There are many reasons why people procrastinate

A person won't make an appointment with an accountant to work on a tax problem until the deadline to pay is too close to refigure taxes, and thus has to pay more than he might really owe.

A person earns decent money but instead of saving to pay taxes and other bills, dribbles it away by eating most meals out, socializing in expensive bars, while letting bills pile up late fees and interest.

A manager involved in a team project procrastinates steps only he can do until all later steps can be accomplished only by crash program in order to meet press deadline. Sometimes requires overtime, increasing actual expenses of project. Always hurts other projects.

A person volunteers to drive Scouts on a grocery drive, then fails to show up but doesn't bother to tell anybody she won't. Part of the time available for gathering groceries is lost reorganizing for one less driver, meaning less food is collected for charity.

Why are some people chronic procrastinators? Does it have to do with bad parenting? -- P.G., Las Vegas

Procrastination is a broad phenomenon, and there's a variety of disparate motives, conscious and unconscious, driving the behavior.

Procrastination is rarely about laziness. It only appears lazy. Truthfully, I have met very few lazy people in my life, though I have met any number of people who adopt the strategy of laziness as a means of ego defense or putting off personal growth.

Some people procrastinate as a way to manage the fear of failure, or its close kin, the fear of being evaluated. This fear is axiomatic in narcissistic personalities.

Some people procrastinate as a way to manage the fear of success. Kid you not. Taking responsibility for your own brilliance is actually harder than taking responsibility for your own deficiencies.

Some people procrastinate as a way to manage fear of being alone. I encounter this in the "lonely" business of writing. See, talking to my friends about a terrific idea for a column isn't writing. Only writing is writing. And to do that (or any art form) well, you have to trudge alone, deep inside of yourself.

A noble journey, indeed; but first let me check my e-mail.

Then there is procrastination that isn't procrastination at all! It's more a personality. A learning preference. A creative style. The prototypical "nutty professor." Most highly creative, high IQ types are notorious for their ruthless unwillingness to pay attention to mundane detail. They are filled with every good intention when they say, "I'll call you right back," or, "I'll get the dry cleaning on my way home," or, "Tomorrow's your birthday, right?" But these folks, when they descend into their own creative process, regularly forget to shave, to eat, to sleep, let alone be faithful to mates, friends and family in the petty details and itineraries of modern living.

Not making excuses, and I'm doing better, but, if you work, live or love closely with me, you're gonna run into some of this. I once was loved by a woman whose terms of endearment for me included "my little Mensa geek."

Personality disorders (especially anti-socials) often are misinterpreted as procrastinating. But, trust me, it's not that intentional. Personality disorders just don't "do" bonds of social or interpersonal reciprocity. They aren't procrastinating; they have no felt sense of obligement whatsoever!

Classical procrastination (as a psychological problem) is a problem of self-regulation, and most likely "learned" in our family-of-origin. Harsh, controlling, authoritarian parents prevent children from exploring and "owning" their motives and from learning to act on those motives. Procrastination, then, can be an unconscious psychological defense. A rebellion of sorts. A passive-aggression that buttresses a sense of autonomy and control.

Until you get fired, anyway. Or until your wife leaves you.

It intrigues me, P.G., that, actually, only one of your four examples is a quid pro quo procrastination (the guy who won't resolve his tax problem). Oh, sure, the team project manager is procrastinating; but I would say the more central issue is his betrayal of team relationships. Then there's a guy who won't budget his money. And lastly a "volunteer" whose word in no way obliges his actions.

I'm tempted to rephrase your question. Something like, "What is it with people who chronically won't show up for their own lives, say what they mean, and live with integrity in their interpersonal, collegial and social relationships?"

Here's my prejudice: Whether in the workplace or in your social/familial circles, at some point the psychological inquiry becomes an exercise in naval-gazing. Most often the only thing that has a real chance of changing procrastinators is painful consequences.

We help these people the most by refusing to tolerate their entitled, often casual dismissal of everyday commitments and responsibilities. It's an issue of respect.

Originally published in View News, Oct. 20, 2009.