Procrastination among the Undergraduates in a Nigerian University:Implications for Time Management

The study investigated the reasons for procrastination and its effects among the undergraduates in a Nigerian University. A sample of 250 subjects who were selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques, was used in the study. An instrument tagged "Questionnaire on Procrastination among Undergraduates (QPU) was used to collect data for the study. The data collected were analysed using frequency counts and percentage scores. The study revealed that the undergraduates procrastinated in various ways and the degree of procrastination among them was high. Moreover, it was found that the reasons for procrastination among the undergraduates include laziness and sluggishness, fear of making mistakes; fear of not performing well and lack of decision and determination and leniency of the lecturers. The effects of procrastination among the undergraduates include poor academic performance, anxiety, failure to meet deadlines and hindrance of achievement in life endeavour. In order to solve the problems of procrastination, it was recommended that the undergraduates should engage in effective time management through proper time planning and avoidance of time wasters and procrastinators.