09/23/2025
Procrastination.
It’s a big word. It’s a loaded word.
I remember when I was about 9 or 10, my mom gave me a book all about procrastination. She truly had the best of intentions but instead it fueled the shame. (Love you, mom ❤️)
Lucky for us, we are learning more and more about our internal landscape and how relatively easy it is to build the skills for better outcomes. (Without the shame! ✨)
84% of students procrastinate.
Not because they’re lazy because something deeper’s off (and fixable).
A 2024 study of 290 med students found two big predictors:
-Low academic self-efficacy
-Poor emotion regulation
Self-efficacy = your belief that you can succeed.
When belief drops, procrastination spikes.
Doubt → delay.
Emotion regulation = managing tough feelings.
Struggles with impulse control, self-awareness, or mood clarity →
much higher odds of putting work off.
The correlations were strong:
-Self-efficacy vs. procrastination: r = −0.65
-Emotion dysregulation vs. procrastination: r = +0.70
Translation
Confidence fights procrastination.
Emotional chaos fuels it.
Both off? You’re toast.
Common emotional blockers
-Low emotional clarity
-Fear of failure
-Mood-based avoidance
-Impulse-driven distractions
What actually helps
Beating procrastination ≠ better to-do lists. It means:
-Training emotion regulation (label feelings, reset, refocus)
-Rebuilding self-efficacy (small wins, specific goals, feedback)
One actionable idea
Teach emotion regulation like a skill, not a byproduct of maturity
brief, recurring practice in classrooms and advising.
Procrastination is often emotion management in disguise.
What mindset shift or tiny habit will you try this week?
