This is an excellent paper I wrote sometime last year
Procrastination: Why Do We Do It?

Procrastination is defined as the avoidance of a task that needs to be done. Procrastination can be found from small occurrences such as waiting to buy a birthday present the day before the party, to bigger instances, like barely making the deadline of an important project at work or school. No one particularly likes procrastinating, so why do we do it so often? The basis for procrastination usually lies in fear, disorganization or simply, boredom (University of Cambridge 1.). Procrastination is a serious problem and the only way it can be fought is by knowing what the source of it is and taking the necessary steps to prevent it.
Disorganization is one of the main sources of procrastination; however there are different types of disorganization. Absentmindedness can be a serious problem for some who think they can remember several issues with ease, because they feel that they have healthy memories, which may not be the case. Also, not being able to prioritize effectively can create a build up of work that can seem impossible to handle, thus enticing one to postpone the chore until a later time. Lastly, poor time management, which goes hand in hand with misprioritization, is probably the most common type of disorganization that leads to procrastination (Queck 1.). It is quite feasible for one to set deadlines and not meet the deadlines that are preset.
For some, boredom is the leading precondition to procrastination (Queck 1.). At times, people are forced to do tasks that simply do not interest them, which leads them to postpone the task to a later time, perhaps until they "feel like" doing it. The problem is, if there is no interest, they will never have the desire to get things done. People have a tendency to avoid things that do not hold their attention, and many do not have the self-discipline to do the work despite the lack of interest. Also, having hostility toward the person who assigned the task or toward the subject can cause one to lose interest in the project.
Perfectionism is not something most people would think of as a source of procrastination, but it is not uncommon. One may think that perfectionism may make a person more likely to do a certain task, do it well and on time, but this is not always so. The perfectionist's reason for procrastinating is usually fear of failure. The desire to constantly do things perfectly can cause one to set too high and sometimes unobtainable goals. Though the perfectionist has set these goals, she may have a fear of not being able to complete the task to her demanding standards and in turn, she does not complete or even initiate the task.
Knowing some of the sources of procrastination can prevent it from happening. If a person is disorganized in one way or another, she needs to develop better organizational skills; perhaps starting with an appointment book to write down what needs to be done and the steps needed to accomplish the task. Time needs to be scheduled to do what needs to be done and make sure all resources are at hand. If necessary, the tasks can be broken down into smaller, more manageable pieces and handled accordingly. Those who suffer from boredom simply must force themselves to do the task at hand just to get it done and move on to other tasks. Procrastination is not going to get the task done, and the longer one waits, the worse the person will feel about the task. Lastly, the perfectionist needs to understand that not everything can be done to the utmost perfection. Perfectionists must realize what they are capable of and set their standards and expectations to that, and not to unrealistic goals (University of Cambridge 1.). Perfection is usually unobtainable anyhow.
Procrastination, whether in the form of disorganization, boredom, or perfectionism, can be overcome. The first step is to observe one's actions and find out why she procrastinates. If she procrastinates because of disorganization, she must become organized. If the reason is boredom, she must simply push herself to do the task at hand. If perfectionism is the source of her procrastination, she must learn to set realistic goals that can be reasonably reached. The only way one can rise above procrastination is to realize the problem, acknowledge it, and change habits so that it will no longer control one's life.