A fifth of us are guilty of regularly procrastinating, but researchers say the type of procrastinator we are can reveal something deeper about us. Are you a dreamer or rebel? Hedonist or thrill-seeker? According to Dr Itamar Shatz, a lecturer at Cambridge University publishing a book on the subject this week, people can be any of nine types, sometimes simultaneously.

Dreamers fantasise about the future too much, while rebels feel a lack of control and procrastinate in protest. Hedonists care too much about immediate pleasure, thrill-seekers enjoy a deadline at their own peril, and zigzaggers switch too often between tasks. The other types include worriers, pessimists, perfectionists, and burnouts who are tired from working too hard.

Workplace psychologist Ian MacRae, from the British Psychological Society, says labels are fine as long as people understand these are not permanent character traits. He recommends thinking in terms of "acting like a perfectionist today" rather than "I am a perfectionist." Prof Fuschia Sirois, a renowned expert at Durham University, rejects categories entirely, saying the main reason for procrastinating is usually the same: to dodge bad feelings. "We are not procrastinating the task, we are avoiding the unpleasant emotions associated with it," she explains.

Brain activity studies show procrastinators have differences in emotion regulation areas. "As soon as we sense a threat the amygdala gets activated, and that threat-sensor is faster than the response time to the rational part of our brain," Sirois says. The first step is to recognise and name the bad emotion, then seek its source - whether from perfectionism, self-criticism, or anticipating difficulty. Techniques like breathing and mindfulness can help shut down the anxious cycle. Strategies include managing guilt, being kinder to yourself, getting rid of distractions, and unpacking overwhelming tasks into manageable steps.

But MacRae says procrastinating can sometimes be a good thing - some problems solve themselves. For onerous must-do tasks, the biggest hurdle is usually just getting started. Focus on taking action instead of searching for motivation. "The momentum of starting and continuing may be what you need," he adds.