Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: In today’s fast-paced world, where efficiency and immediacy are highly valued, one central question remains largely overlooked: When and why does early and swift action become a burden? This study focuses on the phenomenon of precrastination—the urge to complete tasks as early as possible—and sheds light on its “dark side.” Building on a recently proposed three-dimensional model of precrastination, we empirically examined the associations between anxiety- and compulsion-driven precrastination, chronic stress, and compulsive personality characteristics. In an online sample of adults ( N = 200), anxiety-based precrastination was significantly associated with chronic stress, while compulsion-based precrastination correlated significantly with compulsive personality traits. Both subscales predicted their respective psychological correlates. These findings offer the first differentiated evidence that precrastination is not merely a sign of productivity but may also reflect maladaptive coping mechanisms. This opens a new perspective on a widely overlooked everyday behavior—and on the psychological costs that may come with acting too soon.
Source: Frontiers in Psychology
Institution: Helmut Schmidt University
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W4416944886