{
  "schema": "vedokrok.public-item.v1",
  "release_id": "MHC-RPUB-20260920-75ad787a",
  "url": "/knowledge/treat-persistent-procrastination-as-a-pattern-not-a-scheduling-defect",
  "id": "MHC-D-RESEARCH-1197",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "title": "Treat persistent procrastination as a pattern, not a scheduling defect",
  "summary": "A later slot is not a diagnosis.",
  "kind": "concept",
  "body": "If delay survives basic scheduling, inspect what repeatedly happens around the task instead of adding more planner machinery. Psychological treatments for procrastination show small average benefits with substantial variation, which is a warning against one-tip explanations. Look for a recurring pattern in task value, emotion, avoidance, setup and what replaces the task.",
  "limits": [
    "This is not a diagnosis. The treatment evidence is limited and heterogeneous. Persistent delay that causes substantial distress or impairment despite repeated self-help attempts can warrant qualified professional support."
  ],
  "topics": [
    "union-goal-portfolio-and-procrastination"
  ],
  "intents": [],
  "source_ids": [
    "RS-833316B94C30B1E5"
  ],
  "evidence": [
    {
      "claim": "A 2018 meta-analysis of randomized psychological treatments for procrastination found a small average benefit versus inactive controls (g=0.34) with substantial heterogeneity; a CBT subgroup showed a moderate estimate but contained only three studies.",
      "source_id": "RS-833316B94C30B1E5",
      "role": "supports",
      "note": "The evidence base was small, outcomes were largely self-reported and the CBT subgroup should not be generalized into a guaranteed treatment effect.",
      "locator": "Abstract results and conclusions"
    }
  ],
  "use_when": [
    "The same kind of important task is repeatedly delayed even after reminders, calendars and time blocks are in place."
  ],
  "avoid_when": [
    "This is not a diagnosis. The treatment evidence is limited and heterogeneous. Persistent delay that causes substantial distress or impairment despite repeated self-help attempts can warrant qualified professional support."
  ],
  "example": "If routine admin starts on time but ambiguous writing is postponed until the deadline, another reminder may be less informative than inspecting uncertainty, task value and the first uncomfortable step.",
  "check": "You can describe one repeatable delay pattern that suggests a specific experiment, rather than only saying 'I need more discipline.'",
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "RS-833316B94C30B1E5",
      "title": "Targeting Procrastination Using Psychological Treatments: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis",
      "url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30214421/"
    }
  ],
  "relations": [
    {
      "from": "MHC-D-RESEARCH-1197",
      "to": "MHC-D-RESEARCH-0903",
      "type": "useful_with",
      "url": "/knowledge/build-a-preparatory-habit-around-the-behavior-that-keeps-failing-to-start"
    }
  ],
  "collections": [
    {
      "id": "RC-01E44BC725C55AA0",
      "title": "Choose, adjust and finish goals without turning life into a busier calendar",
      "url": "/collections/choose-adjust-and-finish-goals-without-turning-life-into-a-busier-calendar"
    }
  ]
}