Procrastination: Association with Mindfulness and Self-Regulation

Abstract

Procrastination is a behavioral tendency involving the needless delay of tasks, negatively impacting the well-being of an individual across all domains of life. Procrastinators struggle to regulate their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Similarly, procrastination is linked to negative self-evaluations, stress, anxiety, and avoidance. On the other hand, mindfulness is a state of being fully aware, characterized by a non-reactive or non-critical approach toward experiences related to oneself and others. It has been found to enhance an individual's stress-bearing capacity, thereby increasing their ability to persist in tasks. The aim of this research was to examine the relationship among procrastination, mindfulness, and self-regulation. This correlational study utilized a sample of 200 students (100 males, 100 females) from different universities in Islamabad, Pakistan. Participants' ages ranged from 18 to 28 years, with a mean age of 22 years (standard deviation = 2). Each participant was assessed using psychometrically valid measures of procrastination, mindfulness, and self-regulation. Pearson correlations were employed to examine the associations among the three variables. Procrastination was negatively correlated with both mindfulness (r = -0.396) and self-regulation (r = -0.496). However, a significant positive relationship was observed between mindfulness and self-regulation (r = 0.660). These findings underscore the importance of enhancing mindfulness and self-regulation as strategies to address procrastination.