Break the Delay

Student: Mileymi González

Organisation: Workplace Vitality Hub

How can students at the Workplace Vitality Hub be encouraged to start a stressful task when experiencing academic procrastination?

The aim of this research is to explore how students at the Workplace Vitality Hub can be encouraged to start a stressful task when experiencing academic procrastination

Key findings

The research shows that students often procrastinate to avoid negative emotions such as stress, especially when tasks feel vague or overwhelming. Motivation increases when students receive social support, such as check-ins with peers or supervisors. Additionally, small rewards and a sense of responsibility toward others help students take the first step toward starting a stressful task. Breaking a big task into smaller steps can also make it feel more manageable and less overwhelming, making it easier for students to get started.

Intervention

Based on these insights, the intervention is built around the Pomodoro technique, where students work in focused blocks of 25 minutes, followed by short breaks of 5 to 10 minutes, and a longer break after completing four work blocks. To reduce distractions and support mutual understanding, color-coded posters are used: red to indicate focused work (do not disturb) and green to show availability during breaks. This structured approach helps students overcome procrastination by making tasks more manageable, enhancing focus, and promoting a healthy balance between work and rest.