"Essentially, procrastinators have less confidence in themselves, less expectancy that they can actually complete a task," said lead researcher Piers Steel of the University of Calgary.

Steel analyzed more than 200 past studies on procrastination, dating back to the 1920s through 2006. He found a strong link between impulsiveness and the "I’ll-do-it-tomorrow" phenomenon. The research is detailed in the January issue of the journal Psychological Bulletin.

Impulsive people value today far more than tomorrow. "So they can’t feel motivated, deadlines don’t feel real, they have no energy until just before they happen," Steel said. These people have the best of intentions, aiming to get started right away, but they don't end up following through on their self-promises.

His analysis also turned on its head a widespread notion -- one reported in many self-help books -- that people put off work because they are perfectionists and fear they will never reach this perfection.

"In fact, perfectionists tend to procrastinate slightly less. They just worry about it more," Steel said. And perhaps they report it more. Perfectionists tend to feel guiltier about the delay so they complain and even seek clinical advice for it.

People who dislike their jobs or find themselves twiddling their thumbs due to boredom are more likely to put off tasks than those who are passionate about their jobs or schoolwork.

Other predictors of procrastination: high distractibility, lack of self-confidence and a low level of intrinsic motivation, or the drive to check things off the to-do list.

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