That assignment that’s due tomorrow? Don’t worry, you’ll definitely start it… tonight.. at midnight. Procrastination is something that almost every student deals with, which usually leads to late nights, stress, and rushing through assignments. However, procrastination isn’t just about being lazy; it has a lot to do with how the brain handles tasks, emotions, and motivation. Knowing why procrastination happens might just be the first step to actually getting things done on time.
What is procrastination?
The word procrastination comes from the Latin procrastinare: “deferred until tomorrow” and the Greek akrasia: “acting against one’s better judgment.” The word itself suggests that procrastination is an active process: you choose to do something other than the task at hand, despite knowing that its delay will cause you to suffer in the future. (ie, University)
Why do we procrastinate?
We procrastinate for many reasons, including boredom, fear, lack of confidence, perfectionism, or distractions. While people delay tasks, thinking, “they will feel better in the short term,” studies show that stress increases as a result. (McLean)
Overcoming procrastination
A tip for overcoming procrastination is to reduce the number of decisions you need to make throughout the day by making those decisions beforehand and creating habits in specific areas. This prevents you from draining energy by constantly thinking about whether to do them or not. (Boise)
Another approach is to break your tasks into smaller steps. It can be overwhelming when you have large tasks ahead of you, but breaking them up into more manageable tasks can make them more achievable.
Works Cited
Mechanical, and Biomedical Engineering. “5 Ways to Stop Procrastinating.” Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, 20 Apr. 2021, https://www.boisestate.edu/coen-mbe/2021/04/20/5-ways-to-stop-procrastinating/.
Overcome Procrastination. https://www.bath.ac.uk/guides/overcome-procrastination/. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
“Procrastination Psychology: Understanding Effects, Causes, and Solutions – Happiness. IE.” Center For Health & Well-Being, https://www.ie.edu/center-for-health-and-well-being/blog/procrastination-psychology-effects-causes-strategies/? Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
