Study finds what drives us to procrastinate

It’s official — procrastination o’clock hits at 12:06 p.m. on a Monday, according to new research.

From watching TV and movies (50%), to simply laying in bed (39%) or taking a nap (29%), a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults revealed that procrastination plagues the nation, as 71% of Americans are guilty of procrastinating. 

Still, 76% admit that they feel guilty when doing so.

Another place Americans will turn is to their phone, scrolling through social media to avoid their to-do list (42%). 

The average American spends almost two and a half hours on social media every single day, despite trying to limit their consumption to just under two hours (1.9). 

Still, 10% spend between five and eight hours scrolling and 18% don’t even attempt to try and limit their social media time.

Taking that a step further, half of Americans agree that their phone is like a fifth appendage and are only inspired to put it down for family dinners (50%), special events, such as birthdays or weddings (35%) or dates (22%).

Aside from social scrolling, respondents are also putting off tasks by playing video games (22%) and calling family and friends (19%). This may be why 28% admit that their phone is usually the main reason why they aren’t getting things done.

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Dave’s Killer Bread, (https://www.daveskillerbread.com/) results also found that respondents would also rather grab a bite to eat (33%), go for a walk (30%) or drive (20%) or simply do nothing (31%) than tackle their to-do list.

Many can be swayed to start crossing items off if they’re expecting friends or family (30%) or have the perfect snack (17%) and playlist (17%).

Another 34% are likely to “gamify” their agenda, and reward themselves with a snack (30%) or quick social media scroll (25%) upon completing a task. 

Others are likely to enlist the rest of the household (14%) and will stage a competition with one another (19%) or pretend they’re on a gameshow (14%).

“Tackling your to-do list isn’t always the most exciting part of the day, and with so many distractions, it’s easy to find ourselves procrastinating,” said Jillian Cohn, Director of Brand Management for Dave’s Killer Bread. “The good news is that something as simple as an energy-boosting snack or your favorite playlist can improve your mood and motivation. Incorporating these small pleasures into your day can transform your approach to getting things done.”

When asked the smallest or strangest things they’ve procrastinated, Americans outlined scenarios such as, “washing my hair,” “using the restroom,” “trimming my toenails,” “taking out the trash” and even “making a phone call.”

Regardless, 70% find that they’re able to cross more things off their to-do list when they’re alone than with help from others.

And another 55% even admit they’re more likely to put things off if they’re hungry.

But when it’s all said and done, almost one in five (19%) find that the tasks they’d been putting off always take a shorter amount of time than expected.

“Even the smallest tasks can sometimes feel overwhelming, and that’s perfectly normal. It’s important to be kind to yourself and celebrate your wins, no matter how big or small,” Cohn added. “Whether you’re tackling your daily tasks or taking a much-needed break, a tasty and nutritious snack can be just what you need to recharge and keep you on track.”

WHAT WOULD AMERICANS RATHER DO THAN THEIR TO-DO LIST?

• Take a nap – 39%
• Visit with family and friends – 33%
• Grab a bite to eat – 33%
• Do nothing – 31%
• Go for a walk – 30%
• Go shopping – 28%
• Go for a drive – 20%
• Work out – 16%
• Catch up on work – 10%