Procrastinating on Your Thesis: How to Get Moving Again
In short
- Procrastination means putting something off even though you expect to be worse off for it. Unpleasant tasks with a distant goal are put off especially often.
- Concrete if-then plans help people get started in studies. Writing groups and interim deadlines are less well studied.
- An extension is usually only granted for illness with a doctor’s note or other serious reasons, requested before the deadline. If you miss it without such a reason, you have usually failed.
- If lack of drive, sleep problems, or withdrawal last for weeks, have it checked by a doctor or psychotherapist.
Your thesis is registered and the clock is ticking. The document has not grown for days. That is not only about you but also about the nature of this task. This article shows what research knows about procrastination on big projects, which strategies are backed by evidence, and what you can do if the deadline is at risk.
Why do so many people put off their thesis in particular?
A thesis combines a lot of what makes procrastination likely. The word procrastination comes from the Latin "crastinus," meaning "of tomorrow." The psychologist Piers Steel describes procrastinating as voluntarily delaying a planned action even though you expect to be worse off for the delay.
In 2007, Steel pulled together hundreds of study results. Among other things, procrastination was clearly linked to how unpleasant a task feels, how much you trust yourself to do it, and how impulsive you are. Distance in time also plays a role: what lies far in the future influences decisions today less.
With a thesis, these things come together:
- Big and open-ended: "Write the master's thesis" is not a task you can simply begin on a Monday morning.
- Little rhythm from outside: There is often no lecture, no problem sets, no midterm. The deadline is weeks or months away.
- New: For many, it is the first piece of work this size. Confidence is correspondingly low.
- It counts: The grade goes on your transcript. Someone will read the work critically.
The article Procrastination in college describes general causes and first countermeasures.
Does procrastination have something to do with perfectionism?
It depends on which kind of perfectionism you mean. In 2007, Steel found no evidence that people who procrastinate are more perfectionistic overall. A later meta-analysis distinguished more precisely:
- Perfectionistic concerns such as fear of mistakes, worry about other people's judgment, and harsh self-criticism went along with more procrastination.
- Perfectionistic striving, meaning high personal standards, tended to go along with less procrastination.
Both associations were small to moderate. They show an association, not proof of cause and effect.
So high standards alone are not the problem. It gets difficult when fear of being judged accompanies every sentence. Then it can help to deliberately separate the rough draft from the final version. The rough draft is allowed to be clumsy.
Which strategies are backed by evidence?
If-then plans are well studied: concrete intentions for when, where, and with what you will start. In research they are called implementation intentions. A meta-analysis of 94 tests found a moderate to large effect on whether people reach their goals. The plans helped with getting started and against distraction, among other things. The goals studied came from many areas, not specifically theses.
An if-then plan needs a small, clear step. Here is what that can look like:
| Too big | Smaller next step | If-then plan |
|---|---|---|
| "Write the theory section" | Find three sources for section 2.1 | If I am sitting in the library on Tuesday at 9 a.m., I first open the literature database. |
| "Finish the methods" | Jot down half a page of bullet points on the procedure | If I am at my desk after lunch, I write for 25 minutes without worrying about order. |
| "Revise the discussion" | Cut one paragraph | If I notice I am reaching for my phone, I put it in the hallway and read the last paragraph aloud. |
Fixed writing times are basically an if-then plan for every week: same days, same time, same place. If you also have exams coming up next to the thesis, you will find tips in the article Exam season: what helps in the last two weeks.
In general, procrastination can be reduced. A meta-analysis of 24 intervention studies found a clear decline after the programs, which held up at follow-up. Cognitive behavioral approaches showed the largest effects. The researchers treat this as a preliminary result, though.
Do writing groups and agreements with your supervisor help?
Both can give structure, but the evidence for them is thinner. In writing groups, for example in the "Shut up and write" format, people meet at fixed times and write on their own texts together. In a study of 24 early-career researchers, confidence in their own writing and use of writing strategies rose after twelve weeks of an online writing group. There was no control group. How much more people wrote was not measured. That is a hint, not proof.
Many writing centers offer such formats. The Schreibzentrum (writing center) of Leuphana University has writing groups specifically for theses. The Schreibzentrum of the University of Hamburg offers one-on-one advising and an open advising hour without registration. At Saarland University, the advising also covers writer's block and time planning for theses. Some writing centers also hold the Lange Nacht der aufgeschobenen Hausarbeiten (Long Night of Procrastinated Papers) with shared writing and advising. Ask your university about dates.
With your supervisor, you can agree on interim meetings, for example for the outline or a sample chapter. Whether such deadlines measurably reduce procrastination is open, though. A much-cited study on this could not be confirmed in a replication in 2026. The practical benefit remains: you get feedback early and know whether you are on the right track.
Three points are enough for the conversation:
- where you stand right now, even if it is not much
- which question is blocking you, for example a topic that is too broad or an unclear method
- when the next feedback will happen
What if you can't make the deadline?
An extension is usually granted only for reasons you are not responsible for, such as illness with a doctor's note. You usually apply to the Prüfungsausschuss (examination board), and before the deadline runs out. The exact rules are in your Prüfungsordnung (examination regulations). Two examples show how different they are:
| Example | Extension | What else applies |
|---|---|---|
| University of Hamburg, Education (bachelor's) | once, at most one week, on a justified request before the deadline; for illness a qualified doctor's note; longer in cases of hardship | If you do not hand in on time for reasons you are responsible for, you receive "nicht ausreichend" (5.0, a failing grade). |
| FU Berlin, Psychology (bachelor's) | because of illness, six weeks in total at most | A simple sick note is not enough. The doctor's note must describe the limitations, a diagnosis is not required. |
Timing matters: at FU Berlin, notes backdated by more than three days are generally not accepted. So if you are ill, see a doctor early. If in doubt, ask the examination office. This article gives an overview and does not replace advice in your individual case.
When is it more than procrastination?
If hardly anything works for weeks, and not only on the thesis, you should have it checked. Watch for signs like these:
- lack of drive that has lasted for weeks
- sleep problems that do not go away
- withdrawal from friends and from things that otherwise matter to you
- the feeling that nothing makes sense anyway
A first point of contact is your family doctor. For a psychotherapy consultation hour you do not need a referral. People with statutory health insurance get an appointment arranged through the appointment service at 116 117 (in Germany, in German) or on 116117.de, within four weeks. What comes next and how to bridge waiting times is covered in the article Finding a therapist during college.
Where can you get support?
A good first step is the services of your university and your Studierendenwerk (student services organization).
- Writing center or writing advising: for planning, outlining, and writer's block, often with writing groups too.
- Psychosocial counseling: The topics of the counseling centers of the Studierendenwerke also include organizing your work and problems at the end of your degree. More in the article Psychosocial counseling at the Studierendenwerk.
- Supervisor and examination office: for everything about deadlines and extensions.
Your Studierendenwerk usually offers counseling for free. If you have to wait there or have time in the evening, we are here.
At Studifit, you talk by video with bachelor-level psychologists who are supervised by licensed psychotherapists. Together you can, for example, set up a realistic plan up to the deadline or find out what blocks you from getting started. Studifit is counseling, not psychotherapy. We do not make diagnoses. The intro call is free. The first session costs €25; you will find all other prices on our pricing page. A session lasts 50 minutes. Appointments are usually available within a few days.
When you can't go on
If you are having suicidal thoughts or are in severe distress: TelefonSeelsorge (a free crisis line, 24/7, in German) 0800 111 0 111. If your life is in danger: 112. You will find more help on our page Crisis.
Sources
- Steel, P. (2007). The nature of procrastination: A meta-analytic and theoretical review of quintessential self-regulatory failure. Psychological Bulletin, 133(1), 65–94. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.133.1.65
- Sirois, F. M., Molnar, D. S., & Hirsch, J. K. (2017). A meta-analytic and conceptual update on the associations between procrastination and multidimensional perfectionism. European Journal of Personality, 31(2), 137–159. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.2098
- Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601%2806%2938002-1
- van Eerde, W., & Klingsieck, K. B. (2018). Overcoming procrastination? A meta-analysis of intervention studies. Educational Research Review, 25, 73–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2018.09.002
- Proulx, C. N., Rubio, D. M., Norman, M. K., & Mayowski, C. A. (2023). Shut Up & Write! builds writing self-efficacy and self-regulation in early-career researchers. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, 7(1), e141. https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2023.568
- Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, Schreibzentrum: Angebote für Studierende. https://www.leuphana.de/einrichtungen/schreibzentrum/studierende.html
- Universität Hamburg, Schreibzentrum: Schreibberatung. https://www.hul.uni-hamburg.de/schreibzentrum/schreibberatung.html
- Universität des Saarlandes, Schreibzentrum: Flyer. https://www.uni-saarland.de/fileadmin/upload/projekt/schreiben/Dokumente/Flyer_SULB_Schreibzentrum_2401.pdf
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (2015). Pressemitteilung: Auf keinen Fall sieben Stunden vor dem Schreibtisch brüten. https://www.lmu.de/de/die-lmu/struktur/zentrale-universitaetsverwaltung/presse-und-kommunikation-puk/press-room/pressemitteilung/auf-keinen-fall-sieben-stunden-vor-dem-schreibtisch-brueten-ce67a4e1.html
- Hyndman, K., & Bisin, A. (2026). Replication of „Procrastination, Deadlines, and Performance: Self-Control by Precommitment“. Psychological Science, 37(8). https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976261460772
- Universität Hamburg, Fakultät für Erziehungswissenschaft: Informationsblatt Bachelorarbeit. https://www.ew.uni-hamburg.de/studium/pruefungen/files/informationsblatt-bachelorarbeit-08-22.pdf
- Freie Universität Berlin, Fachbereich Erziehungswissenschaft und Psychologie: Merkblatt zum Verfahren bezüglich der Verlängerung der Bearbeitungszeit der Bachelorarbeit im Falle einer Krankheit. https://ewi-psy.fu-berlin.de/verwaltung-service/studienangelegenheiten/pruefungsbuero/bachelor_psy/Bachelorarbeit/Merkblatt-Krankschreibung-23_01_2025.pdf
- Bundesministerium für Gesundheit: Psychotherapeutische Sprechstunde. https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/service/begriffe-von-a-z/p/psychotherapeutische-sprechstunde/seite
- Kassenärztliche Vereinigung Schleswig-Holstein (2026). Patienteninformation Terminservicestelle Psychotherapie. https://www.kvsh.de/fileadmin/user_upload/dokumente/Patienten/Terminservicestelle/TSS_Patienteninformation__Psycho_2026.pdf
- Deutsches Studentenwerk (2019). Beratung im Profil. https://www.studierendenwerke.de/fileadmin/user_upload/dsw_beratung_web.pdf
All information in this article was carefully researched, but we cannot guarantee that it is complete or up to date. Services, waiting times and legal rules can change. As of November 2026.
