Action
Plan your week
Make a timetable or schedule of when you'll work or practise.
Studies (9)
Paper
Eight group therapy sessions helped anxious teens put off schoolwork lessTestedHelpedTeens who had eight group sessions on unhelpful thoughts, time and goals put off schoolwork less than the others.
Small randomised trial of 30 anxious teenagers in Iran · vs teens who got nothing · they rated themselves · ⚠ results look too good to be true
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
TestedNo differenceThe planning session and the session on values and mindfulness worked just as well as each other two weeks later.
Randomised trial of 151 university students in Germany who put things off · vs the other one-hour session · they rated themselves
Paper
A short course on using time well helped girls put off schoolwork lessTestedHelpedGirls who had seven group sessions on time management put off schoolwork less than the waiting group.
Small randomised trial of 30 schoolgirls in Ahvaz, Iran · vs girls offered the course afterwards · they rated themselves · ⚠ results look too good to be true; numbers unreliable
Paper
New therapy for ADHD cut putting things off no more than the usual oneTestedNo differenceGroup therapy with tools to get organised and start tasks cut putting things off no more than standard group therapy.
Randomised trial of 108 adults with the inattentive type of ADHD · vs a standard group therapy for ADHD · they rated themselves · ⚠ summary claims more than the results show; numbers unreliable
TestedHelpedTools to get organised and skills to start and stop tasks got people more active than standard therapy.
Randomised trial of 108 adults with the inattentive type of ADHD · vs a standard group therapy for ADHD · they rated themselves · ⚠ summary claims more than the results show; numbers unreliable
Paper
A 12-week online course on their own helped adult students put things off lessTestedHelpedAn online course on unhelpful thoughts, feelings and planning time cut putting things off more than waiting did.
Small randomised trial of 66 adult college students in Beijing, China · vs people still waiting for the course · they rated themselves · ⚠ not yet checked by other scientists; numbers unreliable
Paper
A school group course on planning and memory didn't clearly beat no courseTestedNo differenceA group course on small steps, deadlines, daily plans and memory worked no better than normal school.
Small randomised trial of 30 secondary school students in Tehran · vs students who carried on with normal school · they rated themselves · ⚠ summary claims more than the results show; numbers unreliable
Paper
Weekly online therapy helped students put off schoolwork lessTestedHelpedAfter online sessions on bad thoughts and plans, students put off work less than waiting students, even four months on.
Small randomised trial of 30 university students in Bangladesh · vs students still waiting for the course · they rated themselves
Paper
A course that included goal setting showed a gap too large to trustTestedHelpedStudents whose course included goal setting and time planning said they put things off far less than a regular class.
Small trial, groups not picked at random of 71 first-year education students in Egypt · vs a class taught the usual way · they rated themselves · ⚠ results look too good to be true; same researcher delivered and measured
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
Often used with it
Action5
Challenge unhelpful thoughtsCognitive restructuring of beliefs such as perfectionism or catastrophising.
