Procrastination, such as putting off assignments, was identified as the factor with the biggest negative impact on college students' academic performance, outweighing stress and anxiety. An analysis of about 66,000 U.S. college students found that nearly half said procrastination had disrupted their studies.

On Nov. 10, Japanese media outlet Gigazine reported that Itamar Shatz (이타마르 샤츠), a researcher at the University of Cambridge, announced the findings after analysing health survey data from 65,950 students at 97 U.S. higher education institutions.

The results were published on Oct. 7 in the international academic journal PLOS One. The analysis used data from a U.S. college student health assessment survey conducted from January to May 2025.

The survey analysed 36 life and health problems participants experienced over the past 12 months. They included procrastination, academics, financial hardship, appearance, anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sleep disorders.

Some 72.3 percent of all respondents said they experienced procrastination. The rate for stress was slightly higher at 73.8 percent, but both were the most common problems.

Procrastination ranked highest at 45.4 percent among respondents who said it had negatively affected their academic performance. Stress followed at 36.6 percent, anxiety at 30.4 percent, sleep disorders at 22 percent and depression at 20 percent.

Among students who experienced procrastination, 62.7 percent said it had negatively affected their studies. Procrastination also accounted for the highest share, at 45.7 percent, among life problems that caused severe psychological distress.

The impact of procrastination was more pronounced among undergraduates than graduate students. Some 49.3 percent of undergraduates said procrastination disrupted their studies, compared with 35.1 percent of graduate and professional graduate students.

Shatz said procrastination, stress and lack of sleep can affect each other and create a vicious cycle. Students put off assignments and feel stressed, their sleep quality worsens, and they then put off assignments again.

The study analysed self-reported surveys by students and did not prove whether procrastination directly caused an actual drop in grades.

The researchers suggested educational interventions, such as breaking complex tasks into smaller units and building self-regulation skills, could help students manage academic achievement and mental health.