Recognise and manage procrastination

Procrastination happens when we’re anxious about a task, leading us to delay it. Some students distract themselves with devices or other tasks to avoid what they fear. This behaviour can make you feel stress and guilt, causing a loss of confidence.  

Procrastination is common when you are studying due to tight deadlines and pressure. However, it can be managed by prioritising, taking breaks, and focusing on one task at a time. 

Understanding procrastination 

Noticing when you procrastinate and why can help you address it.  

Recognise when you:  

• put tasks off  
• fill your day with low priority tasks 
• leave important tasks on your to-do list 
• start high priority tasks and then get distracted 
• complete tasks others ask you to do, not the ones you need to do 

There could be many reasons why you’re procrastinating, including:  

• Anxiety – thinking there’s plenty of time can hide underlying anxieties. 
• Fear of failure – thinking ‘If I don't try, I can't fail.’
• Not knowing where to begin – start by writing what you know. 
• Feeling lost – ask a tutor for guidance. 
• Disliking your topic or course. 

Dealing with procrastination 

The main way to deal with procrastination is to do small amounts of work consistently. 

• Use a to-do list to remember tasks.  
• Prioritise tasks on your list. 
• Plan your day in short one to two-hour sessions with breaks.   
• Work on challenging tasks when you’re most alert, either morning or afternoon. 

How the University can help 

Student Services can offer a range of help including specialist support and resources for your wellbeing and mental health. 

Student Services frequently run groups on managing procrastination, which can be found on the groups page (MS Sway). 

Other places to find help 

• James Clear, an author who writes about building better habits, has a guide on how to stop procrastinating.
• The Centre for Clinical Intervention offers resources and workbooks for managing procrastination.
• This TED Talk YouTube video is about why people procrastinate and how to manage it.