Procrastination in society is getting worse and scientists are finally getting around to figuring out how and why. Too many tempting diversions are to blame, but more on that later.

After 10 years of research on a project that was only supposed to take five years, a Canadian industrial psychologist found in a giant study that not only is procrastination on the rise, it makes people poorer, fatter and unhappier.

Psychologist William Knaus, who has written several self-help books on fighting procrastination since 1977’s “Overcoming Procrastination,” said he **found it harder to wean chronic procrastinators from the habit of delaying than to wean alcoholics from booze**. Knaus mentioned one businessman who spent 40 hours of delay time to avoid five minutes of work.

[Read](http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/01/12/procrastination_hum.html?category=human&guid=20070112094500&dcitc=w19-502-ak-0000 “Read the Story”) (AP via The Discovery Channel)