Many students are familiar with procrastination, i.e. the voluntary postponement of a planned study-related activity (Steel & Klingsieck, 2016). 62.5% of participants in Goethe University Frankfurt’s latest student survey say they start studying later than originally planned, with 14.9% of respondents testifying to a particularly pronounced tendency to procrastinate.
Much of the debate on procrastination in expert literature focuses on it posing a risk factor for studying. It is associated with a range of negative consequences, including lower academic performance (Kim & Seo, 2015) or lower student satisfaction (Grunschel et al., 2013).
While the university-wide student survey confirmed many of these correlations, in-depth analyses also indicate that complex causal relationships are associated with procrastination.
What effect does procrastination have on studies?
The fact that procrastinating learning behavior is not conducive to studying is also evident among Goethe University students: the more often students procrastinate, the more dissatisfied they are with their own academic performance (see Illustration 1: M2a). They also rate their own learning development more critically than those who consistently work on their tasks or only rarely postpone them (see Illustration 1: M2b and M2c). The survey results confirm that procrastinating students think more often and more intensively about switching subjects. In all three instances, the analysis shows linear effects, which means that those students with a strong tendency to procrastinate always perform worst with regard to the study success factors. By contrast, those who say they never procrastinate achieve the best results and are the least doubtful about their choice of subject.
Factors influencing the impact of procrastination
In-depth analyses show that procrastinating learning behavior is closely related to other factors that partially explain its effect. While, on the one hand, there are personal factors related to each individual student, on the other, situational factors within the learning environment also play a role.
Adding the factor “enjoyment of the subject” to the analysis makes it clear that it is not procrastination itself, but rather a lack of enthusiasm for the subject that is largely responsible for low knowledge gains and increased thoughts about changing subjects. It may be this lack of enthusiasm for the subject that facilities the postponement of learning, which in turn only serves to further reinforce the negative effects associated with a lack of interest in one’s subject. Enjoyment of one’s subject alone, however, cannot mitigate the negative influence procrastination has on satisfaction with one’s own academic performance.
The results of the student survey also highlight the relevance of individual student traits and characteristics (see Illustration 2) that foster procrastination. Doubts about one’s own competence, for instance, increase the tendency to procrastinate. Students who consider themselves to be determined and active procrastinate much less frequently, while those who believe their academic success is largely determined by fate tend to do so more often. Whereas expert literature on procrastination indicates that the experience of autonomy also plays a role, our analysis shows that the option of working in a largely self-determined manner has no influence on the extent of procrastination.
In comparison to the influence personal characteristics have in explaining procrastination, that of study-related situational and socio-demographic factors is much less significant. While a quiet place to study at home slightly reduces the likelihood of engaging in procrastinating behavior, neither academic performance requirements nor the perceived balance between credit points and workload have an effect on procrastinating behavior. Exam stress, exam pressure, exam anxiety and general deadline and time pressure do not play any decisive role in this context either. It should be mentioned, however, that these results need to be considered against the backdrop of the aforementioned great importance played by the enjoyment of the subject – which is definitely influenced by study-related conditions. Beyond that, Goethe University’s student survey does not reveal any significant influence demographic characteristics like gender, age or immigrant heritage – which do influence study and study behavior in other contexts – have on procrastination behavior.
Conclusion and ways out of procrastination
The complexity of the phenomenon of procrastination is most evident in the multi-layered nature of cause-and-effect relationships, with both individual characteristics as well as situational and structural factors interacting dynamically and capable of influencing each other (see Illustration 3).
One key finding is that modifiable factors – such as determination, self-doubt or personal attitude towards studying – play a more important role than fixed demographic characteristics. This in turn means that students can actively influence their own learning and working behavior. Research emphasizes the importance of both motivational and action strategies to prevent procrastination and limit its negative effects (Grunschel, 2021, 48). Helpful strategies include setting interim goals, self-instruction on the importance of learning or targeted planning, goal setting and self-monitoring (ibid.).
Support services available at Goethe University Frankfurt
Goethe University offers a wide variety of programs and workshops to help students develop effective strategies, strengthen personal skills and develop the future-relevant expertise they need for their studies to be successful:
- The “Long Night Against Procrastination” (March 6, 2025): An opportunity to get on with writing projects and overcome writer’s block in a productive atmosphere.
- Procrastination workshop given by the Student Mental Health Counseling Service (May 16, 2025): Support in reflecting on one’s own work behavior and developing personal strategies.
- “Design your Life” workshops (April 28 to May 5 & September 3-10, 2025): A creative approach to actively shaping one’s own (university) future.
- Individual counseling: The Student Mental Health Counseling Service offers individual counseling to develop specific strategies against procrastination.
- Workshops on personal development and key competencies: Offers in areas like time management, self-organization and learning strategies help make studying more efficient.
- Self-study materials offer more structure and motivation: Various materials are available to help students better organize academic learning and work, and stay motivated. You can find them here: Goethe-Universität — Selbstorganisation & Zeitmanagement
- Newsletter on key competencies: All current offers as well as content related to specific semester phases are available in our newsletter. To subscribe →
Ultimately, the analysis shows that far from being an inevitable fate, procrastination can be actively tackled and overcome using an array of targeted measures. Those who develop strategies for self-regulation and make use of the support services available to them will be able to study both more productively and with greater satisfaction in the long term.
Antonia Winkler and Dr. Philipp Nolden, Global Affairs Study and Teaching
Further results and information is available on the student survey website: Goethe-Universität — Universitätsweite Studierendenbefragung
Literary references:
Grunschel, Carola et al. (2021): Prokrastination als Risikofaktor für den Abbruch des Studiums: Eine motivations- und handlungsregulatorische Perspektive. In: Neugebauer, Martin et al. (Hrsg.), Studienerfolg und Studienabbruch. Wiesbaden: Springer Verlag.
Grunschel, Carola et al. (2013): Exploring different types of academic delayers: A latent profile analysis. Learning and Individual Differences, 23, 225–233.
Steel, Piers; Klingsieck, Katrin B. (2016): Academic procrastination: Psychological antecedents revisited. Australian Psychologist, 51, 36–46.
Kim, K.R.; Seo, E.H. (2015): The relationship between procrastination and academic performance: A meta-analysis. Personality and Individual Differences, 82, 26–33.
