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Aim to learn, not to impress
Set goals around learning and improving rather than scores, approval or beating others.
Tools to beat procrastination, rated by evidence
Procrastination here means putting off a task you meant to do, past the point where it costs you. These are the actions and rules that studies have tested for starting and finishing sooner, rated by how sure the research is and how much they helped.
Topic: Procrastination
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As a visual summary
Content presented as an infographic or one-page visual rather than a video or text.
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At the same time every day
A fixed clock time, including fixed wake, meal or bed times.
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Bonus for early, small penalty for late
Graded consequences for timing, with a grace window.
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Challenge unhelpful thoughts
Cognitive restructuring of beliefs such as perfectionism or catastrophising.
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Clarify what matters to you
ACT-style values work and committed action toward them.
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Compete or compare with others
Leaderboards, competitions or peer comparison.
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Do a relaxation exercise
Breathing, progressive muscle relaxation or similar.
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Do a short self-compassion exercise
Self-compassion practice as the target behaviour or tool.
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Do a short wind-down routine
A calm sequence of steps before sleep.
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Do happiness-building exercises
Positive-psychology activities aimed at building happiness, hope and resilience.
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Do it with a partner or team
Working or practising together with someone.
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Do the task you've been avoiding
Exposure: deliberately start an avoided task while the discomfort is there.
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Every day
Daily repetition.
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Get a reminder
Texts, emails, alerts or prompts.
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Get a reward or payment for doing it
Incentives, prizes, lotteries or points for doing it.
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Get feedback on your progress
Feedback from a person, app or device on progress.
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Give each piece its own deadline
Separate due dates for sub-tasks.
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Help built into the material
Interactive support inside the study material itself, rather than being sent to outside resources.
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Keep the daily version tiny
A very small daily dose, e.g. a few minutes.
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Learn better study strategies
Learn techniques for rehearsing, organising and checking your understanding of study material.
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Learn how the problem works
Psychoeducation about procrastination, habits, sleep, routines or ADHD.
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List the benefits of finishing
Write down why finishing or doing it matters to you.
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Make it concrete and specific
A specific, physical action rather than a vague intention.
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Notice the unpleasant feeling and start anyway
Emotion regulation: name, accept or tolerate the feeling a task brings, then begin.
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Picture your future self
Imagery or letters connecting to your future self.
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Plan your week
Make a timetable or schedule of when you'll work or practise.
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Practise mindfulness
Meditation or mindfulness exercises.
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Put something at stake
Commitment contracts, deposits or penalties for not doing it.
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Rehearse the steps in your mind
Mentally simulate how a task or problem unfolds, step by step, and how you'll handle it.
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Remove distractions
Clear the phone, tabs or other temptations before starting.
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Replace the habit with another activity
Pick a substitute activity to do in place of the habit you want to cut.
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Reward yourself right after
A reward that arrives immediately after doing it.
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Set a specific goal
Choose a concrete goal or target to reach.
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Solve problems step by step
Structured problem solving: define, list options, choose, try, review.
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Split a big task into pieces
Break a task or project into smaller sub-tasks or steps.
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Take responsibility for your choices
Check whether what you're doing gets you what you want, and choose a more responsible way if it doesn't.
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Take your medication
Medication adherence as the target behaviour.
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Talk through your mixed feelings about changing
Motivational-interviewing style: explore ambivalence and draw out your own reasons to change.
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Team up on a shared goal
Pair with another person so your results or rewards depend on each other's output.
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Through videos
Delivered as recorded or animated video lessons.
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Track your progress
Log, tick off or record what you did (self-monitoring).
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Train yourself to approach tasks
Approach-avoidance or bias-modification training: repeatedly pull task cues toward you and push distractions away.
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Try brain stimulation
Noninvasive brain stimulation such as tDCS given in sessions.
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Use an adaptive study tool
Study with software, such as an intelligent tutor, that adapts to your progress and gives real-time feedback.
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Use the method that fits you
The technique is chosen to suit the person's profile rather than given to everyone.
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With a coach or therapist
Guided by a coach, therapist or trained helper.
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With an automated digital coach
Standardised feedback and prompts from a digital or avatar coach instead of a person.
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Work in short blocks with breaks
Timed work blocks such as 10-25 minutes.
3 of these are also rated for people with ADHD. See the ADHD ratings