Guide on Academic Procrastination - Causes, Solutions, and Effects of Procrastination!

“I will do this tomorrow!”

Is that what you hear your kid say when you give them some schoolwork to do? Well, that is a classic trait of academic procrastination. It is a phenomenon where students unnecessarily postpone their academic assignments, such as studying for a test, doing some homework, or working on a school project. This is a common issue faced by many students, but if it is not addressed in time the academic procrastination effects can hamper not only their exam performance but their overall health in general.

Hence we have compiled this article that contains a comprehensive overview of academic procrastination and highlights the causes, effects of procrastination, and their effective solution.

Causes of Academic Procrastination

Before digging deeper into the subject, let us understand what the major causes of academic procrastination are. There are various internal and external causes of academic procrastination which are mentioned below -

Internal Causes of Academic Procrastination

Academic procrastination occurs when the issues like anxiety and perfectionism outweigh a student’s self-control and motivation. So here are some of the internal factors -

• Fear of failure
• Perfectionism
• Anxiety
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Physical or mental exhaustion
• Lack of study or organizational skills

External Causes of Academic Procrastination

The cause of procrastination in kids can also be attributed to past life experiences and external factors such as -

• Poor study environment
• Unpleasant or boring assignments
• Lack of clear directions or vague expectations
• Lack of clear due dates for tasks/assignments
• Lack of communication/clarification.
• The instructor/ teacher is too laidback
• The instructor/teacher is too harsh

Effects of Procrastination on Kids

Academic procrastination is associated with negative effects such as worse exam performance, worse emotional well-being, worse mental and physical health, and so on. Thus, the effects of procrastination on kids are often detrimental to their overall well-being and performance. The following are observed as the key effects of procrastination on kids -

• Worse academic performance -
  If your child is showing signs of academic procrastination you are likely to notice its effects in the form of worse academic performance in terms of lower grades, increased academic misconduct, increase course failures, higher chances of dropping out.


• Worse emotional well-being -
  If your child is showing signs of academic procrastination you can notice its effects in the form of their emotional well-being going for a toss. They are often engulfed in feelings of negative emotions like guilt, shame, and sadness.
• Worse mental and physical health -
  For a child that shows signs of academic procrastination is likely to have physical and mental health issues such as stress, lack of sleep, exhaustion, and so on.

Many of the effects of procrastination as mentioned above are interrelated. For instance, when academic procrastination leads to increased negative emotions, it can also trigger stress at the same time. Similarly, when your child is suffering from increased stress, it can lead to physical issues like lack of sleep and exhaustion. It is like a never-ending vicious loop.

Solutions to Overcoming Procrastination Habits in Kids

So if as a parent or teacher, you are struggling to help a child overcome procrastination effects, we have got something just for you! This section will take you through some of the most effective solutions for overcoming procrastination habits in kids.

Academic procrastination can be reduced by analysing the given situation, in terms of the causes of their procrastination, and then implementing an appropriate solution. So let us look at the solutions below -

• Giving out clear directions
  One of the causes for academic procrastination is lack of clear directions from instructors/teachers. Hence it is important to provide students with clear directions, as it will help them to set clear goals for themselves for the project/assignment.


• Setting intermediate deadlines, and milestones
  Yet another cause of academic procrastination in kids is the lack of set deadlines and milestones. Imagine giving students a project with a single deadline at the end of the semester. This is sure to leave the kids feeling laid-back, and procrastinating their work until the deadline is near. So it is best to offer intermediate deadlines such as a date by which they need to decide their topic, a date by which they need to create a project outline, and so on!


• Making studying more enjoyable
  Due to boredom, and lack of engaging studying methods, kids tend to adopt the traits of academic procrastination. Hence it is important for the instructor to engage students in more fun learning methods to make studying enjoyable, and they look forward to it!

Key Takeaways

The effects of procrastination can take a toll on the overall well-being of students, and not just the exam performance. Thus, to help children overcome the procrastination effects, it is important that there is an active involvement of both parents and educational institutions.

At Podar Education Network, we understand the importance of teaching kids how not to procrastinate. And hence our teachers adapt engaging learning methods, to make studying as enjoyable as we can. So come let us join hands to help our kids overcome the procrastination effects!