The deadline is fast approaching, but still you keep putting off that task you don’t much relish doing. Scientific papers, tax returns, presentations... it’s not just students who struggle with procrastination. A new research project at Paderborn University is now declaring war on ‘procastinitis’: The three-year project “Stress-free and on schedule – development and evaluation of a resource-based programme to combat academic procrastination” aims to counteract the phenomenon and reduce procrastination among students. At the centre of the project is the development of a programme based on an approach that is new in this field of research. With a total project volume of €248,000, the research project is funded through the university’s central quality improvement fund and with financial support from German health insurer Techniker Krankenkasse (TK).
Detrimental to performance and well-being
“Procrastination is the scientific term for putting off activities, despite being aware of the negative consequences. In the academic world, this behaviour is particularly widespread, and for students, can be detrimental to their performance and even lead to physical and mental health issues,” explains Professor Katrin Klingsieck from the Department of Psychology, who is heading up the project. Professor Klingsieck is an expert in procrastination: “Almost every student has at some point or other procrastinated. Three quarters of students even say that procrastination is one of their bad habits.” That’s why, back in 2017, Klingsieck set up the university’s internal advisory centre “ProLernen”, which offers a wide range of help and support (advice, groups, training etc.). According to the researcher, for 50% of students, the habit in some instances severely impacts their performance and well-being. “Often, students fall short of their actual potential and are no longer even able to enjoy their free time properly because they’re constantly battling with a guilty conscience,” says Klingsieck. The desire for help is great, she says.
Through its involvement in the project, TK plans to expand its preventative services in ‘Healthy University’ settings. “If the project at Paderborn University proves successful and shows sustained success among students, we intend to roll out the programme across Germany. This will make the research project pioneering,” says Joachim Schröer, Health Care Manager at TK in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Dennis Kehne, who works in the University Sports department and is responsible for student health management at the university, is looking forward to the project: “We know from numerous studies that procrastination is a major problem among students.
The new research project will give us valuable insights for student health management at our university.”
Combining the conscious and unconscious
The programme that Klingsieck and her team are developing is based on the ‘Zurich Resource Model’ (ZRM). The intervention study therefore follows an approach that is new in the field of procrastination research. ZRM trainer and health care expert Tamara Schneider, a researcher working on the project, explains how the model works: “The ZRM is a self-management training approach based on motivational psychology that was developed back in the 1990s by Dr Maja Storch and Dr Frank Krause for the University of Zurich. What’s special about this training approach is that, in addition to the conscious desire to act, unconscious needs are also taken into account.” According to the project team, previous study results confirm that the combination of the conscious and unconscious can contribute to a significant reduction in stress levels. Klingsieck says: “In current anti-procrastination training programmes, the unconscious is not taken into account, which is why they rarely have any lasting impact. This new programme aims to fully exploit participants’ potential for change, and consequently lead to sustained changes in behaviour.”
The research team is working closely with the Institute for Self-Management and Motivation Zurich (ISMZ). The aim is to develop an innovative, evidence-based anti-procrastination programme that will be integrated within the ‘ProLernen’ framework, as well as in Paderborn University’s student health management services and that can be rolled out to other universities in the future. The researchers anticipate the programme to be completed in August 2024.
