Procrastination is the act of putting off something you need to do, usually by doing less important or more enjoyable things instead. When you procrastinate on your homework by watching videos or reorganizing your desk for the third time, you know what needs doing but you keep finding reasons to delay.

People procrastinate for different reasons. Sometimes a task feels too big or difficult, so your brain seeks easier activities that provide quick satisfaction. Other times you might procrastinate because a deadline feels far away, making it hard to feel urgency about starting. A student might procrastinate on a book report due in three weeks, then panic when only two days remain.

Someone who procrastinates regularly is called a procrastinator.

Procrastination differs from simply being busy or needing a break. When you procrastinate, you're actively avoiding something while feeling guilty or worried about not doing it. That nagging feeling in the back of your mind, knowing you should be working on something else, is procrastination's calling card. The challenge is that the longer you procrastinate, the more stressful the task becomes, creating a cycle that makes starting even harder.