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How common is procrastination?

Short answer: Very common. A widely cited review estimates that 80 to 95% of college students procrastinate, about 75% consider themselves procrastinators, and around 15 to 20% of adults procrastinate chronically. It is one of the most common problems students report.[1]

By Seth Richardson, Founder of ProcrastiGauge · Last reviewed 24 October 2026 · Based on published research (sources below)

Key facts

  • College students who procrastinate: estimated 80 to 95%
  • Students who see themselves as procrastinators: about 75%
  • Adults who procrastinate chronically: about 15 to 20%

The details

These figures come from Piers Steel's 2007 review of procrastination research, which summarises earlier surveys. Rates are highest among students, who face many self-directed tasks with distant deadlines, exactly the conditions that make delay tempting.

Being common does not make it harmless: the same research links procrastination with lower performance and more stress. But it does mean you are not unusual, and it is a problem many people learn to reduce.

If you want to know how much you procrastinate, rather than guess, track it. ProcrastiGauge asks each night how long you waited before starting your main task and shows the trend in your weekly report.

Limits of the evidence. These are estimates drawn from older surveys with different definitions and samples, so treat them as rough ranges rather than exact rates.
How ProcrastiGauge helps. ProcrastiGauge turns "I procrastinate a lot" into a number you can watch: it tracks your start delays every day and shows them in a weekly report. Try ProcrastiGauge free for 7 days.

Try ProcrastiGauge free for 7 days

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Related questions

Sources

  1. Steel, P. (2007). The nature of procrastination: A meta-analytic and theoretical review of quintessential self-regulatory failure. Psychological Bulletin, 133(1), 65-94. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.133.1.65Meta-analysis based on 691 correlations.