New research shows procrastination is bad for our health

The research has been led by Professor Fuschia Sirois from our top-rated Psychology Department and co-authored by Dr Christopher Stride of Sheffield University’s Institute of Work Psychology and Dr Timothy Pychyl from the Department of Psychology at Carleton University, Canada.  

Does procrastination really affect health? 

The study involved 379 Canadian university students who were monitored over the course of five months.  

The students were asked how often they procrastinated in all areas of life and were asked to rate their stress, health behaviours, and health problems across three time points.  

Researchers found that those who procrastinated the most also reported feeling poorly more often, with ailments ranging from headaches to colds, and aches and pains.   

They also reported experiencing more stress, and practicing fewer healthy behaviours, such as eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.   

Addressing procrastination 

The work supports Professor Sirois’s theory that procrastination leads to elevated stress levels which in turn leads to ill health.  

It also highlights the need to develop techniques to combat procrastination, particularly among younger people, as they are at risk of potentially serious health problems if they go on to procrastinate throughout their lives.  

Professor Sirois says that procrastination is caused by ineffective emotion management, rather than being about laziness or poor time management. 

It can be addressed through adopting certain mindfulness techniques.  

Find out more: 

• Read the full paper published in the British Journal of Health Psychology 
• Learn more about the work of Professor Fuschia Sirois 
• Read about the support services on offer to Durham students 
• Interested in studying Psychology at Durham? Read about the courses on offer here  

Our Department of Psychology prides itself on being a collegiate and welcoming department, committed to success for all who work here. 

Through dedicated teaching sessions, an optional placement module, external speakers and even an employability retreat – we actively prepare students for working life. We are proud to ranked in the Top 10 Psychology departments in the UK by The Complete University Guide 2022.