Get it done—Does procrastination harm health?

Abstract

Background: An estimated 20–30% of students show a tendency to delay important tasks in their studies. In the procrastination–health model, this tendency is associated with impaired psychological well-being, increased stress experience, and poorer health behaviors. Objective: We will analyze whether the aforementioned assumptions of the procrastination–health model can be demonstrated empirically in a sample of students. Materials and methods: In January and February 2019, 3420 students at Freie Universität Berlin were surveyed in an online survey about procrastination, anxiety/depression, their sleep behavior, and their stress experience. A structural equation model was formulated to test the assumptions of the procrastination–health model; the results of which are reported here. Results: The central assumptions of the procrastination–health model were confirmed. Procrastination directly promotes anxiety/depression and has an indirect effect on well-being (anxiety/depression) via both stress experience and lowered sleep quality. Conclusions: It appears useful to pay attention to procrastination’s mediated effects via stress experience and health-related behavior, in addition to its direct health-damaging effect. However, these results still have to be confirmed in a longitudinal study.