What Is Procrastination? Why It Happens And How To Overcome It

Simply put, procrastination is the behavioral tendency to put off tasks that need to be done, despite the possibility of negative consequences. These consequences can include getting in the way of your own success or feeling anxiety, depression or low self-esteem.

Chronic procrastination is associated with lower income, more unemployment and even negative health consequences. According to a review of previous research in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, the reason why procrastination may be linked with poor health is because people who chronically procrastinate are less likely to exercise or eat healthy foods. They may also put off making important health appointments^[1]Sirois FM. Procrastination and intentions to perform health behaviors: The role of self-efficacy and the consideration of future consequences. Personality and Individual Differences. .

How Common Is Procrastination?

While procrastination has likely been around as long as human tasks have, Larry Rosen, Ph.D., professor emeritus of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills and the author of The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World, says that procrastination is more common now than in the past.

“The reason why people procrastinate more now is that we are easily distracted by our phones and any other tech that vibrates, beeps or buzzes,” he says. To this point, research shows that the average person touches their phone 2,600 times a day^[2]Thomas NM, Choudhari SG, Gaidhane AM, et al. Digital Wellbeing’: The Need of the Hour in Today’s Digitalized and Technology Driven World!’. Cureus. 2022;14(8):e.27743. . While technology may be causing people to become more easily distracted and procrastinate more, it is not the only reason why people procrastinate, as the different types of procrastination and different causes explained next will show.

5 Types of Procrastination

There are five different types of procrastination, according to Obehi Alofoje, M.S., psychologist and workplace productivity expert, which she outlines below:

• Thrill-seeking. “Some people procrastinate because they like the adrenaline that waiting until the last minute brings,” says Alofeje. For some people, not starting a project until right before the deadline or waiting to leave the house until the last possible minute gives them an enjoyable adrenaline rush, she explains.
• Perfectionism. Perfectionism can be a form of procrastination. “Someone may put off sending an important email because they want to read it over repeatedly,” she says. This type of procrastination, Alofeje adds, involves working on something until the last possible minute to ensure it’s as perfect as possible.
• Avoiding. “This type of procrastination is the idea of believing you aren’t good at something, so you’re just going to put it off,” says Alofoje. For this type of procrastination, the worry of making a mistake or fear of judgment is so overwhelming that it stops someone from doing the task, she adds.
• Head-in-the-sand. Another reason why some people procrastinate is simply because they don’t want to do something. “It’s called ‘head-in-the-sand procrastination’ because it’s like someone is burying their head in the sand pretending like the task doesn’t exist,” explains Alofoje.
• Distraction. “I call this type of procrastination ‘shiny object syndrome’ because it involves being distracted by something, which draws attention away from the task that needs to be done,” notes Alofoje. Getting a text message alert and then spending a prolonged amount of time on your phone instead of completing a project is an example of this.

Sometimes people procrastinate without knowing why, explains Alofoje. This is when considering the list of the different types of procrastination can be helpful.

While procrastinating has been shown to possibly lead to anxiety and depression, experiencing either can also cause someone to procrastinate. If someone is feeling depressed, they may lack the motivation needed to get started, even if the task is something they’ve enjoyed in the past

One 2020 paper in the journal Frontiers in Psychology states that the longer someone has to do something, the more likely they are to put off doing it. In other words, long deadlines foster procrastination. This research also states that one’s mood can be correlated with procrastination as well. If someone is in a bad mood, they’re more likely to put off doing something so they can do something more pleasant instead^[3]Svartdal F, Dahl TI, Gamst-Klaussen T, et al. How Study Environments Foster Academic Procrastination: An Overview and Recommendations. Frontiers in Psychology. 2020;11:540910. .

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One German sample study shows that younger people (ages 14 to 29) are most likely to procrastinate. Distraction—particularly by tech—is the biggest reason for procrastination, according to Dr. Rosen. He reasons that since younger people may have more apps, particularly social apps on their phones, this could be why they are more prone to procrastination, though more studies need to be done to confirm this connection.

The study also found that men in the younger age range were more likely to procrastinate than women^[4]Beutel ME, Klein EM, Aufenanger S, et al. Procrastination, Distress and Life Satisfaction Across Age Range — A German Representative Community Study. PLoS One. 2016;11(2):e0148054. . Other research from a 2020 meta-analysis suggests that this difference is because men are more likely to be impulsive than women, a trait that can lead to leaving one task to do something new.

Dr. Rosen and Alofoje emphasize that there is a difference between being prone to procrastination and having ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder. While ADHD is a diagnosable condition, Dr. Rosen adds that one cannot be diagnosed with procrastination.

There are certainly reasons why procrastination can be concerning. Procrastinating can increase feelings of anxiety, depression and negatively impact sleep. It has also been linked to worse mental health and unhealthy lifestyle factors, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease^[5]Johansson F, Rozenthal A, Edlund K, et al. Associations Between Procrastination and Subsequent Health Outcomes Among University Students in Sweden. JAMA Network Open. 2023;6(1):e2249346. . One reason for this is because procrastinating can heighten stress levels, which can subsequently have a negative impact on physical health.

Despite its bad rap, both Dr. Rosen and Alofoje say that there are benefits to some forms of procrastination as well. In some cases, Dr. Rosen says it can lead to being more thoughtful when actually doing the task. For example, he adds that waiting to start a project can give someone more time to brainstorm or ruminate over ideas rather than starting and turning it in right away. Dr. Rosen also notes that procrastination can provide an opportunity to be more thoughtful. Instead of replying to an email immediately, for example, waiting a few hours to respond may lead to a more attentive and considerate response.

If someone is prone to procrastination, Alofoje says that pinpointing why can be greatly beneficial. “If someone realizes that they are constantly procrastinating at work because they don’t like the tasks they regularly have to do, that may be an indicator that they should be in a different role or job,” she says. “Or, if someone is procrastinating because they don’t feel they will do a good job on something, this can be a sign for them to ask for help early on rather than waiting until it’s too late,” she says.

When it comes to overcoming procrastination, Alofoje and Dr. Rosen recommend the following:

• Figure out the “why.” Alofoje says it’s first important to figure out why you’re procrastinating. She says that this is when coming back to the list of different types of procrastination can be helpful; for example, if you realize that you are putting something off because you’re afraid you’ll fail, you can figure out who you can ask for help.
• Execute tasks based on energy level. Structuring your to-do list based on when you have the most energy, Alofoje adds, can also help with cutting down on procrastination, particularly when it comes to doing tasks you really just don’t want to do. She recommends using the part of the day when you have the most energy to do tasks that require the most concentration. Then, use the part of the day when you have the least energy to do the easiest tasks.
• Visualize the end goal. “Remember why you are doing the task in the first place,” she says. If you are putting off cleaning the bathroom, think about how nice it will look once you’re done. If you’re putting off a work project, think about the positive results that will come from it and how you’ll feel when it’s off your plate.
• Set tech breaks. For those who are distracted by tech, Dr. Rosen recommends incorporating “tech breaks” into your schedule. “You can train your brain’s ability to focus for longer periods of time,” he says. Tell yourself that you will focus on the task at hand for 15 minutes and then reward yourself by looking at your phone, social media apps or whatever it is that you are most often distracted by, for a few minutes when you’re done, explains Dr. Rosen. Then, gradually lengthen the amount of time you spend focusing on a task before taking your tech break.

It bears repeating that there are many reasons for procrastination and it isn’t always a negative experience. However, if you’re looking to end a habit of procrastination, there are ways to do so. The key is figuring out why you’re doing it in the first place and then taking action.