Academic Procrastination: The Ultimate Science-based Guide
Have you ever found yourself buried under piles of academic tasks, even though you had plenty of time to complete them?
Do you find yourself endlessly scrolling through social media, promising you’ll get to your schoolwork “in just a few more minutes”?
If so, you’re not alone.
We’ve all been there, feeling the weight of unfinished work, the creeping deadline, and that crippling guilt. But here’s some good news: it’s not a life sentence, and you can break free.
More than 80% of college students struggle with academic procrastination.
It’s a frustrating cycle of avoidance, stress, and rushed work that can seriously impact your academic performance and mental wellbeing.
In this article, we will navigate together through the causes, effects, and most importantly, solutions to academic procrastination. Drawing from the latest research and using the most effective measuring tools, we will uncover why procrastination hits hard in academia and what we can do about it.
We’re also providing an assessment quiz to help you measure the extent of your procrastination problem.
So, are you ready to turn your “I’ll do it later” into an “I’ll do it now”? Stick with me and read on, because the solution is within your reach.
Table of Contents
What Is Academic Procrastination?
Academic procrastination refers to the intentional delay of academic tasks, such as studying or completing assignments, even when one is aware of the possible negative consequences.
Procrastination is a very common behavior among students worldwide, with some studies showing that 97% of students engage in some form of academic procrastination.
But why do we specifically label it as ‘academic’ procrastination?
One reason is the prevalence of procrastination among students, as opposed to other populations. Research indicates that, on average, 80% to 95% of college students procrastinate on their academic tasks. This is a stark difference to the general population where only around 50% admit to procrastinate from time to time.
In addition, most of the studies done on procrastination have focused on students. Given their many responsibilities and academic commitments, students tend to procrastinate more frequently.
Understanding this topic is critical for students, educators, and academic institutions. Academic procrastination can negatively impact a student’s performance and their overall well-being. *
Being a successful student is not solely about intellect; it also involves understanding the source of your procrastination and employing the right strategies to support your productivity and time management. Hence, addressing academic procrastination is key to helping you thrive in your academic journey.
For a deeper dive into time management strategies, read our comprehensive article about Time Management and Procrastination for Better Productivity.
What Is an Example of Academic Procrastination?
Let’s consider Jane, a high school student. She had four weeks to study for her final exams. Instead of starting her revision early, Jane spent her time watching TV series, chatting with friends, and browsing social media.
She told herself she would start studying ‘tomorrow,’ but that tomorrow never came. When the exams rolled around, Jane found herself cramming the night before. Her lack of preparation led to poor performance, and she failed her exams.
Jane’s story is a classic example of academic procrastination. Despite knowing the importance of her exams, she delayed her study plans, which resulted in failure. This underlines the importance of addressing procrastination in a timely manner.
Causes Of Academic Procrastination
Academic procrastination is a complex phenomenon with multiple intertwined causes. It’s like a tangled web, where each thread of behavior, personal trait, or environmental factor plays a role in shaping the procrastination habits of students.
Research into academic procrastination has revealed a range of causes. These causes have been classified primarily into two categories: internal and external factors.
Internal factors:
These are issues that come from within the student. They include:
- Poor Organizational Skills: This is when you find it challenging to plan and prioritize your tasks.
- Perfectionism: You set unrealistically high standards for yourself, which often leads to procrastination out of fear that you won’t meet your own expectations.
More perfectionism in this article. - Distractibility: You may get easily sidetracked or struggle to maintain focus on your tasks.
- Fear of Failure: The anxiety about doing poorly or not meeting expectations can cause you to delay starting or completing tasks.
- Aversiveness to Task: You might procrastinate if you find a task boring, intimidating or you simply feel it’s unnecessary.
External factors:
These are issues that happen outside of the student. These include:
- Poor Study Environment: A noisy or distracting environment can make it hard for you to focus on your academic work.
- Peer Pressure: At times, you might be influenced by your friends to delay your studies.
- Poor Teacher’s Approach or Style: If your teacher’s instructional style isn’t engaging or doesn’t meet your learning needs, if he’s too harsh or too lenient, it may cause you to lose motivation or interest in studying.
- Redundancy in Academic Tasks: Repetitive or monotonous tasks and assignments can lead to disinterest and subsequently, procrastination.
The Procrastination Assessment Scale for Students (PASS), is a measuring tool developed by Solomon and Rothblum in 1984. It adds depth to our understanding of academic procrastination.
This tool identifies 13 possible reasons for procrastination among students, including perfectionism, evaluation anxiety, low self-esteem, and aversiveness to the task.
Take the Procrastination Assessment Scale for Students (PASS) Quiz to identify potential causes of your academic procrastination.
It should be noted that there is no one-size-fits-all reason for academic procrastination. It’s a mix of personal traits and external circumstances. By understanding these different factors, you can develop specific strategies to target your procrastination.
Effects Of Academic Procrastination
Research has confirmed that academic procrastination leads to a variety of negative consequences, falling primarily into two categories: academic effects, affecting performance and learning, and psychological effects, impacting emotional well-being and self-esteem.
1. Effects On Academic Performance
When you put off assignments and school projects until the last minute, the quality of work you produce may not be as good as it could have been with proper planning and time management. As a result, grades can suffer. This can undermine your overall academic performance, and in some cases, even your chances of graduating.
Not only does procrastination impact grades, but it also harms the learning process. Rushing through assignments to beat a deadline often means you’re not fully absorbing and understanding the information. This could leave gaps in your knowledge and affect your performance in future classes and harm your academic performance in the long run.
Research has confirmed the negative effects of procrastination on academic achievement. In the most comprehensive study about procrastination’s impact on students so far, researchers examined 33 different studies with a total of 38,529 participants. The findings were clear: students who procrastinate perform worse academically than those who don’t.
Research also found a strong relationship between submission time of assignments and grades, showing that students who submitted their work earlier had better grades.
2. Effects on Psychological Health:
The psychological consequences of academic procrastination can also be quite significant. Procrastinators constantly worry about pending deadlines and unfinished tasks, causing them to feel stressed and anxious.
A 2023 study of 991 high school students confirmed that procrastination is associated with higher levels of stress and anxiety.
Moreover, procrastination can lead to feelings of depression, guilt and lowered self-esteem. Research have shown that students who are chronic procrastinators are more vulnerable to feelings of depression and low self-esteem. Some studies even linked academic procrastination to suicidal thoughts among university students.
In fact, procrastination triggers a negative cycle among students. Delaying schoolwork often results in rushed, lower quality work that can lead to poor grades, which may, in turn, induce guilt and self-doubt, harming students’ self-esteem. Over time, this recurring cycle of stress, guilt, and low self-esteem can worsen feelings of depression. It’s a problematic loop that often gets worse as time goes on.
Other negative effects:
In addition to the two main effects, academic procrastination can also lead to several other consequences:
Physical health problems: chronic stress and anxiety from procrastination can result in sleep disorders, digestive problems and weakened immune system, among other health issues.
Social consequences: procrastination often causes missed deadlines and unfulfilled commitments, which can affect relationships with peers and teachers. The inability to deliver work on time can lead to a loss of trust and can harm the student’s reputation.
More on the effects of procrastination on relationships here.
Career Consequences: The habits you form during your academic life often carry over into your professional life. Students who habitually procrastinate may find it hard to meet deadlines at work, which can lead to poor performance and limit career growth.
Financial Consequences: For college and university students, academic procrastination can lead to prolonging their education which results in increased tuition fees. Additionally, poor academic performance due to procrastination might limit scholarship opportunities.
How To Overcome Academic Procrastination
Overcoming academic procrastination involves understanding the underlying causes behind this habit and developing strategies to address it.
One handy tool to help identify your procrastination triggers is a science-based assessment called the Procrastination Assessment Scale-Students Questionnaire (PASS). This quiz, designed specifically for academic procrastination, can provide insight into areas and reasons for your procrastination.
Although the reasons for procrastination among students can vary greatly, I’ll share six science-backed methods that have helped me personally with my procrastination.
From goal setting to stress management, these strategies are useful for both students and teachers. They can significantly help you with your overall academic progress. Keep in mind, these aren’t immediate fixes but habits to integrate for sustained improvement.
1. Set Concrete Goals and Break Your Tasks into Small Steps:
Setting goals is like plotting a map for your journey towards academic success. Don’t just say, “I’ll study for my exams.” Be specific. “I’ll spend two hours studying Chapter 5 of my History textbook today.”
Then, break this task down further. Spend the first 30 minutes reading, the next 30 making notes, then review the notes and, finally, test your understanding. Remember how you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!
2. Identify Your Productivity Cycles:
Everyone has a different internal clock, known as a circadian rhythm. Some of us are early birds, others are night owls. Pay attention to when you feel most alert and focused, and schedule your toughest tasks for those times. Suppose you’re a morning person, use that time to tackle challenging subjects like Mathematics or Physics.
3. Transform Your Environment and Limit Distractions:
A quiet, clean, and well-lit study area can make a world of difference. Clear your desk, put your phone on silent, and log out of social media.
Remember, distractions aren’t just physical. They can be thoughts, worries, and fears too. If you’re worried about a big game coming up, write down your thoughts or talk about them to clear your mind before hitting the books.
More on How to Overcome Distraction Here.
4. Use the Pomodoro Technique:
This time-management technique can be incredibly helpful. Set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on one task with no interruptions. Once the timer goes off, take a 5-minute break. This could be stretching, walking around, or grabbing a healthy snack. Repeat the process. Four cycles of this is known as one “Pomodoro.” It’s like running a marathon; pacing is essential!
Check this full guide on the Pomodoro Technique.
5. Employ the SQ3R Technique:
This is a fantastic revision tool for making your study sessions easier and more interesting. This technique transforms passive reading into active learning, making your study time more productive.
It stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review.
‘Survey’ : Quickly scan the chapter or section you’re studying, taking note of headings, subheadings, and highlighted or bolded terms.
‘Question’: Turn the headings into questions. This pushes your brain to look for the answers as you read, improving focus and comprehension.
‘Read’: The material closely, keeping your questions in mind.
‘Recite’ : Or summarize what you’ve learned in your own words. This reinforces your understanding.
‘Review’ : your summary to solidify your understanding and retention.
6. Reward Yourself:
After a good study session, give yourself a small reward. It could be something like 15 minutes of your favorite video game, a quick chat with a friend, or even a tasty snack.
Rewards provide a sense of accomplishment and can be great motivators. For example, if you finish revising three chapters in a row, you could reward yourself with an episode of your favorite show.
7. Manage Stress:
High stress levels can often lead to procrastination. It’s important to find ways to manage stress that work for you. It might be deep-breathing exercises, meditation, playing a sport, or even listening to some calming music.
More on Meditation for Procrastination here.
Regular exercise has proven benefits for reducing stress. For example, a quick jog around the block or a bike ride can help clear your mind, leaving you refreshed and ready to tackle your next study session.
Academic Procrastination Research
A lot of research has been done on the subject of academic procrastination and the different aspects of procrastination among students.
Why is this such a big subject? Well, research has shown that procrastination is more prevalent among students than in any other group, with some studies indicating that up to 97% of students do procrastinate at some point. That’s almost all students! So, you can see why it’s a popular topic to study.
Now, let’s take a look at the research conducted on different aspects of academic procrastination.
1. Characteristics of Academic Procrastination
Academic procrastination is the act of willingly delaying academic tasks, despite being aware of the negative consequences. It’s considered an irrational delay.
This irrational delay has been linked to traits like impulsivity, preference of short-term gratification, self-regulation problems, low self-efficacy, fatigue, and task avoidance (van Eerde, 2000; Steel, 2007; Steel et al., 2018). Yet, research is largely lacking on external factors, like social and cultural environments, that also contribute to procrastination.
2. Prevalence of procrastination among students:
Research indicates that the tendency to procrastinate is common among students of all levels, from elementary to graduate school. Interestingly, this habit of delaying tasks seems to grow more prevalent as students progress through their academic journey.
Research highlights that a staggering 80% to 95% of college students procrastinate, with 75% of all students identifying as procrastinators.
Diving deeper, a 2016 study showed that a majority of these procrastinators, about 60%, are male. College students tend to procrastinate most during their second and third years.
In terms of mental health, obsessive-compulsive disorder is the most common condition found in procrastinators (27.5%), followed by malingering (pretending to be sick in order to avoid work) (17.5%), and generalized anxiety disorder (12.5%).
3. Prevalence of procrastination based on the type of task:
Procrastination isn’t the same for every task. A study on 342 college students revealed that different tasks see different levels of delay.
46% of students tended to put off writing term papers,
30% delayed their weekly reading assignments.
28% delayed studying for exams
23% procrastinated on attendance tasks.
11% procrastinated on administrative tasks
10% delayed school activities in general.
These numbers show how procrastination can vary significantly based on the nature of the task.
4. Negative Effects of Academic Procrastination :
Procrastination isn’t just about academic performance. It’s also linked to stress, reduced well-being, and mental and physical health issues (Tice and Baumeister, 1997).
It’s crucial to see procrastination as both a health and performance problem. For instance, a large-scale survey among Norwegian students showed that 29% pf procrastinators reported severe psychological problems. It is believed that procrastination might be both a contributing factor and a result of these psychological problems.
The Procrastination-Performance Paradox (Academic Procrastination vs Active Procrastination)
Researchers classified procrastination into two types: active and passive procrastination.
Active procrastination is when students intentionally delay tasks, believing they perform better under pressure. This strategy is seen by some researchers as a type of self-regulation and time-management, allowing students to meet deadlines successfully despite the delay.
Check this article on Positive Procrastination.
On the other hand, passive procrastination is when students find themselves unable to perform tasks on time and they keep delaying assignments despite the negative consequences. This form of procrastination often results in self-doubt, anxiety, and distress due to uncompleted tasks and missed deadlines.
Research findings are quite intriguing. While active procrastinators delayed tasks as much as their passive procrastinators, they resembled non-procrastinators more closely in areas like control of time, self-belief, coping styles, and academic performance. This suggests that active procrastination might be a useful strategy for some students, unlike passive procrastination, which tends to have more negative impacts.
However, some studies have shown mixed results about the possible benefits of active procrastination. A 2010 study found that active procrastinators often had lower motivation to master tasks, found tasks less valuable and tended to avoided work. This suggests that despite successfully meeting deadlines, active procrastinators might not be getting the most out of their learning experiences.
How Is Academic Procrastination Measured?
Measuring academic procrastination often involves self-report tools, just like general procrastination. Certain scales focus on a general tendency to delay tasks, with only a few items specifically addressing academic tasks, like the General Procrastination Scale (Lay, 1986), and the Tuckman procrastination scale (Tuckman, 1991).
Take the Tuckman Procrastination Quiz.
Other tests, such as the Academic Procrastination State Inventory (Schouwenburg, 1995), and the Procrastination Assessment Scale (PASS), focus exclusively on academic procrastination.
The Procrastination Assessment Scale-Students (PASS) questionnaire was developed by Solomon & Rothblum in 1984, and serves as a research tool to understand procrastination habits among students. This in-depth 44-item questionnaire is divided into two parts: the first part measures the frequency of procrastination in six academic domains, and the second part measures the underlying causes of procrastination.
Take the Procrastination Assessment Scale (PASS) Quiz.
Takeaways
Academic procrastination is the intentional delay of academic tasks despite being aware of the negative consequences. It is a very common problem, affecting between 80% to 95% of students.
The causes of academic procrastination can be internal (poor organizational skills, perfectionism, fear of failure) or external (poor study environment, peer pressure).
Academic procrastination has negative effects on both academic performance and psychological well-being. It can lead to lower grades, hinder the learning process, and cause stress, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
Academic procrastination can also have other consequences, such as physical health problems, relationship problems, and limited career and financial opportunities.
Overcoming academic procrastination requires understanding its causes and implementing strategies like setting concrete goals, identifying productivity cycles, creating a conducive study environment, using time-management techniques and rewarding yourself.
Research around academic procrastination is abundant and has allowed us to uncover many aspects of procrastination behavior among students.
Academic procrastination can be measured using a variety of assessment tools, like the Procrastination Assessment Scale for Students (PASS) questionnaire, which measures the domains of academic procrastination and its underlying causes.
By Sam David
Published June 22, 2023
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My name is Sam David. I am the founder of "Proactivity Lab," a website that provides comprehensive strategies and resources for understanding and overcoming procrastination.
The website's resources are the culmination of more than 20 years of research and experience, during which I embarked on a long and gruelling journey of study and self-discovery.
Being a former procrastinator myself, it took me years of investigation and numerous trials and errors to gain a clear understanding of the underlying causes of procrastination and the most effective and scientifically supported strategies to permanently conquer the vicious cycle of procrastination.
I would like to share my knowledge with you, for free.
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