According to recent studies, procrastination is commonly thought of as a natural reaction to delay important tasks or assignments regardless of consequences
Procrastination is a self-regulation failure. Everyone procrastinates; it is just how they handle their procrastination that makes sense.
Being a student athlete offers many positive and negative outcomes, to the level of procrastination an individual does. Omid Nasseh, a freshman student athlete at Grand View University said, “You see that deadline, to me I think, okay, I have all these days until that day to get it done.”
Instead of treating a deadline as a motivator to get things completed in advance, Nasseh sees it as extra time on his plate. It can be common to assume students have enough time to get projects and homework completed. However, some students end up putting things off until the last minute.
“Some of the older players have been like, ‘You’ve got to prioritize, you’ve got to get the schoolwork done first.’ Coaches have obviously talked about it too—you’re a student-athlete, the student comes before the athlete,” Nasseh said.
Many of Nasseh’s teammates and coaches have been motivating him not to procrastinate. Being on a sports team positively motivates Nasseh not to wait until the last minute. Being a student athlete provides accountability and can reduce his tendency to procrastinate.
Unlike Nasseh, who benefits from team accountability; Brooklyn Nanthanorath, a GV student, explains that her motivation comes from working under the pressure of looming deadlines.
“I try to keep my grades up, try to submit everything on time. But it’s the due date that pressures me,” Nanthanorath said.
She later explained that she works well under pressure. Which is bad from her perspective, but it motivates her to do her assignments.
Her advice on avoiding procrastination was simple.
“Yes, I did actually. I downloaded one of those calendar apps that remind me when I have an assignment due,” Nanthanorath said.
Her checklist of assignments and being able to cross them off helps her a lot. After the assignment is completed, it is deleted from her app.
While Nanthanorath relies on digital tools to stay organized and avoid procrastination, GVU junior Ella Hutchinson takes a broader approach, emphasizing balance, accountability and leadership in managing her responsibilities.
“If I procrastinate on an individual project and I do not do well, that’s on me and me alone. But if I procrastinate on a team project, or event, or something that reflects on my team and that makes my team look bad and that’s just not cool,” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson’s perspective highlights the role of accountability in combating procrastination. For her, the stakes are higher than simply missing a deadline; her actions affect her entire team. This sense of responsibility motivates Hutchinson to stay on top of tasks and avoid putting things off, showing how leadership can shift procrastination from an individual struggle to a shared commitment.
At the same time, Hutchinson underestimates the importance of balance.
“You can’t use your brain 24/7 or you’re going to exhaust yourself and feel like you aren’t doing your best work,” Hutchinson said.
By recognizing the need for rest as well as responsibility, Hutchinson shows that managing procrastinations not just about discipline—it is about finding the balance between productivity, accountability, and self-care.
Together, the perspectives of Nasseh, Nanthanorath and Hutchinson reveal how procrastination is shaped by accountability, pressure and balance. While procrastination may be a universal challenge, students in different roles—whether athletes or leaders—face unique external motivators that shape how they respond to deadlines.
Ultimately, these experiences show that procrastination is not only about time management but also about the structure of accountability and support that influences how individuals manage their responsibilities.
