Why you should try it
Mindfulness involves being present in the moment, acknowledging thoughts and feelings without judgment. By incorporating mindfulness into your routine, you can enhance your awareness of procrastination habits. It helps you understand the triggers and underlying causes of procrastination, enabling you to address them more effectively.
Why it works
Mindfulness also cultivates self-compassion, reducing the negative self-talk associated with procrastination. This, in turn, lessens the anxiety and fear of failure that often contribute to procrastination. Moreover, mindfulness enhances focus and concentration, allowing you to break tasks into manageable parts and stay engaged in the present task, ultimately combating procrastination tendencies.
Evidence that it works
Rad, H. S., Samadi, S., Sirois, F. M., & Goodarzi, H. (2023). Mindfulness intervention for academic procrastination: A randomized control trial. Learning and Individual Differences, 101, 102244.
This research aimed to explore if mindfulness training could effectively reduce procrastination among students. Procrastination, a self-regulation failure, can have negative impacts on individuals. Past research suggests that mindfulness, which enhances self-regulation, could be beneficial. The study involved 36 procrastinating students who were randomly assigned to either a mindfulness training group or a wait-list control group. The mindfulness group attended eight weekly 90-minute sessions, focusing on mindfulness training. Questionnaires were used to collect data at the beginning and end of the study.
The results showed significant positive effects for the mindfulness training group, with higher scores in self-regulation and mindfulness scales. Additionally, they exhibited reduced procrastination behaviour, lower scores in negative emotions, and perceived fewer negative consequences. The findings suggest that mindfulness training can be an effective strategy for students to improve self-regulation and reduce procrastination, ultimately aiding their academic and personal well-being.
