E-learning and procrastination: 5 tips for effective support

Procrastination; we all suffer from it sometimes. Some more than others. There are two types of procrastination: passive and active. With passive procrastination, someone puts off a task because they struggle with decision-making. With active procrastination, someone puts something off because having a deadline in sight simply works better for them: that’s when they really get to work.

Occasional procrastination is perfectly normal and human. However, it can sometimes become a major problem where people miss deadlines, work for far too long without a break, experience immense stress, and fail to deliver the quality they could have achieved if they had started the project or task earlier. Procrastination can even lead to health issues such as headaches, sleep problems, and digestive issues.

It is often thought that only people who do not struggle with procrastination are successful when participating in e-learning. But nothing could be further from the truth. If the e-learning is created according to the following 5 tips, everyone can participate successfully, whether you are a “procrastinator” or not!

1. Make it manageable

For a “procrastinator,” there is nothing worse than seeing a huge mountain of work and having no idea where to start. Therefore, ensure that the e-learning is broken down into small pieces. Modules with short lessons, short videos, brief descriptions, and assignments that can be completed in five minutes or less.

It also helps to install a tracker that allows the learner to keep track of their progress. Every time they finish a lesson, the “percentage complete” increases: that gives the procrastinator’s brain a boost!

2. Send reminders

Is there a specific part of the e-learning where the learner is getting stuck? Send them an encouraging reminder email. You can set this up to happen automatically. Offer tips in the email: why is this particular module important? What is the result after completing this module? Do you need help?

Also, encourage the learner to connect with other learners: having an accountability buddy can make learning a lot more fun and easier, and the threshold for asking questions immediately feels much lower!

3. Create connection

How great is it to be able to spar with your colleagues about what you’ve learned? To challenge each other to discuss the material? To remind each other how important what you are learning is? This online connection can be established in various ways. Think, for example, of the discussion forum on the online learning platform (such as Pluvo), on social media, or in an online community.

You can also facilitate focus sessions or co-working sessions. One idea is to start a co-working session and check in with each other: what are you going to do today? What are you going to work on in the next hour? Then work together in silence (with cameras on!) for an hour (or more!) and then check in again: how did it go? Did you do what you wanted to do?

4. Create a schedule and manage expectations

Although e-learning is known for its flexible nature, it is all the more important for “procrastinators” to have a clear schedule, because: no deadlines, no action! So, set up a schedule in advance (you can automate this too) that is sent to the learner as soon as they first sign up for the e-learning. You can then set up reminder emails about upcoming deadlines, and also send a reminder email when they have NOT completed the modules or assignments before the deadline.

Prior to the e-learning, it is important to manage expectations and also appeal to the learner’s intrinsic motivation: why do they want to participate? What will it bring them? This is valuable input to incorporate into the reminder emails.

After a few weeks or months, this motivation can sometimes have faded significantly, and then it is good to be reminded again of why the e-learning is so valuable!

5. Inspire and motivate

The benefits of e-learning seem very obvious, but it is a good idea to remind the learners of them once more. A change of scenery, for example, can do wonders for motivation and productivity. Encourage them to change their environment and go work/learn in a coffee shop, the library, or another room in their house. Even better: encourage them to meet up with fellow learners to work focused for a few hours together and meet “in real life.” Who knows, friendships might even form!

And of course, it is important to keep the learners “on track,” but don’t forget to reward them when they actually do the work! Rewards in the form of points, a small (digital) gift, or a digital badge work very motivating!

You can also simply make procrastination a topic of discussion. For example, add valuable resources (videos, book recommendations, etc.) to help students deal with procrastination. This lets them know they aren't alone!

Pluvo is an ideal e-learning platform for supporting students who may struggle with procrastination. Curious about what we can do for your business? Get in touch with us via chat today!