Rule · how often
In weekly sessions
Delivered as weekly sessions, classes or meetings.
Studies (22)
Paper
Boys in detention said they put things off less after group mindfulnessUsedHelpedAfter eight weekly group mindfulness sessions, boys said they put things off less than boys without the sessions.
Small randomised trial of 30 teenage boys in a youth detention centre · vs boys who only filled in the questionnaires · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; results look too good to be true
Paper
Sleep therapy by video helped pregnant women put off going to bed lessUsedHelpedWeekly therapy on sleep times, winding down and bad thoughts about sleep cut putting off bed more than emailed tips.
Small randomised trial of 64 pregnant women with sleep problems · vs six weekly emails with general sleep tips · they rated themselves
UsedHelpedA mindful version of the same therapy beat the emailed tips by about as much.
Small randomised trial of 64 pregnant women with sleep problems · vs six weekly emails with general sleep tips · they rated themselves
Paper
A 12-week course on planning your own learning went with less putting offUsedHelpedStudents in weekly goal and plan sessions put things off less than the usual class, even four weeks later.
Small randomised trial of 90 first-year university students in China · vs a class with their usual teaching · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole groups were assigned, not people; summary claims more than the results show
Paper
Coaching on a steady sleep routine made teens' sleep times far more regularUsedHelpedTeens coached to wake at a fixed time, get morning light and cut evening screens got much steadier sleep times.
Small randomised trial of 57 anxious, depressed teenagers in Pakistan · vs weekly therapy on unhelpful thoughts, same length · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ only counted people who finished; results look too good to be true
Paper
Therapy on daily habits made days more steady, but only later onUsedMixedTwelve 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
Unclear if group mindfulness helped students put off schoolwork less than doing nothingUsedNo differenceAfter eight weeks of group mindfulness, students put off schoolwork less, but it's unclear if that beat doing nothing.
Small randomised trial of 62 students at a university in China · vs students who kept their usual routines · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable
Paper
New therapy for ADHD cut putting things off no more than the usual oneUsedNo 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
UsedHelpedTools 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
Ten weeks of group meditation left students no different from a waiting groupUsedNo differenceStudents who had ten weeks of group meditation ended up putting things off about as much as the waiting group.
Small randomised trial of 42 first-year university students in Spain · vs students who were still waiting for the course · they rated themselves · ⚠ only counted people who finished; summary claims more than the results show
Paper
One-to-one therapy at school helped struggling teenagers put things off lessUsedHelpedWeekly one-to-one talks on unhelpful thoughts, stress and solving problems helped teens put things off less than waiting.
Randomised trial of 129 struggling teenagers at school in Pakistan · vs teenagers who waited 8 weeks · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out; only counted people who finished; numbers unreliable; results look too good to be true
Paper
Eight weekly group sessions on accepting feelings helped schoolboys put things off lessUsedHelpedBoys who learned to accept feelings and act on values put things off less than waiting boys, through two months.
Very small randomised trial of 20 schoolboys in Tehran who put things off · vs boys who were still waiting for the course · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable
Paper
Twenty weekly therapy sessions helped students put off going to bed lessUsedHelpedAfter 20 weekly sessions on hard feelings and thoughts, students put off bedtime less than waiting students for three months.
Small randomised trial of 32 university students who put off bedtime · vs students still waiting for the therapy · they rated themselves
Paper
Teens put things off less after group therapy, but nobody compared groupsUsedNo comparisonAfter eight weekly group sessions on unhelpful thoughts, teens put things off less, but no other group was checked.
Small randomised trial of 60 teens of mothers in addiction recovery · no comparison group · they rated themselves · ⚠ summary claims more than the results show; numbers unreliable; groups weren't properly compared
Paper
A coached online course helped students put things off a little lessUsedHelpedStudents 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
Paper
Weekly group sessions on self-kindness cut putting off schoolwork in high-school girlsUsedHelpedGirls who had eight weekly group sessions on self-kindness put off schoolwork less than girls without training.
Small randomised trial of 60 high-school girls in Tehran, Iran · vs girls who got no training · they rated themselves
Paper
Students put off going to bed less after eight weeks of mindfulness practiceUsedHelpedStudents who had eight weeks of group mindfulness sessions put off going to bed less than students who got nothing.
Small randomised trial of 40 university students in China · vs students who got nothing · they rated themselves · ⚠ groups weren't properly compared
Paper
A stress and healthy-habits course didn't make meal and sleep times more regularUsedNo 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
Weekly online therapy helped students put off schoolwork lessUsedHelpedAfter 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
Two group therapies cut putting off schoolwork in schoolgirls after floodsUsedHelpedGirls who had sessions on a hopeful view of the future put things off less than girls in thought therapy.
Small randomised trial of 60 schoolgirls with trauma stress after floods · vs nine weekly group sessions on unhelpful thoughts · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; many people dropped out
UsedHelpedGirls who had nine weekly group sessions on unhelpful thoughts put things off less than girls who got nothing.
Small randomised trial of 60 schoolgirls with trauma stress after floods · vs girls who got no treatment · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; many people dropped out
Paper
Teaching instructors to make classes more fun didn't build stronger exercise habitsUsedNo differenceShowing coaches how to make class fun did not build a stronger habit to go than a talk on training.
Randomised trial of 132 university sport course members in Germany · vs classes whose instructors learned about training · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole groups were assigned, not people; numbers unreliable; many people dropped out
Paper
Group therapy on accepting feelings helped boys who fear tests put things off lessUsedHelpedAfter eight weekly group sessions on feelings and values, boys put off schoolwork less than boys who got nothing.
Small randomised trial of 30 Iranian seventh-grade boys with high test anxiety · vs boys who got nothing · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show
Paper
Picturing each step of a problem helped gifted students put things off lessUsedHelpedGifted students who rehearsed each step of a problem in their minds put things off less than untrained students.
Small randomised trial of 30 gifted high school students in Iran · vs students who got no training · they rated themselves · ⚠ numbers unreliable
Paper
Web plans built exercise and diet habits briefly, but not by three monthsUsedMixedPlans for when, where and how to move built a stronger habit at 8 weeks, but not at 3 months.
Randomised trial of 790 adults in Germany and the Netherlands · vs people who were waiting for the programme · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out; numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show
UsedMixedThe same web plans built a stronger fruit and vegetable habit at 8 weeks, but not at 3 months.
Randomised trial of 790 adults in Germany and the Netherlands · vs people who were waiting for the programme · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out; numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show
Often used with it
Action5
Challenge unhelpful thoughtsCognitive restructuring of beliefs such as perfectionism or catastrophising.
Action2
Notice the unpleasant feeling and start anywayEmotion regulation: name, accept or tolerate the feeling a task brings, then begin.
