If a person managed to finish his work--whether it was research, teaching, or service--on time and in the correct format, he would have a huge competitive advantage over many of his peers. Procrastination is not always bad: Sometimes the work one puts off doing is better left undone. And sometimes the best ideas just come late. But perennially postponing everything until the last minute, especially for the doctoral student and the probationary faculty member, can be a career killer. Finishing something promptly creates more time for other important tasks, including finding some balance of work and family. Procrastination is not a sin. Good things can indeed come late, and sometimes putting off is better than going with something that is truly not ready for the classroom or the journal. But graduate school and the tenure track have deadlines with consequences. Put off "everything" until the last minute, and one will perennially fall behind, disappoint others, and hurt his reputation.