Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.
Sam Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I’m Sam.
Neil And I’m Neil.
Sam Come on, Neil, let’s make a start! I’ve got a deadline to meet today, and I haven’t finished my work yet!
Neil Let me guess, it’s because you delayed, and delayed, and put your work off until the last minute - as usual! You’re a real procrastinator, Sam – someone who keeps delaying things that need to be done.
Sam What can I say? I work better when a deadline is approaching.
Neil I see, but did you know that that people who procrastinate have higher levels of stress and lower wellbeing? Procrastination is also linked with lower financial and career success, so there's a lot of reasons not to do it.
Sam In this programme, we’re discussing procrastination – the act of delaying things that must be done until later, often because they’re difficult, boring or unpleasant. And, as usual, we’ll be learning some new vocabulary along the way.
Neil So, without wasting any more time, I have a question for you, Sam. The fact that procrastinating, or putting things off, is bad for us doesn’t stop people doing it. According to recent research by DePaul University in Chicago, what percentage of people procrastinate so much that it interferes with their day-to-day life? Is it:
a) 10 percent?
b) 20 percent? or,
c) 30 percent?
Sam I’ll guess that around 10 percent of people have a serious procrastination problem.
Neil OK, Sam. We’ll find out the answer later in the programme. Sam is certainly not alone in putting things off until the last minute. Here’s Ella al-Shamahi, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s, Why Do We Do That? talking to the comedian, Eshaan Akbar, about his procrastination habit:
Ella al-Shamahi Would you say, Eshaan, that you're a procrastinator?
Eshaan Akbar I am a serial procrastinator without a shadow of a doubt.
Ella al-Shamahi Why? Why do you think you procrastinate?
Eshaan Akbar Over the years, I've told myself that I procrastinate because I work better under pressure. That's what I've told myself.
Sam Eshaan thinks that he is a procrastinator without a shadow of a doubt , a phrase which is used to emphasise that you are completely certain of something.
Neil Eshaan also says that, like Sam, he works better under pressure , when he feels stressed or anxious because of having too much to do. But maybe, also like Sam, Eshaan has a problem organising his workload and managing his time.
Sam Hang on, Neil, my time management skills are OK, thank you! With me, it’s more of an emotional response – I see a mountain of work, feel threatened, and think, ‘how on earth will I finish all that?!’
Neil What Sam says is supported by a theory of human evolution which explains how putting things off is an emotional response. Back when we were living in caves, life was dangerous and short, and our ancestors were impulsive – they acted suddenly, on instinct, without thinking about the consequences of what they were doing. Back then, being impulsive was a good thing, but in modern life, with work goals and deadlines, when we are impulsive and get distracted, we procrastinate. So rather than being a problem with time management, Sam should blame her caveman ancestors who acted on impulse.
Sam Hmm... Let’s listen again to comedian Eshaan Akbar talking how he feels when he procrastinates:
Eshaan Akbar A lot of stuff you read about procrastination focuses on the time management element of it… I probably got a better sense that for me it seems very squarely around the emotional aspect of it. Perhaps I get more emotional gratification from doing it last minute. And, I need to understand why I prefer that over the calm serenity of getting things done with oodles of time on my hands.
Neil In the same way that our ancestors felt good living on impulse, Eshaan thinks he gets gratification -a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction – from doing things at the last minute. What he doesn’t understand is why he prefers to work under pressure, instead of finishing calmly with oodles ,or lots of,time.
Sam Unlike Eshaan, I’d rather finish my work feeling relaxed, but there never seems to be enough time.
Neil Well, breaking down the task into smaller stages also breaks down the level of threat you feel from your workload. Also, forgiving yourself for procrastinating in the past seems helpful in avoiding procrastinating in the future. So, forgive yourself and start making changes, Sam, before you end up like the timewasters in my question: what percentage of people procrastinate so much that it interferes with day-to-day life.
Sam Well, I guessed it was 10 percent.
Neil Which was… the wrong answer, I’m afraid. In fact around 20 percent of us have a procrastination habit so strong it makes life difficult. Okay, let’s recap the vocabulary we’ve learned from this programme on procrastination – delaying, or putting off, doing things until later, often because they’re difficult, unpleasant or boring.
Sam The phrase without a shadow of a doubt is used to emphasise that you are completely certain of something.
Neil If you’re under pressure , you feel stressed or anxious because of having too much to do.
Sam Impulsive behaviour is sudden and spontaneous, done without thinking about the consequences.
Neil Gratification means a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction.
Sam And finally, when you have oodles of something, you have a lot of a very large amount of something pleasant…. like time, which once again we’ve run out of. I’m rushing off to finish my work, Neil, but remember to make time to join us again soon, here at 6 Minute English. Bye for now!
Neil Bye!
Latest 6 Minute English
Crowds Episode 230323 / 23 Mar 2023 We discuss the role of crowds in modern life
Food and mood Episode 230316 / 16 Mar 2023 We look at the link between what you eat and how you feel.
How to talk to a climate denier Episode 230309 / 09 Mar 2023 The dos and don'ts of trying to discuss science with someone who doesn't believe in it
Losing your mother tongue Episode 230302 / 02 Mar 2023 Hear the story of a woman who replaced her native Czech for English.
The health benefits of apples Episode 230223 / 23 Feb 2023 Could 'an apple a day keep the doctor away'?
Why do we procrastinate? Episode 230216 / 16 Feb 2023 Do you leave your work until the last minute?
Doomscrolling: Why do we do it? Episode 230209 / 27 Jan 2023 What is doomscrolling and why are we attracted to bad news? Listen to find out!
Exercise for the lazy Episode 230202 / 22 Jan 2023 What's the least amount of exercise you should do to stay healthy?
Can AI have a mind of its own? Episode 230126 / 26 Jan 2023 Hear about the software engineer who became 'friends' with his computer
Climate change: Are there too many people? Episode 230119 / 13 Jan 2023 Does the size of your carbon footprint depend on where in the world you were born? Listen to find out!
The hidden life of buffets Episode 230112 / 12 Jan 2023 Neil and Sam discuss buffet meals and the history behind them.
Songwriting Episode 230105 / 05 Jan 2023 Writing a memorable song isn't easy. So is there an art to good songwriting?
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We’ll hear from a comedian who likes to leave their work until the last minute, and as usual, we’ll be learning some new vocabulary as well. This week's question. According to recent research by DePaul University in Chicago, what percentage of people procrastinate so much that it interferes with their day-to-day life? a) 10 percent. b) 20 percent. c) 30 percent. Listen to the programme to find out the answer. Vocabulary. procrastination delaying doing things that must be done until later, often because they are boring, difficult or unpleasant. without a shadow of a doubt used to emphasise that you are completely certain of something. under pressure feeling stressed or anxious because of having too much to do. impulsive acting suddenly and instinctively, without thinking about the consequences of your actions. gratification feeling of pleasure and satisfaction. oodles of (something) a very large amount of something pleasant. TRANSCRIPT. Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript. Sam Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I’m Sam. Neil And I’m Neil. Sam Come on, Neil, let’s make a start! I’ve got a deadline to meet today, and I haven’t finished my work yet! Neil Let me guess, it’s because you delayed, and delayed, and put your work off until the last minute - as usual! You’re a real procrastinator, Sam – someone who keeps delaying things that need to be done. Sam What can I say? I work better when a deadline is approaching. Neil I see, but did you know that that people who procrastinate have higher levels of stress and lower wellbeing? Procrastination is also linked with lower financial and career success, so there's a lot of reasons not to do it. Sam In this programme, we’re discussing procrastination – the act of delaying things that must be done until later, often because they’re difficult, boring or unpleasant. And, as usual, we’ll be learning some new vocabulary along the way. Neil So, without wasting any more time, I have a question for you, Sam. The fact that procrastinating, or putting things off, is bad for us doesn’t stop people doing it. According to recent research by DePaul University in Chicago, what percentage of people procrastinate so much that it interferes with their day-to-day life? Is it: a) 10 percent? b) 20 percent? or, c) 30 percent? Sam I’ll guess that around 10 percent of people have a serious procrastination problem. Neil OK, Sam. We’ll find out the answer later in the programme. Sam is certainly not alone in putting things off until the last minute. Here’s Ella al-Shamahi, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s, Why Do We Do That? talking to the comedian, Eshaan Akbar, about his procrastination habit: Ella al-Shamahi Would you say, Eshaan, that you're a procrastinator? Eshaan Akbar I am a serial procrastinator without a shadow of a doubt. Ella al-Shamahi Why? Why do you think you procrastinate? Eshaan Akbar Over the years, I've told myself that I procrastinate because I work better under pressure. That's what I've told myself. Sam Eshaan thinks that he is a procrastinator without a shadow of a doubt , a phrase which is used to emphasise that you are completely certain of something. Neil Eshaan also says that, like Sam, he works better under pressure , when he feels stressed or anxious because of having too much to do. But maybe, also like Sam, Eshaan has a problem organising his workload and managing his time. Sam Hang on, Neil, my time management skills are OK, thank you! With me, it’s more of an emotional response – I see a mountain of work, feel threatened, and think, ‘how on earth will I finish all that?!’ Neil What Sam says is supported by a theory of human evolution which explains how putting things off is an emotional response. Back when we were living in caves, life was dangerous and short, and our ancestors were impulsive – they acted suddenly, on instinct, without thinking about the consequences of what they were doing. Back then, being impulsive was a good thing, but in modern life, with work goals and deadlines, when we are impulsive and get distracted, we procrastinate. So rather than being a problem with time management, Sam should blame her caveman ancestors who acted on impulse. Sam Hmm... Let’s listen again to comedian Eshaan Akbar talking how he feels when he procrastinates: Eshaan Akbar A lot of stuff you read about procrastination focuses on the time management element of it… I probably got a better sense that for me it seems very squarely around the emotional aspect of it. Perhaps I get more emotional gratification from doing it last minute. And, I need to understand why I prefer that over the calm serenity of getting things done with oodles of time on my hands. Neil In the same way that our ancestors felt good living on impulse, Eshaan thinks he gets gratification -a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction – from doing things at the last minute. What he doesn’t understand is why he prefers to work under pressure, instead of finishing calmly with oodles ,or lots of,time. Sam Unlike Eshaan, I’d rather finish my work feeling relaxed, but there never seems to be enough time. Neil Well, breaking down the task into smaller stages also breaks down the level of threat you feel from your workload. Also, forgiving yourself for procrastinating in the past seems helpful in avoiding procrastinating in the future. So, forgive yourself and start making changes, Sam, before you end up like the timewasters in my question: what percentage of people procrastinate so much that it interferes with day-to-day life. Sam Well, I guessed it was 10 percent. Neil Which was… the wrong answer, I’m afraid. In fact around 20 percent of us have a procrastination habit so strong it makes life difficult. Okay, let’s recap the vocabulary we’ve learned from this programme on procrastination – delaying, or putting off, doing things until later, often because they’re difficult, unpleasant or boring. Sam The phrase without a shadow of a doubt is used to emphasise that you are completely certain of something. Neil If you’re under pressure , you feel stressed or anxious because of having too much to do. Sam Impulsive behaviour is sudden and spontaneous, done without thinking about the consequences. Neil Gratification means a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction. Sam And finally, when you have oodles of something, you have a lot of a very large amount of something pleasant…. like time, which once again we’ve run out of. I’m rushing off to finish my work, Neil, but remember to make time to join us again soon, here at 6 Minute English. Bye for now! Neil Bye! Latest 6 Minute English. Crowds Episode 230323 / 23 Mar 2023 We discuss the role of crowds in modern life. Food and mood Episode 230316 / 16 Mar 2023 We look at the link between what you eat and how you feel. How to talk to a climate denier Episode 230309 / 09 Mar 2023 The dos and don'ts of trying to discuss science with someone who doesn't believe in it. Losing your mother tongue Episode 230302 / 02 Mar 2023 Hear the story of a woman who replaced her native Czech for English. The health benefits of apples Episode 230223 / 23 Feb 2023 Could 'an apple a day keep the doctor away'? Why do we procrastinate? Episode 230216 / 16 Feb 2023 Do you leave your work until the last minute? Doomscrolling: Why do we do it? Episode 230209 / 27 Jan 2023 What is doomscrolling and why are we attracted to bad news? Listen to find out! Exercise for the lazy Episode 230202 / 22 Jan 2023 What's the least amount of exercise you should do to stay healthy? Can AI have a mind of its own? Episode 230126 / 26 Jan 2023 Hear about the software engineer who became 'friends' with his computer. Climate change: Are there too many people? Episode 230119 / 13 Jan 2023 Does the size of your carbon footprint depend on where in the world you were born? Listen to find out! The hidden life of buffets Episode 230112 / 12 Jan 2023 Neil and Sam discuss buffet meals and the history behind them. Songwriting Episode 230105 / 05 Jan 2023 Writing a memorable song isn't easy. So is there an art to good songwriting? View all 6 Minute English. Takeaways. Download PDF. Download Audio. Podcast. 6 Minute English. About. About BBC Learning English. Courses. Course site maps. Learning FAQ. Contact BBC Learning English. Social. TikTok. YouTube. Instagram. Twitter. Facebook. Social media house rules. Back to top. Explore the BBC. Home. News. Sport. Weather. iPlayer. Sounds. Bitesize. CBeebies. CBBC. Food. Home. News. Sport. Reel. Worklife. Travel. Future. Culture. TV. Weather. Sounds. Terms of Use. About the BBC. Privacy Policy. Cookies. Accessibility Help. Parental Guidance. Contact the BBC. Make an editorial complaint. BBC emails for you. Advertise with us. AdChoices / Do Not Sell My Info. Read about our approach to external linking.