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.