According to author Piers Steel, about 95% of people admit to procrastinating, and 25% say it’s one of their chronic and defining characteristics.

As it relates to recruiting, most hiring managers jump into that 25% group when it’s time to make an uncomfortable call, write a personal email to a prospect, or do other proactive tasks necessary for recruiting success.

When discomfort is at its highest level, procrastination seems like a good idea.

Why?

According to researchers, it’s related to the underlying character trait of impulsiveness:

Showing self-control or delaying gratification is difficult for those who are impulsive.

They don’t have the ability to endure short-term pain for long-term gain.

Impulsiveness also determines how individuals respond to task anxiety.

For those who are less impulsive, anxiety is often an internal cue that gets us to start a project early.

But for those who are more impulsive, it’s a different story. Anxiety over a deadline will lead straight to procrastination.

If you find yourself suddenly morphing into being a procrastinator when it’s time to recruit, try moving upstream of the problem by addressing impulsiveness.

Unless the root cause of impulsiveness is addressed, the procrastination will continue.