Handing in work late may bring hidden penalties, study suggests

Is there a job you are putting off finishing so you can read this story? If new research into procrastination is anything to go by, you had better get back to it.

- Hannah Devlin

Scientists studying the psychology of people who leave things to the last minute have found work submitted late tends to be judged more harshly than when a deadline is met.

The findings suggest that while it is tempting to take the maximum allotted time to put finishing touches to a report or piece of work, the extra effort may not be appreciated if it comes at the expense of punctual delivery. Work completed late is viewed as significantly lower quality than the same work delivered on time, the study has found.