40+ Useful Procrastination Statistics To Help You In 2024

“Procrastination is the thief of time”. You may have heard this quote at least once before. 

If you are a procrastinator, you can confirm the quote is accurate. 

At least once in our lifetime, we are all guilty of procrastination. A one-hour rest turned into five, and we were less productive. 

Fortunately, as the year is still young, I have gathered interesting procrastination statistics to help you stop the bad habit. 

These statistics will help you make better decisions and become a better you for 2024. 

Stopping procrastination increases productivity and helps you achieve your goals.

Key Highlights: Procrastination Statistics

• Approximately 20% to 25% of people are chronic procrastinators. 
• There is a link between chronic procrastination, depression, and anxiety, as well as poor sleep.
• 94% of respondents said procrastination makes them unhappy.
• Fear of failure, lack of interest, and perfectionism are the top 3 reasons people procrastinate.
• About 50% of high school students procrastinate consistently.
• 8.7% of salaried workers are “hardcore procrastinators.”
• About 40% of people have experienced financial loss due to procrastination

General Procrastination Statistics

1. Studies indicate that 20-25% of people procrastinate chronically. (source)

2. 88% of the workforce admitted they procrastinate for at least one hour. (source)

3. Fear of failure, lack of interest, and perfectionism are part of the main reasons why people procrastinate. (source) 

4. 80-95% of college students procrastinate to some degree. (source)

5. 75% of people consider procrastination a personality trait/problem. (source)

6. 96-97% of severe procrastinators consider procrastination a problem, while only 42-48% of the less severe procrastinators do so. (source)

7. 20% of men and women in the U.S. are chronic procrastinators. (source)

8. Research found a link between chronic procrastination and depression and anxiety, as well as poor sleep. (source)

9. An average employee loses approximately $10,396 annually due to procrastination. (source)

10. People procrastinate for around 55 days per year. (source)

11. In the 1970s, only 5% of the population felt they belonged in a chronic procrastination category, while today, that figure has risen to about 20%. (source)

12. 94% of respondents said procrastination makes them unhappy. (source)

13. According to a study, distraction is the most common reason for procrastination, accounting for 48% of cases. (source)

14. Feeling overwhelmed and unable to decide where to start is the second most common reason for procrastination, accounting for 40% of cases. (source)

15. 80% of students are procrastinators to varying degrees. Half of them always procrastinate due to poor time management skills, lack of planning for academic activities, laziness, and stress. (source)

16. About 83% of university students procrastinate at least one hour daily, especially in writing tasks. (source)

17. Also, 55% of medical students in the university procrastinate on academic duties. (source)

18. 40% of people have financial issues due to procrastination, such as filing for taxes too late. (source)

19. The age group of 14–29-year-olds procrastinates the most. (source)

20. Lack of self-confidence is one of the primary reasons why students procrastinate. (source)

21. In a survey, 19% of students were categorized as non-procrastinators. The majority (81%) were procrastinators. Of the 81%, 20% seldom procrastinate. And 22% usually procrastinate. However, 39% admitted they always procrastinate on academic tasks. (source)

Statistics On Procrastination In The Workplace 

Procrastination is a common issue in the workplace, affecting employees and employers alike. It can lead to several negative consequences, including decreased productivity, increased stress, and lower job satisfaction. 

Let’s take a look at some interesting facts and statistics below:

22. The average worker admitted to wasting 2.09 hours daily on non-job-related activities. (source)

23. 80% of workers are distracted by office chatting. (source)

24. 47% of workers say in-person conversations are distracting, followed by phone calls (20%) and chat platforms (15%). (source)

25. The average worker spends 2 hours and 11 minutes procrastinating daily. (source)

26. Men procrastinate more than women, wasting an average of 2 hours and 51 minutes each day compared to just 1 hour and 52 minutes for women. (source)

27. 80% of salaried workers procrastinated between 1 to 4 hours. (source)

28.  8.7% of salaried workers are “hardcore procrastinators” who waste at least half of their work day. (source)

29. 9.7% of entrepreneurs were “hardcore procrastinators” who wasted 4 hours or more. (source)

30. Just 12% of employees claim they don’t procrastinate. At least not for more than an hour. (source)

How Prevalent Is Procrastination Among Students?

Students often struggle with procrastination, which negatively impacts various aspects of their lives, including their academic, social, and emotional well-being.

Below are some interesting statistics on procrastination among students:

31. According to the American Psychological Association, 80% to 95% of college students procrastinate, mainly when it comes to doing their coursework. (source)

32. 86% of high school students admit to procrastinating on assignments. (source)

33. Approximately 50% of high school students procrastinate consistently and problematically. (source)

34. Female students procrastinate less than males. (source)

35. 86% of participants in a study of graduate students admitted to procrastinating on writing assignments. (source)

36. 71% of surveyed students considered procrastination to be a problem. From this group, 29.4% have considered seeking help for the problem. (source)

37. 45% of surveyed students say they spend 6-8 hours daily on social media. 23% spend more than 8 hours on social media. Unfortunately, only 12% spend less than 2 hours on social media, and 20% spend between 2 and 4 hours. (source)

38. 26.9% of Chinese medical students have depression symptoms that are correlated with bedtime procrastination. (source)

Impact of Procrastination On Businesses and Productivity

39. Procrastination statistics suggest that 40% of people have experienced financial loss due to procrastination. (source)

40. Procrastinating 3 hours daily costs businesses $15,000 annually for a $40,000 salaried worker. (source)

41. The cost of unnecessary interruptions in terms of lost productivity and innovation is a staggering $650 billion. (source)

Impact Of Technology on Procrastination

Technology is becoming very important in our daily lives. 

It’s difficult to picture life without our gadgets, from the alarm that rings in the morning to the phone we use to talk to our loved ones. 

Technology has greatly influenced society, and its role in procrastination is no exception. 

Although people procrastinate for various reasons, researchers think that one of the biggest offenders is technology. 

Below is how technology has facilitated procrastination: 

1. Social Media

It can be challenging to avoid the temptation of browsing through Facebook or Twitter when you should be concentrating on other tasks. 

The allure of social media is a significant distraction, often leading to hours lost in aimless scrolling instead of focusing on more important matters.

Strategies to Help You Overcome:

• Use a website or app blocker to restrict social media usage during work hours.
• Set a goal and write it down where it can be seen, such as on a sticky note on the work computer or next to a comfy chair.
• Creating a distraction-free zone and using a social media blocker can also effectively avoid social media distractions.
• Setting a schedule for checking social media can help manage usage and avoid distractions.

2. Email

Checking your email can be a convenient way to delay essential tasks. 

It’s easy to become engrossed in reading and responding to messages, even if they’re not urgent. Additionally, once you’ve gone through your email, it can be challenging to resist the temptation to visit other websites.

Strategies to Help You Overcome:

• Consider managing your inbox more efficiently by using it as a to-do list only for urgent tasks.
• Try to minimize the time spent on non-essential activities by setting aside specific times to check your email.
• You can also use time-tracking programs to monitor how much time you spend on email daily.
• Consider alternative communication methods such as phone calls or face-to-face conversations for faster and easier communication.
• Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails to reduce the number of emails you receive.

3. Games

Games are another top distraction. In fact, millions of people are addicted to video games. And you can tell that these people procrastinate on important tasks just to satisfy the urge. 

Whether it’s an online game or a downloaded one, gaming without knowing when to stop can consume a significant amount of time. 

Once you’ve started playing, it can be challenging to stop, and before you realize it, an hour has gone by without any progress on the tasks you were meant to be working on.

Strategies to Help You Overcome:

• Limit gaming time and avoid highly time-consuming titles.
• Schedule your time to prioritize work, relationships, and gaming, ensuring a balanced approach to all activities.
• Engage in physical activities with a gaming theme or join gaming events to combine your passion for gaming with socializing.
• Encourage interval gaming sessions for children and promote alternative activities such as sports to ensure a balanced lifestyle.

4. YouTube

YouTube can significantly contribute to procrastination, as it offers a vast selection of videos that are easy to access. These videos are engaging and shareable.  

This can make it difficult to focus on your tasks and accomplish what you should do.

Strategies to Help You Overcome:

• Define your objectives and break them down into smaller, manageable tasks. This will help you stay focused on what needs to be done.
• Determine which tasks are most important and tackle those first. This will ensure you work on high-impact tasks rather than getting lost in YouTube videos. 
• Allocate specific times during the day for watching YouTube videos and stick to that schedule. This will help you avoid spending excessive time on the platform.
• Engage in other hobbies or activities that don’t involve YouTube to help you unwind and relax without the distraction of endless video content.

FAQs On Procrastination

4. How Do You Beat Procrastination at Work?

• Recognize that procrastination is often about negative feelings or anxiety about the task and deal with those feelings directly. 
• Setting specific goals and deadlines can also help, as can breaking tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces.
• Seek support from others, such as friends, family members, or a coach or counselor.
• Reduce the number of decisions you must make throughout the day, plan your days, and remove distractions from your work environment.
• Be kind to yourself and practice self-compassion when thinking about past experiences with procrastination.