How Procrastination Affects Kids and Teens

We all procrastinate sometimes. McLean’s Michelle Silverman, PhD, helps us recognize when procrastination can be disruptive in a young person’s life and what to do when it is.

Find resources and more about the expert below.

Why We Procrastinate

Procrastination among kids and adolescents is a common challenge. Part of the reason that so many kids struggle with procrastination is the same exact reason that adults do, which is that it’s reinforcing in the short term.

If you think about the last time that you put off a task that you didn’t want to do, you probably felt that immediate sigh of relief: “I don’t have to do this right now.”

However, we know that sooner rather than later, we do have to face that task. That’s part of why procrastination creates so much stress in the long run.

One important thing for parents and educators to understand is that procrastination is rarely about laziness. While it might be tempting, as a parent or a teacher, to say, “Well, this child is just lazy or they just don’t care,” that’s rarely the case.

Often, there are other underlying challenges that might be contributing to this behavior. These can include things like difficulty sustaining attention and maintaining focus, as well as difficulty with time management, prioritizing tasks, planning, and organizing.

There can be underlying learning challenges, like a reading disability, for example, that contribute to procrastination in certain subject areas. Kids may struggle with low motivation or negative self-esteem, which can be related to depression.

Anxiety and stress can often be a reason for procrastination, and that includes things like perfectionism.

Looking Out for Red Flags

There are several red flags to watch out for that may indicate that procrastination is starting to become a larger issue and it may be time to seek help.

The first is the frequency of the behavior. If you’re noticing that a child is procrastinating several times a week or more, that may indicate that it’s time to seek help for the issue.

Another example is when it’s starting to interfere with a child’s quality of life: sleep, friendships, extracurriculars, school, and so on.

For example, when a child is consistently putting off studying or doing homework until really late at night, they might be really tired the next day, have trouble focusing in class or in their extracurricular activities, and may be irritable at home.

Another example is the child who waits until the 11th hour to do their work. They’re cutting corners, they’re making careless mistakes, and their grades may suffer because of it.

A third example is kids who are not just procrastinating with chores and schoolwork, but also with basic hygiene. They’re having difficulty remembering to shower every day, change their clothes, brush their teeth, and things like that.

Another red flag to watch out for is when it’s starting to impact other people in the child’s life. This can include siblings, parents, and classmates.

A classic example of this is the child who waits until really late Sunday night to mention to their parents they have a project due the next day and they need supplies. Then, the parent has to run out Sunday night to the store to get things. They’re stressed and everybody’s feeling really tense.

Another situation to watch out for is when a child is faced with a task or a chore and they’re having a big emotional reaction that seems out of proportion to the task. This might look like a full-blown panic attack or a meltdown, or, for younger kids, a full tantrum that just feels really disproportionate.

Finally, it’s important to look out for when the procrastination starts to turn into full-on avoidance, meaning the child is not just putting off work or tasks for a few hours, but they are completely avoiding it all together.

One thing we know with kids is that, often, avoidance can become a really vicious cycle, because the more that we put something off, the harder it is to approach it. We really want to put a stop to it before it gets to that point.

How To Help When Procrastination Is Disruptive

The good news is that there are a lot of things that parents and educators can do to support a child or a teen who is consistently procrastinating. The first thing, and this often gets overlooked, is trying to get to the root of the problem.

As we mentioned earlier, there are a lot of reasons that a child may be procrastinating. We don’t want to make assumptions about what the cause is for each child. So, get curious with the child. Share your observations. Try to do this in a neutral, nonjudgmental tone and ask them what they think is getting in the way.

For some kids, it might be helpful to offer a few potential explanations. You could say, for example, “I’m wondering if you’re feeling overwhelmed and you’re not sure where to start,” or ”I wonder if you’re feeling anxious about your ability to do the task, or maybe you’re not feeling super motivated.”

Again, it is important to be nonjudgmental and calm so that the child opens up to you.

Another thing that you can do is talk to your child’s school. This could mean sharing your observations with your child’s teacher, a guidance counselor, or a school psychologist, if there is one. Share your concerns. Hear what they’re noticing in school.

The child may benefit from undergoing a neuropsychological evaluation at school to help rule out a learning disability or something like ADHD, for example.

If the reason that a child is procrastinating is because they’re struggling with things like time management, poor planning, or difficulty staying organized, you can consider reaching out to an executive functioning coach. Their job is to teach specific strategies to kids to help them with these types of issues.

Another thing that parents and educators can do is teach some of these strategies to kids themselves. Many of these strategies are common sense to a lot of adults, but they might not be for kids.

Some examples can include helping kids break down assignments into smaller chunks so it feels more approachable.

Another thing adults can do is help kids decide how long they can work for a sustained period of time. Set that as a goal, use a visual timer, and then set a short timer for a break, a brain break, where kids can move around, get a snack, and other things like that.

For younger kids, it might mean working for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, with a two-minute brain break. For older adolescents, it might be closer to 20 or 30 minutes, with a five-minute brain break.

You can also help kids eliminate distractions in their environment. For teens, this might mean keeping their cell phone in another room so they’re not tempted to look at social media.

For younger kids, that might mean making sure they’re in a quiet, non-stimulating environment, away from a window, perhaps they can wear noise-canceling headphones, and so on.

Another way to support procrastination is to help kids identify rewards for task completion. That can be really motivating.

Make Sure Everyday Life Still Happens

It’s important for adults to make sure that kids who procrastinate are still engaging in their day-to-day routines and basic hygiene.

This can include making sure they’re getting adequate sleep, nutrition, hydration, and exercise. When those things start falling to the side, it can just make procrastination a lot worse. So, we really want to make sure they’re still engaging in those types of things. That can help break the procrastination cycle.