Investigating Gamification to Reduce Procrastination - Systematic Literature Review

Introduction: Procrastination significantly impacts in the lives of young people and adults, both in academic and professional contexts, reducing interest, performance and productivity. The prevalence rates in the general adult population highlight the frequency of this phenomenon. Procrastination, defined as the voluntary postponement of tasks despite awareness of its negative consequences, undermines academic performance, workplace productivity, and mental and physical health. Gamification, as a strategy within interactive systems, has been recognized for its potential to enhance motivation and, consequently, to reduce procrastination. Methods: This study explores how integrating gamification elements (such as points, badges, challenges, leaderboards, and progress bars) into interactive systems can improve user engagement, motivation, and task management, and consequently, help to reduce procrastination. The research methodology followed a systematic literature review, guided by SEGRESS guidelines. Results: The review included 24 studies, carefully selected from 781 identified through reputable databases. The findings highlight both the potential benefits and the challenges of employing gamification to combat procrastination. Discussion: This research emphasizes the importance of personalization in gamification strategies to address procrastination effectively. It further contributes to interactive systems design by exploring how organizational processes/behaviors and productivity can be enhanced through gamification systems (technology), tailored to assist users (students, workers, and procrastinators in general) in overcoming procrastination-related challenges.