Do You Procrastinate? Most Americans Say They Don't

Most Americans are not procrastinators, at least when it comes to how they view themselves. 69% of Americans say they tend to think of themselves more as people who like to get things done right away, rather than put off doing things. But just over a quarter of Americans – 27% - say they tend to put off doing things.

There are some differences by both age and gender. Women are a little more likely to say they get things done right away than men. In terms of age, Americans between the ages of 45 and 64 are the most likely to say they get things done right away, while younger adults and senior are a little more likely to put off doing things.

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This poll was conducted by telephone February 9-14, 2021 among a random sample of 1,004 adults nationwide.  Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Glen Mills, PA.  Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones.

The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person who answered the phone.

 Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers. The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus four percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

For CBS News Eye on Trends articles posted before 3/15/2021,  go here.