IT’S OFFICIAL. You start Monday morning with zip, eager to get business done. You check off the tasks as you complete them, but at 12.06 p.m. procrastination hits. You slow down, turn to your phone and scroll through social media to avoid your to-do list.

If this describes you, rest assured you are not alone.

So much so that a new survey reveals that two-thirds of all Americans are guilty of procrastination. Of them 76% feel guilty when doing so.

The survey of 2,000 Americans, conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Dave’s Killer Bread, reveals that:

• The average American spends almost two-and-a-half hours on social media every single day, in spite of trying to limit their consumption to just under two hours.

• Half of Americans agree that their phone is like a fifth appendage and are only inspired to put it down for family dinners (50%), special events, such as birthdays or weddings (35%) or dates (22%).

Incorporate small pleasures

"Tackling your to-do list isn't always the most exciting part of the day, and with so many distractions, it’s easy to find ourselves procrastinating,” says Jillian Cohn, Director of Brand Management for Dave’s Killer Bread. “The good news is that something as simple as an energy-boosting snack or your favorite playlist can improve your mood and motivation. Incorporating these small pleasures into your day can transform your approach to getting things done."

When asked the smallest or strangest things they’ve procrastinated, Americans outlined scenarios such as, “washing my hair,” “using the restroom,” “trimming my toenails,” “taking out the trash” and even “making a phone call.”

Regardless, 70% find that they’re able to cross more things off their to-do list when they’re alone than with help from others.

And another 55% even admit they’re more likely to put things off if they’re hungry.

But when it’s all said and done, almost one in five (19%) find that the tasks they’d been putting off always take a shorter amount of time than expected.

Celebrate your wins

"Even the smallest tasks can sometimes feel overwhelming, and that's perfectly normal. It's important to be kind to yourself and celebrate your wins, no matter how big or small,” Cohn added. “Whether you're tackling your daily tasks or taking a much-needed break, a tasty and nutritious snack can be just what you need to recharge and keep you on track." 

The survey also found that aside from social scrolling, respondents are also putting off tasks by playing video games (22%) and calling family and friends (19%). This may be why 28% admit that their phone is usually the main reason why they aren’t getting things done

• Respondents would also rather grab a bite to eat (33%), go for a walk (30%) or drive (20%) or simply do nothing (31%) than tackle their to-do list.

Many can be swayed to start crossing items off if they’re expecting friends or family (30%) or have the perfect snack (17%) and playlist (17%).

Another 34% are likely to “gamify” their agenda, and reward themselves with a snack (30%) or quick social media scroll (25%) upon completing a task. 

Others are likely to enlist the rest of the household (14%) and will stage a competition with one another (19%) or pretend they’re on a gameshow (14%).