Bachelor's Thesis: minimind

The impact of a novel AI-enabled task management strategy on procrastination

My bachelor thesis introduces a novel application designed to aid in effective task management, aiming to facilitate the challenges of procrastination and its associated health impacts, such as stress and burnout. The application prototype assists users in breaking down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. An integrated AI predicts whether a task can be accomplished in a 30-minute time slot and offers subtask suggestions if needed. The prototype was evaluated by five Computer Science undergraduates over ten days. Insights were gathered from prototype usage, surveys, and interviews. The results highlight the harmful impact of procrastination on well-being and productivity, with key procrastination triggers being lack of motivation, distractions, and the nature of large tasks. The application, emphasizing Microproductivity, found positive outcomes in reducing procrastination tendencies among participants. However, the 30-minute task limitation was found to be more confusing than beneficial. Although the gamification spect offered some motivation, its impact was minimal. The AI suggestions were frequently utilized, but the lack of context understanding of the AI resulted in less relevant suggestions.