Procrastination

Procrastination: the complete guide

Contents

• What is procrastination?
• How common is it?
• Why do we procrastinate?
• Common signs
• What it costs you
• Procrastination and ADHD
• Strategies that work
• A five-step reset
• Helping someone else
• Complementary techniques
• Myths
• FAQs

What is procrastination?

The psychologist Piers Steel, whose review of the research is the most cited in the field, defines procrastination as voluntarily delaying an intended course of action despite expecting to be worse off for the delay. Each part of that definition matters. The delay is voluntary: you could start, but you do not. The action is intended: you genuinely want it done. And you expect to be worse off: you know waiting will cost you, yet you wait anyway. [1]

That is what separates procrastination from sensible delay. Waiting for information you need, resting when you are exhausted, or choosing to drop a task that no longer matters are not procrastination. Scrolling your phone for an hour while a deadline looms, and feeling worse with every minute, is.

Procrastination shows up everywhere: coursework and tax returns, replying to emails, booking a medical appointment, starting an exercise plan, having a difficult conversation, or working on the creative project you care about most. People often procrastinate most on the things that matter most to them, because those tasks carry the most emotional weight.

How common is it?

Steel’s 2007 meta-analysis in Psychological Bulletin drew on 691 research sources and estimated that about 15–20% of the general population are chronic procrastinators. Among students the figures are far higher, and most people recognise the habit in themselves at least occasionally. [1]

In other words, if you procrastinate you are in very large company. That matters, because shame about procrastinating is itself one of the things that keeps the cycle going.

Why do we procrastinate?

1. It is about feelings, not time

The most important idea in modern procrastination research is that it is a problem of managing emotions. Fuschia Sirois and Timothy Pychyl describe procrastination as giving priority to short-term mood repair over the long-term goal. When a task makes you feel bored, anxious, confused, inadequate or resentful, avoiding it brings immediate relief. Your brain learns that avoidance “works”, so you do it again. [2]

Sirois puts it simply: we face emotional conflict and tension, and one way to resolve it is to procrastinate. Pychyl’s much-quoted summary is that procrastination is not a time-management problem but an emotion-management problem. This is why planners and to-do apps alone rarely fix it. [3]

2. The procrastination equation

Steel combined decades of findings into what he calls Temporal Motivation Theory. In simple terms, how motivated you feel to do a task depends on four things:

• Expectancy: how confident you are that you can do it well.
• Value: how rewarding or meaningful the task feels.
• Impulsiveness: how easily you are pulled towards distractions.
• Delay: how far away the reward or deadline is.

Low confidence, a dull task, a distractible mind and a distant deadline make procrastination very likely. Steel found that low expectancy, task aversiveness, impulsiveness and distractibility were among the strongest predictors. Each of these gives you a lever to pull, which we cover in the strategies below. [1]

3. Perfectionism is not quite the culprit

Many people assume perfectionists procrastinate most. Steel’s review found that perfectionism itself was not the main cause: perfectionists tended to procrastinate slightly less, but worry more. What does drive delay is fear of failing, or of being judged, and doubt about your own ability. [1]

4. We treat our future self like a stranger

When you put something off, you are handing the job to “future you”, who you imagine will feel more motivated, less tired and more organised. Researchers describe this as a failure to connect with our future selves. Future you will feel much the same as you do now, but with less time.

Common signs

• You do lots of small, easy jobs (tidying, emails, errands) instead of the one that matters.
• You start tasks late, then rush and feel the work is not your best.
• You tell yourself you “work better under pressure”.
• You feel guilty or anxious while resting, because the task is always in the back of your mind.
• You wait to “feel like it” or for the perfect moment.
• You avoid opening letters, bills or messages because of what they might say.

What procrastination costs you

Occasional delay is harmless. Chronic procrastination is not. A 2023 study in JAMA Network Open followed 3,525 Swedish university students. Those who procrastinated more at the start reported somewhat more depression, anxiety and stress nine months later, along with more disabling upper-arm pain, poorer sleep, less physical activity, more loneliness and more money worries. [4]

The effects were modest, and the authors stress that this kind of study shows a link rather than proof of cause and effect. But it fits a wider pattern: procrastination raises stress in the short term and can delay things that protect health, such as seeing a doctor or exercising.

There is also a quieter cost. Each time you delay, you confirm the story that you are “someone who can’t get things done”. That lowers confidence, which, as the procrastination equation shows, makes the next delay more likely.

Procrastination and ADHD

For some people, persistent procrastination is linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A 2021 survey of 490 adults in Frontiers in Psychology found that people with more ADHD symptoms scored clearly higher on procrastination, and also on depression and anxiety. [8]

The NHS lists adult ADHD signs that include being easily distracted or forgetful, finding it hard to organise your time, and finding it hard to follow instructions or finish tasks. Symptoms usually start before the age of 12. If that sounds like you, and it affects your work, studies or relationships, speak to your GP, who can refer you for an assessment. In England you can use the Right to Choose scheme to look for a clinic with a shorter wait. [9]

The strategies in this guide still help with ADHD, especially external structure: timers, body doubling (working alongside someone), visible reminders and breaking tasks into very small steps.

Strategies that work, and the evidence behind them

Make the first step tiny and concrete

Vague tasks (“work on the essay”) invite avoidance because they feel big and unclear. Rewrite the task as the next physical action: “open the file and write three bullet points”. Pychyl’s advice is simply to get started, because once you begin, the task usually feels less unpleasant than you predicted. Your first feelings about a task are not the only feelings available to you. [3]

Use if-then plans

Psychologists call these implementation intentions: “If situation X happens, I will do Y.” For example, “If it is 9am on Tuesday, I will open my tax return and fill in page one.” A meta-analysis by Peter Gollwitzer and Paschal Sheeran, covering 94 independent tests, found a medium-to-large effect on reaching goals (d = 0.65). It is one of the best-supported techniques in behaviour change. [6]

Forgive yourself and be kind to yourself

It sounds soft, but it is backed by research. In a study by Michael Wohl, Timothy Pychyl and Shannon Bennett, first-year students who forgave themselves for procrastinating before their first exams felt less negative and procrastinated less before the next round. Self-criticism, by contrast, adds to the bad feelings that drive avoidance. [5] Sirois’s work on self-compassion points the same way. [3]

Work in short, timed blocks

The Pomodoro Technique was created by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s, when he was a university student struggling to focus, using a tomato-shaped kitchen timer. You work for 25 minutes, take a short break, and repeat. A fixed, short block lowers the emotional cost of starting. Cirillo stresses that the timer is only one part of it: the aim is to notice what happens in your mind when you want to stop. [11]

Design out temptation

Because impulsiveness and distraction are strong predictors of procrastination, change your surroundings rather than relying on willpower. Put your phone in another room, use website blockers, close extra tabs, and keep a dedicated place for focused work. [1]

Raise your confidence with small wins

Low expectancy of success is a major driver. Set goals you are confident you can hit, track them, and let the evidence of progress build. Each completed small step makes the next one easier to start.

Bring the reward closer

Distant rewards are weak motivators. Create near-term ones: a deadline with a friend, a coffee after the first 25 minutes, or pairing a dull task with something you enjoy, such as music you only play while doing admin.

Try cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

CBT helps you spot the thoughts (“I have to do it perfectly”, “I’ll feel more like it tomorrow”) and habits that keep procrastination going, and replace them. A 2015 trial by Alexander Rozental and colleagues found that internet-based CBT for procrastination produced moderate to large improvements compared with a waiting list (effect sizes d = 0.50 to 0.81). [7] In England, NHS Talking Therapies offers CBT free, and you can refer yourself. [10]

A five-step reset for when you are stuck

Next time you notice yourself avoiding something, try working through these steps in order. The whole thing takes about five minutes.

1. Name the feeling. Ask what the task makes you feel: bored, anxious, overwhelmed, resentful, unsure where to start. Simply naming it often takes some of the heat out of it.
2. Drop the judgement. Remind yourself that putting things off is a very human way of coping with that feeling, not proof that you are lazy or useless.
3. Find the next action. Write down the smallest physical step that moves the task forward. If it would take more than ten minutes, make it smaller.
4. Set the scene. Move your phone away, close what you do not need, and set a timer for 10 to 25 minutes.
5. Start, and only start. Your only job is to begin. When the timer ends you are allowed to stop. Most of the time, you will want to carry on.

If you get through the timer, notice it. Ticking off even a small step is evidence that you can do this, and that evidence is exactly what lowers the odds of procrastinating next time.

Helping someone else who procrastinates

If you live or work with someone who procrastinates, nagging and criticism usually make things worse, because they add to the bad feelings the person is already avoiding. It tends to help more to ask what makes the task feel hard, help them define a first small step, agree a specific time to start, and offer to work alongside them. For children and teenagers, short focused sessions with a clear finish time, praise for starting rather than only for finishing, and a calm space without screens all help.

Complementary techniques from our library

Alongside the evidence-based strategies above, many people explore self-help methods that target the beliefs and feelings behind avoidance. These have less independent research behind them, so treat them as additions rather than replacements. See the Techniques that help tab for the full list, including Cybernetic Transposition for clearing “blockers” to goals, NLP for changing habits and motivation, and EFT tapping for the anxiety that often sits underneath delay.

Myths about procrastination

• “Procrastinators are lazy.” Most procrastinators are busy and care a great deal. The problem is avoidance of specific tasks, driven by feelings. [2]
• “I work better under pressure.” Deadlines can force action, but last-minute work leaves no time to check, improve or recover from setbacks, and the stress has a cost.
• “I just need better time management.” Planning tools help, but without dealing with the feelings the task triggers, they often become one more thing to avoid.
• “I’ll start when I feel motivated.” Motivation often follows action rather than coming before it.

Frequently asked questions

Is procrastination a mental health condition?

No. Procrastination is a behaviour, not a diagnosis. It can, however, be a feature of conditions such as ADHD, depression and anxiety, so if it comes with other symptoms, talk to your GP.

Why do I procrastinate on things I actually want to do?

Tasks that matter to you carry more emotional weight: more fear of failing, more pressure to get them right. That makes the relief of avoiding them stronger.

What is the fastest way to stop procrastinating right now?

Pick the smallest possible next step, set a timer for 10 to 25 minutes, remove your phone from the room, and start. Aim only to begin, not to finish.

Can procrastination be a good thing?

Some delay can help: letting ideas incubate, or waiting for information you need. The difference is whether the delay is a choice that serves you, or avoidance you regret.

Does procrastination affect health?

Studies link chronic procrastination with more stress, anxiety, low mood and poorer sleep, though they show an association rather than proof of cause. [4]

The best videos on procrastination

Hand-picked and checked one by one: short explainers, the researchers themselves, and practical tactics. We left out pure sales pitches.

Start here

The science, from the researchers

Put it into practice

Videos are chosen by Self Help Supermarket and hosted on YouTube by their creators. Some creators also sell books or courses.

Techniques that help with procrastination

Best supported by research

Methods in our library people use for procrastination

These methods have less independent research than CBT or if-then plans. Each guide includes an honest look at the evidence.

See every technique for procrastination in the Problem Finder →

Books on procrastination

Podcasts

Experts to follow

When to get more help

Procrastination on its own is something most people can improve with the strategies in this hub. Speak to a professional if:

• it is seriously affecting your work, studies, money or relationships;
• it comes with low mood, constant worry or panic;
• you have had lifelong trouble with focus, organisation and finishing things (possible ADHD).

This hub is for information, not a substitute for medical or psychological care.

Sources

1. Steel (2007), The nature of procrastination, Psychological Bulletin; University of Calgary summary
2. Sirois & Pychyl (2013), Procrastination and the priority of short-term mood regulation, Social and Personality Psychology Compass
3. Scientific American, To stop procrastinating, focus on emotions
4. Johansson et al. (2023), JAMA Network Open, reported by Neuroscience News / The Conversation
5. Wohl, Pychyl & Bennett (2010), Personality and Individual Differences; BPS Research Digest summary
6. Gollwitzer & Sheeran (2006), Implementation intentions and goal achievement, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology
7. Küchler et al. (2019), Internet Interventions, citing Rozental et al. (2015)
8. Oguchi et al. (2021), ADHD symptoms and procrastination, Frontiers in Psychology
9. NHS, ADHD in adults
10. NHS, Find NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression
11. Francesco Cirillo, The Pomodoro Technique (official site)
12. iProcrastinate Podcast, Procrastination Research Group, Carleton University

Last reviewed 24 October 2026 by the Self Help Supermarket editorial team. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will fix it.