We all put off things we have to do... it is human nature. But imagine doing a Ph.D. to come up with a formula for calculating what we will put off and for how long? Now a Canadian university has produced the definitive study of procrastination.

Piers Steel a psychologist at the University of Calgary, has drawn up an equation to explain why and how long we put off tasks. The answer is yes..... U=ExV/IxD!

The desire to compete the task (U) is equal to the expectation of success (E) multiplied by the value of completion (V), divided by the immediacy of task (I) times the personal sensitivity of delay (D); thus, U=ExV/IxD.

Procrastination is getting worse in today’s “motivationally toxic” workplace, says Steel, which means there are far too many distractions such as eBay, YouTube, the coffee machine, Rant-here and so on.

So now you have it. Just plug in the numbers for the formula U=ExV/IxD and calculate how long you will put things off... while you are at it, calculate how long you will put off calculating....