Theories Personality Psychology What Is Procrastination? By Kendra Cherry Kendra Cherry Facebook Twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author and educational consultant focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial process Updated on May 30, 2020 Medically reviewed Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by David Susman, PhD Medically reviewed by David Susman, PhD David Susman, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist with experience providing treatment to individuals with mental illness and substance use concerns. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Sara Cuadrado / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents What Is Procrastination? Causes Why We Procrastinate Types of Procrastination The Negative Impact Strategies to Stop What Is Procrastination? Procrastination is the act of delaying or putting off tasks until the last minute, or past their deadline. Some researchers define procrastination as a "form of self-regulation failure characterized by the irrational delay of tasks despite potentially negative consequences." According to Joseph Ferrari, a professor of psychology at DePaul University in Chicago and author of "Still Procrastinating: The No Regret Guide to Getting It Done," around 20% of U.S. adults are chronic procrastinators. No matter how well-organized and committed you are, chances are that you have found yourself frittering away hours on trivial pursuits (watching TV, updating your Facebook status, shopping online) when you should have been spending that time on work or school-related projects. Whether you're putting off finishing a project for work, avoiding homework assignments, or ignoring household chores, procrastination can have a major impact on your job, your grades, and your life. In most cases, procrastination is not a sign of a serious problem. It's a common tendency that most people give in to at some point or another. Causes Remember that time that you thought you had a week left to finish a project that was really due the next day? How about the time you decided not to clean up your apartment because you "didn't feel like doing it right now?" We often assume that projects won't take as long to finish as they really will, which can lead to a false sense of security when we believe that we still have plenty of time to complete these tasks. One of the biggest factors contributing to procrastination is the notion that we have to feel inspired or motivated to work on a task at a particular moment. The reality is that if you wait until you're in the right frame of mind to do certain tasks (especially undesirable ones), you will probably find that the right time simply never comes along and the task never gets completed. The following are a few other factors that cause procrastination. Academics Researchers suggest that procrastination can be particularly pronounced among students. A 2007 meta analysis published in the Psychological Bulletin found that a whopping 80% to 95% of college students procrastinated on a regular basis, particularly when it came to completing assignments and coursework. According to researchers, there are some major cognitive distortions that lead to academic procrastination. Students tend to: Overestimate how much time they have left to perform tasksOverestimate how motivated they will be in the futureUnderestimate how long certain activities will take to completeMistakenly assume that they need to be in the right frame of mind to work on a project Depression Procrastination can also be a result of depression. Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and a lack of energy can make it difficult to start (and finish) the simplest task. Depression can also lead to self-doubt. When you can't figure out how to tackle a project or feel insecure about your abilities, you might find it easier to put it off and working on other tasks. 4 Daily Habits People With Depression Tend to Avoid Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Procrastination is also pretty common in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder. One reason is that OCD is often linked with maladaptive, unhealthy perfectionism, which causes fears about making new mistakes, doubts about whether you are doing something correctly, and worry over others' expectations of you. People with OCD also often have a propensity toward indecision, causing them to procrastinate rather than make a decision. ADHD Many adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) struggle with procrastination. When you're so distracted by outside stimuli, as well as internal thoughts, it can be hard to get started on a task, especially if that task is difficult or not interesting to you. The Relationship Between ADHD and Chronic Procrastination More Reasons Why We Procrastinate In addition to the reasons why we procrastinate, we often come up with a number of excuses or rationalizations to justify our behavior. According to researchers, there are 15 key reasons why people procrastinate: Not knowing what needs to be doneNot knowing how to do somethingNot wanting to do somethingNot caring if it gets done or notNot caring when something gets doneNot feeling in the mood to do itBeing in the habit of waiting until the last minuteBelieving that you work better under pressureThinking that you can finish it at the last minuteLacking the initiative to get startedForgettingBlaming sickness or poor healthWaiting for the right momentNeeding time to think about the taskDelaying one task in favor of working on another Press Play for Advice On Completing Tasks Hosted by Editor-in-Chief and therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares how to get tasks done with a science-backed trick known as 'temptation bundling.' Click below to listen now. Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts / RSS Types of Procrastination Some researchers classify procrastination in two main types: passive and active procrastinators. Passive procrastinators: Delay the task because they have trouble making decisions and acting on themActive procrastinators: Delay the task purposefully because working under pressure allows them to "feel challenged and motivated" Others define the types of procrastinators based on different behavioral styles of procrastination, including: Perfectionist: Puts off tasks out of the fear of not being able to complete a task perfectlyDreamer: Puts off tasks because they are not good at paying attention to detailDefier: Doesn't believe someone should dictate their time scheduleWorrier: Puts off tasks out of fear of change or leaving the comfort of "the known"Crisis-maker: Puts off tasks because they like working under pressureOverdoer: Takes on too much and struggles with finding time to start and complete task Procrastinators vs. Non-Procrastinators "Non-procrastinators focus on the task that needs to be done. They have a stronger personal identity and are less concerned about what psychologists call 'social esteem'—how others like us—as opposed to self-esteem which is how we feel about ourselves," explained Dr. Ferrari in an interview with the American Psychological Association (APA). According to psychologist Piers Steel, people who don't procrastinate tend to be high in the personality trait known as conscientiousness, one of the broad dispositions identified by the Big Five theory of personality. People who are high in conscientiousness also tend to be high in other areas including self-discipline, persistence, and personal responsibility. What Is Procrastination? The Negative Impact of Procrastination It is only in cases where procrastination becomes chronic and begins to have a serious impact on a person's daily life that it becomes a more serious issue. In such instances, it's not just a matter of having poor time management skills, it's a major part of their lifestyle. Perhaps they pay their bills late, don't start work on big projects until the night before the deadline, delay gift shopping until the day before a birthday, and even file their income tax returns late. Unfortunately, this procrastination can have a serious impact on a number of life areas, including a person's mental health and social, professional, and financial well-being: Higher levels of stress and illnessIncreased burden placed on social relationshipsResentment from friends, family, co-workers, and fellow studentsConsequences of delinquent bills and income tax returns Tips for Procrastinators Fortunately, there are a number of different things you can do to fight procrastination and start getting things done on time. Make a to-do list: To help keep you on track, consider placing a due date next to each item.Take baby steps: Break down the items on your list into small, manageable steps so that your tasks don’t seem so overwhelming.Recognize the warning signs: Pay attention to any thoughts of procrastination and do your best to resist the urge. If you begin to think about procrastinating, force yourself to spend a few minutes working on your task.Eliminate distraction: Ask yourself what pulls your attention away the most—whether Instagram, Facebook updates, or the local news—and turn off those sources of distraction.Pat yourself on the back: When you finish an item on your to-do list on time, congratulate yourself and reward yourself by indulging in something you find fun. Top Tips for Overcoming Procrastination Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Ever wonder what your personality type means? Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 7 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Prem R, Scheel TE, Weigelt O, Hoffmann K, Korunka C. Procrastination in daily working life: A diary study on within-person processes that link work characteristics to workplace procrastination. Front Psychol. 2018;9:1087. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01087 American Psychological Association. The Psychology of Procrastination: Why People Put Off Important Tasks Until the Last Minute. 2010. Steel P. The nature of procrastination: A meta-analytic and theoretical review of quintessential self-regulatory failure. Psychol Bull. 2007;133(1):65-94. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.133.1.65 Ferrari, Joseph & Johnson, Judith & McCown, William. (1995). Procrastination and Task Avoidance - Theory, Research and Treatment. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4899-0227-6 Limburg K, Watson HJ, Hagger MS, Egan SJ. The relationship between perfectionism and psychopathology: A meta-analysis. J Clin Psychol. 2017;73(10):1301-1326. doi:10.1002/jclp.22435 Altgassen M, Scheres A, Edel MA. Prospective memory (partially) mediates the link between ADHD symptoms and procrastination. Atten Defic Hyperact Disord. 2019;11(1):59-71. doi:10.1007/s12402-018-0273-x Tuckman BW, Abry DA, Smith DR. (2008). Learning and Motivation Strategies: Your Guide to Success (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.