Impact of Procrastination and Time Management on Academic

Performance: A Cross Sectional Study Among Grade 12 Student at

Palawan State University – Laboratory Senior High School
YRICH ANNE L. GAN1 JHAYZAN MAE L. GENOVATA2, ZHAN COURTNEY S. PANISALES3,
EZZELLE FAYE J. CASTILLO4
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8138-4434
2021shs0094@psu.palawan.edu.ph, 2021shs0096@psu.palawan.edu.ph
Palawan State University – Laboratory Senior High School
Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines

ABSTRACT

In Palawan State University – Laboratory Senior High School, procrastination is still a concern for some,
particularly grade 12 students who are graduating and have more requirements to complete. This study
is a cross sectional descriptive study conducted among PSU-LSHS grade 12 students to examine the
impact of procrastination and time management and their relationship on their academic performance
this academic year. The researchers used three instruments to determine the impact of procrastination
and time management on academic performance. The first instrument, the Academic Procrastination
Scale (APS), developed by Ocak and Boyraz (2016), was adopted by the researchers to determine the
academic procrastination behaviors of the students. Second, the Time Management Questionnaire
(TMQ), developed by Britton and Tesser (1991), was adopted to assess the students’ time management
skills. Lastly, the Academic Performance Rating Scale (APRS) was developed by the researchers to
assess the academic performance of the students on how they manage it. For analyses, the researchers
used Microsoft excel to tabulate and compute the data. The Pearson correlation coefficient was also
used to determine the relationship between the two variables: procrastination and time management on
academic procrastination. As for the result, it was shown that the grade 12 student of PSU-LSHS scored
neutral in negative perceptions towards the lecturers, and academic perfectionism impacted their
academic performance. However, they agreed that they could complete their task on time. The results
also indicated that the students, in terms of their time management skills, often perform short-range
planning and time attitude, while they sometimes perform long-range planning. The results in the level
of academic performance among grade 12 students of PSU-LSHS showed that the students were
indecisive on how well they attained their academic success, controlled their behavior, and were
productive and actively participated in academics. Further studies that may be undertaken with
respondents from various grade levels were also recommended to be explored.

Keywords: Procrastination, time management, and academic performance, grade 12 students, cross
sectional descriptive study, Palawan State University

INTRODUCTION

Procrastination is a common issue, especially these days. When the pandemic started, the
behavior of students toward academics seemly affected by it. According to the study by Unda-Lopez et
al. (2022), the COVID-19 epidemic created unique conditions that may have altered procrastinating
behavior. Most of the studies about procrastination are in academic contexts. It is practiced by everyone,
from secondary-level students to adults (Ojo, 2019).
According to Afzal and Jami (2018), the strongest predictors of academic procrastination were
aversion to academic tasks such as writing a term paper, studying for an exam, keeping up with weekly
reading assignments, performing administrative tasks, and maintaining attendance, as well as a lack of
decision-making and risk-taking behavior. For instance, secondary-level students exhibited higher
academic task aversion, fear of failure, reliance, and decision-making issues.
 As procrastination is practiced, there will be struggles in time management. Students should be
able to manage their time well to prevent procrastination in their academics. Several studies say that
good time management leads to a positive effect on academic performance and opportunities.
Prioritizing the tasks more than the others is essential to manage time effectively. It is important to
acquire such skills, especially for students, to avoid being pressured and having an anxiety attack.
Rimas et al. (2020) once referred to time management as the act of organizing and managing your time
so that you can split your activities more effectively and efficiently. Time management entails a high
level of awareness in terms of time use as well as determining, planning, monitoring, and organizing
goals and objectives. It may improve a person's punctuality to pass on time. Also, according to
Olowookere et al. (2015), there is a link between time management techniques, character development,
and academic performance. Students develop performance characteristics over time as they engage in
time management practices to pursue academic excellence.
Students aim for academic excellence because academically successful and highly educated
people are more likely to have more employment opportunities, stable work, and health insurance, earn
higher salaries, be less dependent on social assistance, engage in criminal behavior, be more engaged
as citizens and charitable volunteers, and to be healthier and happier. Academic success is essential
since, in the future, technologically demanding employment will necessitate a higher degree of
knowledge (Regier, n.d.). However, the opposite of academic success is academic stress, which could
be caused by procrastination and poor time management skills, which can lead to poor physical and
mental health, a loss of self-esteem, and academic failure. Therefore, in order to avoid procrastination
and academic stress, students need help practicing time management to improve their academic
performance and deal with the demands and uncertainties of their field (Nayak, 2019).

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

This study sought to assess the procrastination, time management, and its relationship with
academic performance among grade 12 students at PSU – LSHS. Specifically, it aimed to (1) assess
the level of academic procrastination among grade 12 students of PSU - LSHS in terms of the following
sub-dimensions: irresponsibility, perceived feature of academic task, negative perceptions toward
lecturers and academic perfectionism; (2) assess the level of time management skills among grade 12
students of PSU - LSHS in terms of short-range planning, time attitude, and long-range planning; (3)
assess the level of academic performance among grade 12 students of PSU - LSHS in terms of
academic success, impulse control, and academic productivity; (4) determine whether there is a
significant relationship between procrastination and academic performance among grade 12 students
of PSU - LSHS; and (5) determine whether there is a significant relationship between time management
and academic performance among grade 12 students of PSU – LSHS.

METHODOLOGY

This study is cross-sectional descriptive research. It is non-experimental research that does not
involve the manipulation of an independent variable. This research design is used to examine and
describe the link between academic procrastination, time management, and academic performance
among PSU LSHS grade 12 students in a single or short period of time. There were 116 respondents
out of 169 students that were randomly selected among grade 12 students of Palawan State University
– Laboratory Senior High School for the Academic Year 2022-2023.
In conducting the study, the researchers used three instruments to determine the impact of
procrastination and time management on academic performance. For the first instrument, the Academic
Procrastination Scale (APS), developed by Ocak and Boyraz (2016), was adopted by the researchers
to determine the academic procrastination behaviors of the students. The instrument consisted of 38
items with four sub-dimensions: irresponsibility (18 items), the perceived feature of academic tasks (11
items), negative perceptions towards lecturers (5 items), and academic perfectionism (4 items). Second,
the Time Management Questionnaire (TMQ), developed by Britton and Tesser (1991), was adopted to
assess the students’ time management skills. It consists of 18 items divided into three sub-dimensions:
short-range planning (7 items), time attitude (6 items), and long-range planning (5 items). It will be used
to assess time management skills. Lastly, the Academic Performance Rating Scale (APRS) was
developed by the researchers to assess the academic performance of the students on how they manage
it. It consists of 33 items with three sub-dimensions: academic success (12 items), impulse control (11
items), and academic productivity (10 items). The researcher-made instrument did undergo the
reliability and validity test. It was validated by Mr. Mc Arthur D. Maravilla, a research teacher. The
reliability coefficient of the instrument is 0.85. Thus, the instruments were concluded as reliable. For the
first and third instruments, the items will be answered: strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, and
strongly disagree. While the second instrument will be: always, often, sometimes, rarely, and never.
Except for questions 8, 10, 12, and 15, they were reverse responses.
Before conducting the survey, the researchers requested permission from the school principal,
Mrs. Mercedita Dacuan, to conduct the survey, which was also signed by the research teacher, Mr.
Arthur D. Maravilla. The research was conducted from December 7 to December 10 and was divided
into two methods: paper survey and Google forms. The survey was initially planned only to be a paper
survey. However, due to the long weekend, the researchers had to conduct it online or through Google
forms.
The gathered data were tabulated using Microsoft Excel. Then, the researchers used the
Pearson correlation coefficient to determine the relationship between the two variables: procrastination
and time management on academic procrastination. On the other hand, for the descriptive analysis, the
researchers determined the weighted mean with its verbal interpretation.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This section presents the results and interpretation of the findings gathered in the study.

1. Procrastination
Table 1 shows the weighted mean of PSU – LSHS grade 12 students in terms of four sub-
dimensions: irresponsibility, perceived features of the academic task, negative perceptions toward
lecturers, and academic perfectionism in the Academic Procrastination Scale.
Table 1
Level of Academic Procrastination among Grade 12 Students of PSU – LSHS (n = 116)
APS WM Verbal Interpretation
S1: Irresponsibility 2.932 Neutral
S2: Perceived Features of the 3.819 Agree
Academic Task
S3: Negative Perceptions Toward 2.624 Neutral
the Lecturers
S4: Academic Perfectionism 3.078 Neutral
Overall Mean 3.113 Neutral

As shown in Table 1, the level of procrastination obtained among grade 12 students of PSU -
LSHS in terms of irresponsibility, negative perceptions toward lecturers, and academic perfectionism
were neutral. It means that the students neither agreed nor disagreed that sub-dimensions 1, 3, and 4
impacted their academic performance. On the other hand, regarding perceived features of the academic
task, the grade 12 students had a weighted mean of 3.819, which means that they agreed that they had
the ability to complete their tasks on time.

2. Time Management Skills

Table 2 shows the weighted mean and verbal interpretation of time management skills among PSU
– LSHS grade 12 students in terms of short-range planning, time attitude, and long-range planning.
Table 2
Level of Time Management Skills among Grade 12 of PSU – LSHS (n = 116)
TMQ WM Verbal Interpretation
S1: Short-range Planning 3.453 Often
S2: Time Attitude 3.466 Often
S3: Long-range Planning 3.35 Sometimes
Overall Mean 3.423 Often

As shown in table 2, the level of time management skills among grade 12 students of PSU –
LSHS in terms of short-range planning and time attitude was often. This indicates that students often
perform short-range planning and set their goals or plan to work on their activities. On the other hand,
the result of long-range planning is sometimes. It indicates that the grade 12 students of PSU – LSHS
sometimes practiced long-range planning to work on their activities.

3. Academic Performance

Table 3
Level of Academic Performance among Grade 12 Students of PSU – LSHS (n = 116)
TMQ WM Verbal Interpretation
S1: Academic Success 3.385 Indecisive
S2: Impulse Control 2.813 Indecisive
S3: Academic Productivity 3.313 Indecisive
Overall Mean 3.17 Indecisive

Table 3 shows the level of academic performance among grade 12 students at PSU-LSHS in
terms of the following sub-dimensions: academic success, impulse control, and academic productivity.
The results were all indecisive. The grade 12 students neither agreed nor disagreed with how well they
attained their academic success, controlled their behavior and were productive and actively participated
in academics.

4. Relationship between Procrastination and Academic Performance among Grade 12

Students PSU – LSHS

The table presents the Pearson correlation coefficients of procrastination and academic
performance among PSU – LSHS grade 12 students.

Table 4
Pearson Correlation of Procrastination and Academic Performance
Sub-dimensions A1: Academic A2: Impulse Control A3: Academic
Success Productivity
P1: Irresponsibility -.358** .683** -.52**
P2: Perceived Features of .499** -.265** .622**
the Academic Task
P3: Negative Perceptions -.146 .447** -.135
Toward the Lecturers
P4: Academic -.182 .467** -.184**
Perfectionism

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)

 As the result shown in table 4, it was indicated that academic success has a low negative
correlation with irresponsibility (r = -0.358, p = <0.0001), which means that the students were
irresponsible in doing their tasks, as the result of a decrease in their academic success or affected it
negatively, but low. For impulse control (r = 0.683, p = <0.0001), which had a moderate positive
correlation with irresponsibility, these two had a significant relationship to have a negative attitude. It
was also indicated that academic productivity has a moderate negative correlation with irresponsibility
with its coefficient (r = -0.52, p = <0.0001), which means that irresponsibility affects students'
academic productivity negatively, but moderate.
Moreover, in the perceived feature of the academic task, academic success had a low positive
correlation with its coefficient of r = 0.499, p = <0.0001, in which the perceived feature of the academic
task affects students' academic success positively low. The grade 12 student had a negligible negative
correlation of perceived features of the academic task with impulse control (r = -0.265, p = 0.0040),
which indicates that the grade 12 students' behavior increased doing the task in a short period of time,
while the impulse control of the grade 12 students decreased because they managed to control it from
engaging doing unnecessary things. Perceived features of the academic task had a moderate positive
correlation with students' academic productivity. The correlation between the two signifies to have
positive behavior.
Furthermore, the negative perception towards the lecturer had a negative correlation with
academic success and academic productivity (r = -0.146, p = 0.1179; r = -0.135, p = 0.1485). It means
that the students procrastinated because of their negative perceptions towards the teacher, resulting in
their failure to complete academic tasks successfully and productively. On the other hand, negative
perceptions towards the lecturer had a positive correlation with impulse control (r = 0.447, p = <0.0001).
The result indicated that these two had a significant correlation to have negative behavior.
In academic perfectionism, it had a negative correlation with academic success and academic
productivity (r = -0.182, p = 0.0505; r = 0.-184, p = 0.0480). It means that grade 12 students
procrastinated yet did their best to complete the task, but it affected the academic success and
productivity of the grade 12 students.

5. Relationship between Time Management Skills and Academic Performance

Table 5 shows the significant relationship between time management skills and academic
performance in terms with its sub-dimensions.

Table 5
Pearson Correlation of Time Management and Academic Performance
Sub-dimensions A1: Academic A2: Impulse Control A3: Academic
Success Productivity
S1: Short-range Planning .398** -.239** .636**
S2: Time Attitude .196** -.389** .253**
S3: Long-range Planning .199** -.041 .297**

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)

As shown in Table 5, short-range planning and academic performance have an r-value of 0.398,
p = <0.0001, demonstrating a low positive correlation. It suggests that the students' short-range time
management may affect their academic success positively, but low. The results also revealed a
negligible negative correlation between short-term planning and impulse control (r = -0.239, p = 0.0098).
It indicates that there would be a decrease in practicing time management skills and an increase in
controlling over their impulsive behavior; vice versa. Academic success and short-term planning were
moderately positively correlated.
Time attitude had a weakly positive correlation with academic success and productivity (r =
0.196, p = 0.035, r = 0.253, p = 0.0061). It means that the students' academic success and productivity
may have a significant impact on their time management when doing tasks, but they are weak. However,
same with academic success, time attitude had a low negative correlation (r = -0.389, p = <0.0001) with
impulse control.
For the long-range planning, it showed that it also had a weakly positive correlation with
academic success and academic productivity, which indicates that these two may affect the long-range
planning of the students significantly but weakly. Similar to the correlation between time attitude and
impulse control, long-range planning and impulse control were negatively correlated.

CONCLUSION

Based on the results of this study, the following conclusions are drawn:

1. The grade 12 students of PSU - LSHS have a neutral level of impact in academic
procrastination, with which they neither agree nor disagree being procrastinators in terms of
irresponsibility, negative perceptions of lecturers, and academic perfectionism. On the other
hand, most of them practice prioritizing academic tasks and have a plan to work on them.

2. PSU-LSHS grade 12 students frequently practice their time management skills in terms of short-
term planning and attitude toward academic tasks. Furthermore, they sometimes use long-
range planning to organize the plan they should follow for the next few days.

3. The majority of grade 12 students are indecisive about their academic performance based on
their ability to achieve academic success, control their impulsive behavior, be productive, and
actively participate in academics.

4. Academic procrastination in terms of irresponsibility and perceived features of the academic

task seems to have a significant relationship with academic performance in terms of academic
success, time attitude, and academic productivity. Negative perceptions about lecturers and
academic productivity, on the other hand, seem to have no significant relationship with
academic success. Negative attitudes toward lecturers have no significant relationship with
academic productivity because it has no influence on students' productivity to complete their
academic tasks.

5. There is significant relationship between time management and academic performance of the
students in terms of each sub-dimensions except the long-range planning and impulse control.
Long-range planning has no significant relationship with impulse control, it means that it doesn’t
influence the impulse control behavior of the PSU – LSHS grade 12 students to limit their
actions.

RECOMMENDATION

Based on the above results and conclusions, the researcher proposed and suggested the
following recommendations:

1. Students may have their timetables or planner to help them manage their time, avoid cramming
in their school work, and to help them achieve academic success.

2. Students should strictly practice self-discipline in order to be responsible, attain academic

success, and be productive in their academics. As shown in the study, students were indecisive
about how well they attained academic success, controlled their behavior, and were productive
and actively participated in academics.

3. Students should strictly practice self-control to avoid making impulsive decisions that would
make them procrastinate their academic work.
 4. Teachers’ performance and attitudes should also be observed to maintain the good relationship
between the students and teacher.

5. Further studies may be undertaken with respondents from various grade levels.

6. The Academic Performance Rating Scale (APRS), a researcher-made instrument, could be

used by future researchers since the instrument was said to be valid and reliable.

REFERENCES

Azfal, S., & Jami, H. (2018). Prevalence of Academic Procrastination and Reasons for Academic
Procrastination in University Students. Journal of Behavioural Sciences, Vol. 28(No.1).
http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/doap/PDF-FILES/04_v28_1_18.pdf

Britton, B. K., & Tesser, A. (1991). Effects of time-management practices on college grades. Journal
of educational psychology, 83(3), 405

Nayak, S. G. (2019, September-December). Impact of Procrastination and Time Management on

Academic Stress among Undergraduate Nursing Stu. International Journal of Caring
Sciences, Volume 12(Issue 3), Page 1480.
http://internationaljournalofcaringsciences.org/docs/18_nayak_original_12_3.pdf

Ojo, A. A. (2019). The impact of procrastination on students’ academic performance in secondary

schools. International Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Research, 5(1), 17-22.

Olowookere, E. , Alao, A. , Odukoya, J. , Adekeye, O. and Agbude, G. (2015) Time Management

Practices, Character Development and Academic Performance among University
Undergraduates: Covenant University Experience. Creative Education, 6, 79-86.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ce.2015.61007

Unda-López, A., Osejo-Taco, G., Vinueza-Cabezas, A., Paz, C., & Hidalgo-Andrade, P. (2022).
Procrastination during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review. Behavioral Sciences, 12(2),
38.

Regier, J. (n.d.). Why is Academic Success Important?

https://saskschoolboards.ca/wpcontent/uploads/2015/08/2011SIAST.pdf

Rimas, S. M., Pila, J., Leonardo, M. Z. A., Maramot, H. M., Follero, R., & Edillor, M. (2020). Effects of
Time Management on Academic Performance of Grade 12 Humanities and Social Sciences
Strand Students: An Assessment. Ascendens Asia Singapore–Bestlink College of the
Philippines Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 2(1).

AUTHORS’ PROFILE
Yrich Anne L. Gan is a grade 12 student in Accountancy, Business, and Management strand at
Palawan State University - Laboratory Senior High School. She completed her
junior high school at Palawan National School in the program of Science,
Technology, and Engineering or STE. She is currently a member of the PSU-
LSHS Talent Pool in the dance department and consistent honor student.

Jhayzan Mae L. Genovata is a grade 12 student in the Accountancy, Business, and Management
strand at Palawan State University - Laboratory Senior High School. She
completed her junior high school at Saint Joseph Academy in Cuyo, Palawan.
She is a part of the Student Body Government as a class mayor. She is also a
consistent honor student.

Ezzelle Faye J. Castillo is a grade 12 student in the Accountancy, Business, and Management strand
at Palawan State University - Laboratory Senior High School. She completed
her junior high school at Palawan State University – Laboratory Junior High
School. She is also a part of the Student Body Government.

Zhan Courtney S. Panisales is a grade 12 student in the Accountancy, Business, and Management
strand at Palawan State University - Laboratory Senior High School. He
completed his junior high school at Saint Joseph Academy, Cuyo, Palawan.