Helping PhD Students Manage Procrastination with Mood Tracking
Many PhD students conduct some form of self-directed work during the course of their program in which they are responsible for defining, scoping, and managing projects with limited oversight. Given the nature of self-directed work, we set out to understand how PhD students stay productive and meet their goals in the absence of traditional manager-based supervision.
Project
MHCI+D Program
Research for Design project​
~6 week timeline
Team
Robyn Anderson
Dongming Liu
Eric Yu
Makeda Adisu
Tools
Figma
Miro
Zoom
Google Suite
My Expertise​ ​
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Foundational research
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Qualitative coding
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Affinity diagramming
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Lo-fi Prototype design
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Concept testing
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Insights formation
My Role
As the designated project lead, I guided my team through each stage of the project while creating opportunities for them to develop their research skillset. I was personally responsible for the study design, methods selection, decks, and other deliverables. I also contributed, along with the team, to all other phases and elements of the project as outlined below.
Secondary Research
We began by discussing the domains in which productivity is typically prioritized, measured, and evaluated. We discovered that we were all drawn to traditionally overlooked domains in which productivity matters, such as people’s personal lives. With that in mind, we identified a handful of sub-topics, divided them amongst the group, and began our research. We synthesized research from various sources, including the Journal of Productivity, Procrastination Research Group at Carleton University, Frontiers in Psychology, and the CHI database.
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Our secondary research suggested that an individual's feelings about work play a significant role in cycles of unhelpful procrastination. So, focused our inquiry on procrastination in the context of self-directed work, specifically the ways in which emotional dysregulation and personal perceptions impact productivity in the absence of traditional manager-based supervision.
Research Question
How do PhD students who do self-directed work stay productive and meet their goals in the absence of traditional manager-based supervision?​
Key Findings
Procrastination
One of the most common productivity pitfalls is procrastination. Generally, procrastination is used as a coping mechanism allowing people to avoid tasks, and in turn, avoid negative feelings.
Emotional Regulation
Misregulation of negative emotions is most often the underlying cause of procrastination. In turn, addressing negative emotional regulation may be a more effective route to mitigating procrastination and improving productivity then commonly prescribed methods.
Personal Perceptions
Productivity is no one-size fits all. Individual context matters, including the person's emotional and physical state, significance of the task, enjoyment, and quality of the output are all taken into consideration when deciding whether an activity was productive
"We must realize that, at its core, procrastination is about emotions,
not productivity. The solution doesn't involve downloading a time management app or learning new strategies for self-control. It has to do with managing our emotions in a new way."
The New York Times: Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing To Do with Self-Control)
Primary Research
Participants
6 participants
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4 women, 2 men
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Age range 18 - 44 yo
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Enrolled in a PhD program
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Procrastinated in last month
Methods
60 minute semi-structured interviews conducted remotely ​
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Data analysis conducted via a group affinity diagram workshop
Topics
We asked participants about:
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Self-directed work
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Productivity
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Procrastination
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Emotional regulation
Guiding Questions
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How do PhD students manage self-directed study and research (i.e., tools and strategies)?
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How do students conceive of productivity in the context of self-directed work?
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How do students know when they're procrastinating and what do they do about it?
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What role do feelings, emotions, and moods play in cycles of procrastination?
Affinity Diagram
A calendar integration that transforms the average digital calendar into an emotionally intelligent productivity tool using mood tracking assessments. A calendar integration that transforms the average digital calendar into an emotionally intelligent productivity tool using mood tracking assessments.
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Primary Research Insights
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Evaluative Research
Participants
5 participants
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4 women, 1 man
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Age range 18 - 35 yo
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Enrolled in a grad program
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Procrastinated in last month
Methods
Concept evaluation 45-60 minute sessions, mix of in-person & remote ​
Data analysis conducted via qualitative coding & affinity diagram
Topics
The session included sections on:
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To-Do list habits
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Initial impressions
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Cognitive walkthrough
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Thoughts and feedback
Concept Eval Opportunities
Lo-Fi Prototype
Lo-fi prototyping is a great way to turn high-level design concepts into testable artifacts. We translated the opportunities uncovered in our primary research into the low-fidelity prototype see below. Then we introduced participants to the prototype, asked them questions about it, and conduced a cognitive walkthrough. I developed the interview guide and task list used in the concept test.
Qualitative Coding
As project lead, I devised our data analysis approach and led our team through a data analysis workshop. We began by coding our interview transcripts and notes, working from the ground up to create In Vivo codes, and finally code synthesis to develop key findings and themes.
Evaluative Research Findings
Looking Ahead
Reflection
Procrastination is insidious
Yes, even highly accomplished people like PhD students procrastinate. It frustrates them, but they can't stop!
Emotions can help or hurt
Managing powerful emotions, both good and bad, may be key to disrupting unhelpful cycles of procrastination. ​
Awareness can be cultivated
While identifying and reflecting the emotions behind our behavior does not come naturally to all, it can be learned.
Next Steps
