Katie Couric's Notebook: Do It Later

By: Katie Couric
Topics: Katie's Notebook

Video:
Notebook: Procrastination

Hi, everyone.

If you're a champion procrastinator like I am, we have a lot of company.

A Canadian psychologist reports procrastination is on the rise. At least twenty five percent of the American public now consider themselves chronic procrastinators...a five hundred percent jump from thirty years ago. Men do it more than women; the young more than the old.

According to this new study, email, the Internet, and video games are distractions that add up to first class time wasters. And procrastination not only makes us less productive. The added stress can actually make us unhealthy, and unhappy.

Procrastination can also cost you -- literally. Doing your shopping--or your taxes--at the last minute often means paying more.

And while some people--journalists, for example--thrive under pressure, all of us could probably do more, and feel better, if we didn't wait until the last minute.

Advice I plan to take. But not until I absolutely have to.

That's a page from my notebook.

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by jcorbin1958 January 18, 2007 1:44 PM EST: Don't you dare quit!
You are doing a great job at CBS.
If you don't like Katie turn the channel.
Duh! Is that to hard for you?; Reply to this comment


by soblotu January 17, 2007 8:31 PM EST: Katie,

I agree!

Don't procrastinate any longer - quit your job now before they fire you!

News Flash: Katie Couric is irrelevant and just another pitchman for the Democratic party.; Reply to this comment


by vz_novak January 17, 2007 4:25 PM EST: Procrastination is one of my bad habits as well. For years I've just been passing school with Ds for not doing my homework. Only recently, however, I decided it would be much more beneficial to not just my self-confidence, but also my chances of getting into a good college, if I decided to give up procrastinating and just chilling out all the time and devote my time to my studies. I've felt great ever since, and all the time I'm thinking "Why didn't I do this before?!". And as I'm seriously looking into a career in journalism, I'm glad I took that step.; Reply to this comment


by petersemkiw January 17, 2007 4:11 AM EST: Dear Katie, Have you heard the really BIG NEWS?!!After years and years and years of putting it off, the Procrastinating Post Office has finally decided to issue a commemorative stamp celebrating the thirty year anniversary of ...none other ,but... Your sweet and delicious ... HERSHEY KISSES!! Congratulations to you and Hershey Kisses!!And the Procrastinating Post Office!! And after watching your report on herbs,and getting all your viewers educated about the possible dubious efficacy and possible dangerous side effects of herbs, I would also advise you, Katie, and your viewers, to stop using any herbs and just stick with jellybeans and Hershey Kisses, and other kinds, as well. They're really much safer, efficacious, and a lot more fun as well!And don't procrastinate!-; Reply to this comment


by ahpook-2009 January 16, 2007 10:53 PM EST: You host a nightly news show but when you take 30 seconds out of this broadcast to tell the story of one of our citizens who has been killed in the war in Iraq, you are not offering "news".

If you really want to honor our heroes, CBS, then take an hour out of your weekly programming schedule and tell the stories of a wide range of soldiers who have been killed or maimed in Iraq. Tell the stories of soldiers who have families that support the war and who think their loved ones died a noble death. Tell the stores of soldiers who have families that are against the war and who think their loved ones died in vain. I wouldn't want you to be partisan or even expect you to offer an opinion on what you think of the war. Instead, just let the stories speak for themselves.

Let the stories speak for themselves, CBS...and ABC and NBC and FOX and any other network that will choose to speak to us in detail instead of pander to us in miniscule. And then let the viewers decide for themselves. Maybe we will all learn something in the process, one way or the other. If you do that, then I'll honor not only the soldiers but I'll also honor you and I'll thank you for taking at least some small step that might help us all get out of this nightmare that we are in.; Reply to this comment


by azobel2 January 16, 2007 10:43 PM EST: Hi,Katie...just wanted to let you know I enjoyed
your story on singles tonight, and I didn't want to procrastinate in letting you know. I'm a new user so forgive me if this isn't the proper place to laud the piece. In any event, wanted to let you know I wrote the book on being single...It's a Workman book entitled THE JOY OF BEING SINGLE,and it has hysterical illustrations by Roz Chast. I think you and your viewers would get a big kick out of it. So I'm sending you a copy. So be on the lookout for it...or your single assistants might swipe it. Keep up the great shows. Yours truly....Allia Zobel, author of THE JOY OF BEING SINGLE.; Reply to this comment