Putting things off usually isn’t laziness. If you want to know how to stop procrastinating, start by treating the uncomfortable feeling a task triggers, then make the first step small enough that the feeling doesn’t win.
This guide sits within the wider topic of time management, and it focuses on the moment before you begin a task.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Working definition of procrastination | Voluntary, unnecessary delay of important, intended tasks |
| Undergraduate study sample | 379 students, followed for one and two months |
| Swedish student study | Over 3500 students, followed for 9 months |
| Research on procrastination and stress | The past 25 years |
| Year of the review behind these figures | 2023 |
These figures come from a conceptual review on procrastination and stress. Research findings can change as new studies appear, so check the source before you rely on them.
What procrastination actually is
Researchers often define procrastination as the voluntary and unnecessary delay in the start or completion of important and intended tasks, even when you recognise the delay will cause harm to you or others. You can read that definition in a 2023 review by Fuschia Sirois of Durham University.
Three parts of that definition matter in daily life:
- The delay is voluntary: nothing outside you is stopping you.
- The delay is unnecessary: waiting does not improve the outcome.
- The task is important and intended: it is something you meant to do.
That separates procrastination from sensible rescheduling. Moving a task because something more urgent came up is a decision. Avoiding a task you meant to do, while knowing it will cost you, is the pattern worth fixing.
Why you put things off: it is mostly about feelings
The same review describes procrastination as a common form of self-regulation failure. A mood-regulation view of the habit proposes that negative emotional states, and difficulty managing them, sit underneath the behaviour.
In the review’s words, procrastination is a low-resource means of avoiding aversive and difficult task-related emotions. Seen this way, you are not dodging the work itself so much as the feeling the work stirs up.
Feelings that commonly attach to a task include:
- Worry that you will do it badly.
- Irritation at a dull or unfair job.
- Confusion about where to begin.
- Dread of a difficult conversation the task involves.
These are everyday examples rather than findings from the review. Still, naming the feeling gives you something specific to work on, which is far easier than trying to “be more disciplined”.
Why does stress make it worse?
The relationship runs in both directions. The review states that stress is a negative emotional state that can be both a cause and a consequence of procrastination. It also reports that procrastination is associated with higher stress and with poor quality sleep, among other health-related outcomes, as set out in the review text.
Two longitudinal studies in the review suggest the habit can predict stress later on. In a study of 379 undergraduate students, procrastination at the start predicted higher stress one and two months later. A 9-month study of over 3500 Swedish university students found similar results, as described in the review.
One caution applies. The review notes that this research is primarily cross-sectional, which makes it difficult to confirm the direction of influence.
Stressful periods raise the risk too. The model argues that stressful contexts increase the risk because they deplete coping resources and lower the threshold for tolerating negative emotions. If you are worn down, expect starting to feel harder than usual and plan for it.
Practical ways to stop procrastinating and start
The ideas below follow from the emotion-based view above. They are practical suggestions drawn from that reasoning, not tested treatments from the review, so adjust them to what works for you.
- Name the feeling. Before you open the task, finish the sentence “I’m avoiding this because I feel…” Even a rough answer tells you what you are dealing with.
- Shrink the first step. Pick an action so small it barely feels like work, such as opening the document and writing a heading. The aim is to start, not to finish.
- Start before you feel ready. Waiting for the right mood gives the avoidance more time. Begin imperfectly and improve it afterwards.
- Remove one obstacle in advance. Put the files, tools or contact details in one place the day before so the first move costs less effort.
- Plan for a bad day. When stress is high, choose a lower-effort version of the task and accept it as a valid start.
Make starting easier with how you plan your day
A vague to-do list gives the avoidant part of your mind plenty of room. Deciding what matters most removes some of that room, and a guide on how to prioritize tasks covers ways to choose.
Once you know what comes first, give it a place in your day. You can use a guide on how to make a daily schedule to turn the decision into a time you can act on.
Keep the plan realistic. An overloaded day creates the stress that the review links with more delay, so a shorter list you can actually finish is usually the better design.
Be kind to yourself when you slip
Self-criticism adds another negative feeling to a task that already carries some. The review’s closing message is that its model underscores the need for a more compassionate view of the factors that may increase the risk for procrastination.
In practice, treat a missed start as information. Ask what feeling got in the way, shrink the next step, and try again today instead of waiting for a fresh week.
Frequently asked questions
Is procrastination just laziness?
Show answer
The review does not frame it that way. It describes procrastination as a self-regulation failure linked to difficulty managing negative emotions, so the useful question is which feeling you are avoiding.
Does procrastination cause stress?
Show answer
The research links the two, and two longitudinal studies found that procrastination predicted higher stress later. Because much of the evidence is cross-sectional, the review says the direction of influence is hard to confirm, and stress can also drive procrastination.
Why do I put things off more when I am stressed?
Show answer
According to the review’s model, stress depletes coping resources and lowers your tolerance for negative emotions. Avoiding a task is a low-resource way to escape those emotions, so it becomes more tempting.
What should I do first when I cannot start?
Show answer
Name the feeling you are avoiding, then choose the smallest possible first step. This is a practical suggestion based on the emotion-focused view, not a clinical treatment.
