Procrastination, a common challenge in educational and professional contexts, has motivated researchers to explore innovative approaches to enhance productivity and reduce delays in task completion. Gamification, the application of game design elements to non-game environments, has emerged as a potential strategy to address this issue.

This narrative review examines existing literature to evaluate the relationship between gamification and procrastination, focusing on two key research questions:
(1) Does gamification reduce users’ perception of procrastination by making tasks more engaging and manageable?
(2) Does gamification lead to an actual reduction in procrastinatory behaviors, promoting timely task completion?

The review analyzes a range of empirical studies and theoretical contributions, identifying how specific gamification mechanics—such as rewards, progress visualization, and
challenges—impact users’ engagement and time management. It also highlights contrasting findings, exploring cases where gamification has successfully reduced procrastination and instances where it has failed to produce significant effects. Factors such as individual differences in motivation, task characteristics, and the design quality of gamified systems are discussed as critical determinants of outcomes. By synthesizing insights from current research, this paper offers a comprehensive understanding of the potential and limitations of gamification in mitigating procrastination, providing practical implications for the design of effective interventions in educational and organizational settings.

Keywords: Gamification, procrastination, strategies.