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Do software developers procrastinate more?

Explore the reasons why software developers procrastinate, from technological distractions to perfectionism, and how to overcome these barriers to achieve productivity and continuous improvement.

Published 2025-03-18
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Distracted developer procrastinating
author avatar
Darío Macchi
Developer Advocate @Howdy

Content

  1. What is procrastination? (No, not again!)

    2. This is where we should give the definition of procrastination, but we'll leave that for later.

    You might already know the answer (if not, you can Google it). We’re not here to explain things that are easy to find elsewhere. But if you look up what procrastination is, you’ll find broad definitions that apply to anyone. Don’t get us wrong, we don’t think we’re demigods beyond definitions. But let’s just say that if procrastination were a crime, we’d have the motive, the means, and the opportunity to commit it.

    Okay, maybe we need to take a break from detective shows.

  2. Why Are You Putting Things Off? – The Motive

    3. There are plenty of reasons why a developer might put things off, but instead of listing them, let’s flip it around for a different perspective: what motivates you to keep working?

    As a software developer, have you ever experienced that feeling where time just flies by? Where everything clicks perfectly? You’re locked in on a task and there’s this innate belief that it’s going to be exceptional. It feels like flow.

    Why do I feel that way in those moments? These are the main reasons:

    • High level of interest
    • Comfort
    • Confidence in success
    • Streamlined procedures
    • Clarity of task requirements

    Now, circling back to why you might be procrastinating: if what you’re feeling doesn’t check any of the items above, then you’ve got at least one reason to procrastinate on whatever you’re doing right now.

  3. What Do You Do When You Procrastinate? – The Means

    4. Nowadays, everyone’s got a phone in their hand and tons of social media apps. Those are the “means” everyone has access to.

    But us? We’re coders. We live in the fast lane. A new app hits the market, a new social platform pops up, and we’re on it instantly (ahem, Threads?). So yeah, we’ve got even more distractions, more “tools” to procrastinate with until deadlines come crashing down on us.

    And wait, there’s more! We also have a ton of things we can do while “working” that might even look “useful.” These are the tasks that eat up time and energy, that stop us from doing other tasks until we finish them, tricking us into believing we’ve had a super productive day—when really, we haven’t.

    Take configuring your IDE, for example. You know the drill: setting up new plugins that promise to turn you into a 10x ninja developer with slick navigation tricks and cool helper tools. Or tinkering with your Terminal settings so it displays specific info and changes depending on which directory you’re in.

    Don’t get us wrong, we’re all in for these kinds of tweaks, and sometimes we have to stop ourselves from spending the whole afternoon messing with them. But let’s be real: you’re not moving your product forward by doing these things. You could be advancing like a 2x or 3x developer while configuring stuff to become a 10x in the future. At least that way, you’re still adding value to what you’re building.

  4. When Do Things Start to Go Wrong? – The Opportunity

    5. If you work in a store, it’s easy to waste time on your phone. But then you might think: “Okay, enough slacking. I’ll put the phone away and actually do some work in the shop for the next hour.” Basically, you’re making sure there’s no way to fall back into old procrastination habits (at least for a while).

    But hey—we’re software developers! We’re always working with tech, right? Phones, laptops, tablets, our personal gear, and our work devices. Everything’s happening at once, and it’s all interrupting us in different ways.

    So there you are, deep in the coding zone, but then your phone buzzes. “I’ll check it after I finish this part,” you think. But then another ping. “Okay, let me just wrap this section up first,” but then a Slack notification pops in, and your phone dings again. “Alright, what’s going on now?” You check, and 40 minutes later, you snap back to reality and realize you were coding but can’t remember where you left off. Now you need a solid 20 minutes just to get back into rhythm. And just when you’re starting to focus again—another buzz, and the whole cycle kicks off once more.

    See? Opportunities are always right in front of us, waiting and chasing us down.

    But even that’s not the worst opportunity for procrastination. We think it’s perfectionism.

    The Perfectionism Trap

    Perfectionism, while often seen as a desirable trait, can drive procrastination in software development. Developers who chase perfection may find themselves constantly re-checking their work, looking for the “perfect” solution to a problem that might not even exist. Instead of moving forward with their tasks, these developers spend excessive amounts of time polishing every detail.

    The fear of making mistakes or delivering something less than perfect can also feed procrastination. A perfectionist developer might delay starting a project simply because they’re afraid they won’t complete it flawlessly. They could spend hours planning and preparing, but never actually start coding because they’re terrified of messing up.

    This endless pursuit of perfection can lead to burnout and reduced productivity. It’s important for software developers (and everyone else) to understand that mistakes are a normal part of the learning process. Instead of aiming for perfection, it’s far more beneficial to aim for continuous improvement.

  5. Conclusion

    6. In short, procrastination in software development is a complex problem fueled by multiple factors—like lack of interest, comfort, or confidence in success. Developers have endless means of procrastination thanks to constant distractions, and the very nature of their work gives them plenty of opportunities to put things off. Add in perfectionism, and the cycle becomes even harder to break.

    But recognizing these triggers and understanding that they exist is the first step to overcoming procrastination. Developers should aim for continuous improvement rather than perfection, set realistic goals and deadlines, and try to minimize distractions by creating an environment that supports focus and productivity.

    And most importantly, remember: everyone procrastinates sometimes. Fortunately, it’s not a crime—it’s part of being human. The key isn’t beating yourself up over it, but identifying the root cause and taking steps to manage it effectively. After all, productivity isn’t about being busy all the time; it’s about working smarter, not harder.

    Procrastination may be a tough obstacle to overcome, but with determination and persistence, developers can push through and reach their full potential.

What is procrastination? (No, not again!)

This is where we should give the definition of procrastination, but we'll leave that for later.

You might already know the answer (if not, you can Google it). We’re not here to explain things that are easy to find elsewhere. But if you look up what procrastination is, you’ll find broad definitions that apply to anyone. Don’t get us wrong, we don’t think we’re demigods beyond definitions. But let’s just say that if procrastination were a crime, we’d have the motive, the means, and the opportunity to commit it.

Okay, maybe we need to take a break from detective shows.

Why Are You Putting Things Off? – The Motive

There are plenty of reasons why a developer might put things off, but instead of listing them, let’s flip it around for a different perspective: what motivates you to keep working?

As a software developer, have you ever experienced that feeling where time just flies by? Where everything clicks perfectly? You’re locked in on a task and there’s this innate belief that it’s going to be exceptional. It feels like flow.

Why do I feel that way in those moments? These are the main reasons:

  • High level of interest
  • Comfort
  • Confidence in success
  • Streamlined procedures
  • Clarity of task requirements

Now, circling back to why you might be procrastinating: if what you’re feeling doesn’t check any of the items above, then you’ve got at least one reason to procrastinate on whatever you’re doing right now.

What Do You Do When You Procrastinate? – The Means

Nowadays, everyone’s got a phone in their hand and tons of social media apps. Those are the “means” everyone has access to.

But us? We’re coders. We live in the fast lane. A new app hits the market, a new social platform pops up, and we’re on it instantly (ahem, Threads?). So yeah, we’ve got even more distractions, more “tools” to procrastinate with until deadlines come crashing down on us.

And wait, there’s more! We also have a ton of things we can do while “working” that might even look “useful.” These are the tasks that eat up time and energy, that stop us from doing other tasks until we finish them, tricking us into believing we’ve had a super productive day—when really, we haven’t.

Take configuring your IDE, for example. You know the drill: setting up new plugins that promise to turn you into a 10x ninja developer with slick navigation tricks and cool helper tools. Or tinkering with your Terminal settings so it displays specific info and changes depending on which directory you’re in.

Don’t get us wrong, we’re all in for these kinds of tweaks, and sometimes we have to stop ourselves from spending the whole afternoon messing with them. But let’s be real: you’re not moving your product forward by doing these things. You could be advancing like a 2x or 3x developer while configuring stuff to become a 10x in the future. At least that way, you’re still adding value to what you’re building.

When Do Things Start to Go Wrong? – The Opportunity

If you work in a store, it’s easy to waste time on your phone. But then you might think: “Okay, enough slacking. I’ll put the phone away and actually do some work in the shop for the next hour.” Basically, you’re making sure there’s no way to fall back into old procrastination habits (at least for a while).

But hey—we’re software developers! We’re always working with tech, right? Phones, laptops, tablets, our personal gear, and our work devices. Everything’s happening at once, and it’s all interrupting us in different ways.

So there you are, deep in the coding zone, but then your phone buzzes. “I’ll check it after I finish this part,” you think. But then another ping. “Okay, let me just wrap this section up first,” but then a Slack notification pops in, and your phone dings again. “Alright, what’s going on now?” You check, and 40 minutes later, you snap back to reality and realize you were coding but can’t remember where you left off. Now you need a solid 20 minutes just to get back into rhythm. And just when you’re starting to focus again—another buzz, and the whole cycle kicks off once more.

See? Opportunities are always right in front of us, waiting and chasing us down.

But even that’s not the worst opportunity for procrastination. We think it’s perfectionism.

The Perfectionism Trap

Perfectionism, while often seen as a desirable trait, can drive procrastination in software development. Developers who chase perfection may find themselves constantly re-checking their work, looking for the “perfect” solution to a problem that might not even exist. Instead of moving forward with their tasks, these developers spend excessive amounts of time polishing every detail.

The fear of making mistakes or delivering something less than perfect can also feed procrastination. A perfectionist developer might delay starting a project simply because they’re afraid they won’t complete it flawlessly. They could spend hours planning and preparing, but never actually start coding because they’re terrified of messing up.

This endless pursuit of perfection can lead to burnout and reduced productivity. It’s important for software developers (and everyone else) to understand that mistakes are a normal part of the learning process. Instead of aiming for perfection, it’s far more beneficial to aim for continuous improvement.

Conclusion

In short, procrastination in software development is a complex problem fueled by multiple factors—like lack of interest, comfort, or confidence in success. Developers have endless means of procrastination thanks to constant distractions, and the very nature of their work gives them plenty of opportunities to put things off. Add in perfectionism, and the cycle becomes even harder to break.

But recognizing these triggers and understanding that they exist is the first step to overcoming procrastination. Developers should aim for continuous improvement rather than perfection, set realistic goals and deadlines, and try to minimize distractions by creating an environment that supports focus and productivity.

And most importantly, remember: everyone procrastinates sometimes. Fortunately, it’s not a crime—it’s part of being human. The key isn’t beating yourself up over it, but identifying the root cause and taking steps to manage it effectively. After all, productivity isn’t about being busy all the time; it’s about working smarter, not harder.

Procrastination may be a tough obstacle to overcome, but with determination and persistence, developers can push through and reach their full potential.