Study reveals what drives people to procrastinate

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FROM WATCHING TV AND MOVIES (50%), TO SIMPLY LAYING IN BED (39%) OR TAKING A NAP, A NEW STUDY REVEALS THAT 71 PERCENT OF AMERICANS ADMIT TO BEING GUILTY OF PROCRASTINATING.

ANOTHER PLACE WE TURN IS TO OUR PHONE, SCROLLING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA TO AVOID OUR TO-DO LISTS (42%) FOR ALMOST TWO AND A HALF HOURS EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND HOW SOON DOES PROCRASTINATION O’CLOCK HIT? 12:06 P.M. ON A MONDAY.

ALL OF THIS IS ACCORDING TO A NEW STUDY OF 2,000 U.S. ADULTS CONDUCTED BY TALKER RESEARCH ON BEHALF OF DAVE’S KILLER BREAD. 

THE SURVEY FOUND THAT MANY CAN BE SWAYED TO START CROSSING ITEMS OFF IF THEY’RE EXPECTING FRIENDS OR FAMILY (30%) OR HAVE THE PERFECT SNACK (17%) AND PLAYLIST (17%).

OTHERS SAY THEY ARE LIKELY TO ENLIST THE REST OF THE HOUSEHOLD (14%) AND WILL STAGE A COMPETITION WITH ONE ANOTHER (19%) OR PRETEND THEY’RE ON A GAMESHOW (14%) TO GET STUFF DONE.

WHAT WOULD AMERICANS RATHER DO THAN THEIR TO-DO LIST?

• Take a nap - 39%
• Visit with family and friends - 33%
• Grab a bite to eat - 33%
• Do nothing - 31%
• Go for a walk - 30%
• Go shopping - 28%
• Go for a drive - 20%
• Work out - 16%
• Catch up on work - 10%

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by Dave’s Killer Bread and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between July 19 to July 22, 2024.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.