Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I’m Sam.

And I'm Neil. Come on, Neil.

Let's make a start.

I've got a deadline to meet today and I haven't finished my work yet.

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.

What can I say? I work better when a deadline is approaching.

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.

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.

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?

I would guess that around ten percent of people have

a serious procrastination problem.

OK, Sam. We’ll find out the answer later in the programme.

Sam is not 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:

Would you say, Eshaan, that you're a procrastinator?

I am a serial procrastinator without a shadow of a doubt.

Why? Why do you think you procrastinate?

Over the years, I've told myself that I procrastinate

because I work better under pressure. That's what I've told myself.

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.

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.

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?!’