Action
Learn how the problem works
Psychoeducation about procrastination, habits, sleep, routines or ADHD.
Studies (27)
Paper
Home reminder stickers and app quizzes built stronger self-care habits in adults with diabetesUsedHelpedWith home reminders and app quizzes, self-care felt more automatic after 12 weeks than with plain app lessons.
Randomised trial of 293 adults with type 2 diabetes in China · vs plain app lessons on diabetes · they rated themselves
UsedHelpedWith home reminders and app quizzes, people did their self-care on more days than with plain app lessons.
Randomised trial of 293 adults with type 2 diabetes in China · vs plain app lessons on diabetes · they rated themselves
Paper
One session on a dreaded study task cut students' putting things offTestedHelpedOne coached session spent working on a dreaded study task cut putting things off more than waiting did.
Randomised trial of 425 university students in China with study anxiety · vs students still waiting for the session · they rated themselves
UsedHelpedFacing a dreaded task with a coach and a chatbot beat reading and practising alone, though by less.
Randomised trial of 425 university students in China with study anxiety · vs the same ideas read and practised alone · they rated themselves
Paper
One hour-long therapy session helped students put things off less two weeks laterTestedHelpedOne hour mapping what made them put things off and planning study times helped students put things off less.
Randomised trial of 151 university students in Germany who put things off · vs students who only filled in questionnaires · they rated themselves
Paper
Therapy on daily habits made days more steady, but only later onTestedMixedTwelve weekly sessions on steady days left days steadier than usual care at a later check, but not right after.
Small randomised trial of 63 adults with bipolar disorder in Egypt · vs usual care with medicine · they rated themselves · ⚠ summary claims more than the results show
Paper
Five written plans built wake-up habits no better than a short videoUsedNo comparisonAfter a short video on not snoozing, getting up felt more like a habit, but everyone saw it.
Randomised trial of 286 US adults who snooze and sleep badly · no comparison group · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out
Paper
Students who used an animated video course said they put off schoolwork lessTestedHelpedStudents who watched cartoon lessons on time and tasks said they put off schoolwork less than those who got nothing.
Small randomised trial of 40 student-athletes at a university in India · vs students who got nothing · they rated themselves · ⚠ results look too good to be true; summary claims more than the results show
Paper
A coached online course helped students put things off a little lessTestedHelpedStudents who did a coached online course on unhelpful thoughts put things off a little less than the waiting group.
Randomised trial of 403 Dutch university students who put things off · vs students still waiting for the course · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out
UsedNo comparisonStudents who finished fewer lessons did not clearly improve less than those who finished more. There was no other group to compare with.
Randomised trial of 403 Dutch university students who put things off · no comparison group · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out
Paper
A stress and healthy-habits course didn't make meal and sleep times more regularTestedNo differenceAn eight-week group course on stress and healthy habits didn't make meal and sleep times more regular than waiting.
Small randomised trial of 38 office workers in Greece · vs people on a waiting list who heard one talk · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out; numbers unreliable
Paper
Class lessons on food and cancer got more teens to eat fruit and vegetablesTestedHelpedAfter teachers gave lessons on how food links to cancer, more teens ate fruit and vegetables each day.
Large randomised trial of 1,096 teenage school students in India · vs schools that kept their normal lessons · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole groups were assigned, not people; numbers unreliable; many people dropped out
TestedHelpedThe same lessons also got more teenagers to keep fried, fast and packed food and sugary drinks to twice weekly.
Large randomised trial of 1,096 teenage school students in India · vs schools that kept their normal lessons · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole groups were assigned, not people; numbers unreliable; many people dropped out
Paper
Brain games in a headset went with more regular days in bipolar disorderTestedMixedBrain games in a headset went with more regular activity and social life than waiting, but not sleep or meals.
Small randomised trial of 64 adults with bipolar disorder in Italy · vs people on a waiting list with usual care · they rated themselves · ⚠ only counted people who finished
Paper
An automatic computer coach worked about as well as a human coach onlineUsedNo differenceReady-made notes from a computer coach worked about as well as notes a real coach wrote for each student.
Randomised trial of 233 German university students who put things off · vs the same course with a human coach · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out
UsedNo comparisonAfter 12 weeks of weekly online lessons and a daily diary, students said they put things off less. There was no untreated group to compare with.
Randomised trial of 233 German university students who put things off · no comparison group · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out
Paper
Therapy and a home reward chart helped dreamy children put things off lessTestedHelpedChildren who had nine talks on their thoughts, plus a home reward chart, put off schoolwork less than untreated children.
Very small randomised trial of 10 slow, dreamy children aged 11 to 14 · vs children who got no therapy · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; results look too good to be true
Paper
Students put off bedtime less after one short group session, but groups weren't comparedUsedNo comparisonAfter one group session on how sleep works and sleep habits, students put off bedtime less, but groups weren't compared.
Small trial of 74 college students who put off bedtime · no comparison group · they rated themselves · ⚠ not yet checked by other scientists; unclear how groups were picked; many people dropped out; numbers unreliable; groups weren't properly compared
Paper
School group sessions helped teens at risk of gaming problems put things off lessTestedHelpedOver a year, teens who had four school group sessions put things off less than teens who only did questionnaires.
Randomised trial of 422 German teens at risk of gaming problems · vs students who only filled in questionnaires · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole groups were assigned, not people
Paper
Sleep coaching by phone did not clearly steady bed and wake timesTestedNo differenceWeekly sleep lessons, coach-set sleep goals and tracker feedback did not steady bed and wake times more than health emails.
Very small randomised trial of 14 adults with type 1 diabetes and poor sleep · vs weekly health emails and short calls without sleep advice · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ summary claims more than the results show; groups weren't properly compared
Paper
Two kinds of group therapy both helped boys who self-harm put off schoolwork lessTestedHelpedBoys who had eight group sessions on unhelpful thoughts put off schoolwork less than boys who were still waiting.
Small randomised trial of 45 secondary-school boys in Iran who self-harm · vs boys who waited for the sessions · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable
Paper
An online course on daily rhythms didn't make routines more regular than emailed readingUsedNo differenceAn online course with a daily log made routines no more regular than emailed reading on the same topics.
Small randomised trial of 47 adults with bipolar disorder · vs people who got emailed reading on the same topics · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out; numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show
Paper
Girls put off schoolwork less after group therapy on deep-rooted beliefsTestedHelpedAfter ten group sessions of therapy on deep-rooted beliefs, girls said they put off schoolwork less than untreated girls.
Small randomised trial of 30 high-school girls who put off schoolwork a lot · vs girls who got nothing · they rated themselves · ⚠ results look too good to be true
Paper
Eight therapy sessions on unhelpful beliefs helped sixth-grade girls put off schoolwork lessTestedHelpedGirls who had eight sessions on spotting and fighting bad beliefs put off schoolwork less than girls who got nothing.
Small randomised trial of 30 sixth-grade girls in Iran · vs girls who got nothing · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show
Paper
After learning about body rhythms, some students aimed for a morning toilet tripUsedNo comparisonAfter learning about body rhythms, about half of students who went 3 to 4 times a week aimed for mornings.
Study of one group of 131 medical students in Russia · no comparison group · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show
Paper
A 20-minute online sleep lesson got more students to keep a regular sleep scheduleTestedHelpedEight weeks after one short online sleep lesson, more students said they kept a more regular sleep schedule.
Randomised trial of 549 college students in the USA · vs students who only filled in surveys · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable
TestedNo differenceThe same online sleep lesson did not get students to go to bed any earlier, on weekdays or weekends.
Randomised trial of 549 college students in the USA · vs students who only filled in surveys · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable
Paper
Two group talks and daily phone swipe practice helped people put things off lessTestedHelpedTwo group talks and two weeks of daily app practice helped people put things off less than waiting.
Small randomised trial of 31 young adults in Germany, mostly students · vs people who waited and only filled in questionnaires · they rated themselves · ⚠ only counted people who finished; numbers unreliable
Paper
Group sessions on making better choices helped high-school boys put off schoolwork lessTestedHelpedBoys who had eight group talks on choices and plans put off exam study and homework less than others.
Very small randomised trial of 24 high-school boys in Iran · vs boys who got no counselling · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable
Paper
Parent classes raised plans to limit TV, but children's TV time wasn't comparedUsedNo comparisonAfter group classes, parents meant to watch over TV more than others, but children's viewing wasn't compared.
Trial, groups not picked at random of 120 parents of primary school children in Iran · no comparison group · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show; groups weren't properly compared
Paper
A $1 bonus for fresh produce about doubled purchases, and some of it lastedTestedNo differenceCoupons with fruit and vegetable tips didn't change how much produce people bought, with or without the bonus.
Randomised trial of 222 shoppers at a Chicago neighbourhood grocery store · vs shoppers with the same store card but no tips · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ summary claims more than the results show; numbers unreliable; many people dropped out
Paper
A self-guided online stress course helped adults put things off lessTestedHelpedPeople on a short online stress course put things off less than the waiting group; the drop lasted six months.
Randomised trial of 259 adults in Norway found through Facebook · vs people still waiting for the course · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out; numbers unreliable
Paper
Therapy on steady daily habits beat short check-in visitsUsedHelpedTherapy on steady days, with a daily log of task times, made days steadier than short visits with sleep tips.
Randomised trial of 175 adults with bipolar I disorder in the USA · vs short visits with facts, sleep tips and support · they rated themselves · ⚠ groups used different versions of the routine diary
Often used with it
Action5
Challenge unhelpful thoughtsCognitive restructuring of beliefs such as perfectionism or catastrophising.
