This is a problem and solution essay. The following are the comments.

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• Problem/cause/effect/impact 1 - language error in the second part of the sentence. Solution 1 - Add a linking phrase in the beginning of the sentence to connect to the problems/causes/effects/impacts. Solution 2 - Add a linking phrase in the beginning of the sentence to connect to the problems/causes/effects/impacts. Which parties/stakeholders will implement the solutions?
• Summary of specific evidence that relates to the problem - Make sure the borrowed ideas are extensively paraphrased in your essay. Check in-text citations format in your essay.
• Solution 2 - Which parties/stakeholders will implement the solutions? How will the solutions be executed? You can refine your ideas by considering these questions when proposing solutions - Do the solutions correspond to the problems/causes/effects/impacts? What are the expected outcomes? How do we evaluate the effectiveness of the solutions? Please refer to Unit 2, pp. 16-17.
• Use of APA style in the references for your sources - Pay attention to the end-of-text format for news sources, capitalisation and italicisation.

Topic area:Education

Narrowed topic: Identify the causes of procrastination in academic settings and recommend strategies for overcoming this habit and improving productivity.

In present society, academic results are crucial for Hong Kong students, as it determine their competitiveness. High public expectations of students, so they face pressure to become competitive. Since students are frequently under academic pressure, they tend to procrastinate. Procrastination may slow down productivity and result in lower academic performance. However, procrastination can be related to various causes, such as fear of failure and poor time management. The research aims to identify the reasons for procrastination among university students within the academic setting and provide workable suggestions, including cognitive behavioral therapy counseling and self-control techniques that may help them reduce a tendency and become more productive.

One of the main reasons university students procrastinate in academic settings is the fear of failure. This fear affects undergraduates of behavior, and decision-making process and this fear stems from undergraduates of desire for success and recognition from others. For those who fear failure, they usually worry that their shortcomings will be seen by others. This worry makes them extra sensitive to criticism and rejection, ultimately leading to a lowered sense of self-worth. Moreover, past experiences, including academic failure or setbacks, may frequently exacerbate fear of failure. However, this should result from cognitive, emotional, and motivational issues. Furthermore, Federico (2022) states that another common reason for procrastination is struggling with perfectionism. Perfectionists usually perform at a high level academically and feel very worried and overwhelmed at the thought of not completing a task perfectly. Therefore, to maintain high levels of performance, undergraduates may procrastinate or avoid academic responsibilities to avoid possible failure. This avoidance behavior deepens the fear of failure and leads to an ongoing cycle of avoidance and anxiety. According to Shreya and Vishwa (2024), personal confidence and low self-efficacy may be framed as the likelihood of failure, because they have little confidence in their ability to achieve their goals and desires.

In addition to fear of failure, inefficient time management is another major cause of procrastination. This mainly stems from a lack of understanding of time management and the inability to prioritize tasks (Arba, 2021). Procrastination is constantly associated with failure to make full use of time to study, prepare assignments, and prepare for exams may lead to stress and poor academic performance. Additionally, difficulty concentrating is due to a lack of planning and preparation for activities required to achieve learning goals, which may reduce learning productivity. Arajo (2023) emphasized that undergraduate students neglect their academic responsibilities, study habits, and motivation that enable them to cope with time management and complete academic tasks autonomously. Prepare at the last minute, submit unfinished assignments, and miss deadlines. In addition, poor self-regulation and goal-setting abilities prevent university students from monitoring and making changes in their studies, which further exacerbates the problem. Observations of gender differences suggest that women are better able to manage time than men, which ultimately minimizes their thoughts of procrastinating (Valente et al., 2024). Failure to engage in relevant time management may indeed increase procrastination and reduce the likelihood of regular excellent grades or academic performance.

To effectively address the fear of failure, cognitive processes may be targeted. Higher education institutions could establish professional counseling services that apply cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), as it is an effective method for undergraduates to identify irrational thought patterns and behaviors that lead to procrastination due to fear of failure. Each counseling session establishes clear goals, such as reducing anxiety or increasing self-esteem. According to Marwing and Broto (2020), cognitive behavioral therapy is also beneficial in reducing university students' uncertainty about future career choices. Farias (2022) believes that CBT can help individuals understand their reactions and attitudes towards certain events, allowing university students to change bad habits such as procrastination. By working with a trained therapist, university students can explore their negative thought patterns, reframe these thoughts and build more positive self-confidence. By challenging the fear of failure and adopting a growth mindset, university students can reduce fear and increase motivation, thereby reducing procrastination. These strategies promote self-acceptance, independence, and resilience so that individuals can make informed decisions and reduce anxiety (Ilma et al., 2024). Furthermore, these interventions are not only designed to reduce fear of failure but also to develop university student confidence and resilience so that they can excel academically and personally.

Besides cognitive strategies, on-campus workshops on self-control techniques may be very effective in addressing procrastination. Productivity tools include the Pomodoro Technique and planning tools like calendars and to-do lists, helping students gain more control over their time and reduce procrastination. The concept of the Pomodoro Technique is to break tasks into short chunks (25 minutes on average) followed by short breaks. Focusing on small, relatively simple parts of the job greatly reduces bad emotions. Additionally, planning tools like a calendar or to-do list are important in combating procrastination. These tools enable students to develop a schedule of activities and deadlines, setting long-term goals into smaller steps that are closer and easier to implement. By graphically displaying how long each task takes to complete, students will overcome the perception of faraway deadlines that often leads to procrastination (Svartdal et al., 2020). Such tools not only foster better time management skills but also a process-oriented mindset that can more effectively sustain motivation and reduce stress. According to Miyake and Kane (2022), the Pomodoro Technique may promote focus on process aspects, can be particularly helpful when combined with these tools. Therefore, it means that learning is more organized and time is used very positively.

In conclusion, student face serious barriers to excellence and effectiveness in academic settings, primarily caused by two factors, ineffective time allocation and fear of failure. These factors are the main causes of procrastination. To tackle these challenges, it is recommended that university offer cognitive behavioral therapy to effectively combat the fear of failure. Additionally, techniques focused on time management and behavior change can improve their ability to allocate their time, thereby reducing anxiety, increasing productivity, and achieving academic goals. By understanding the causes of procrastination and implementing appropriate strategies, students can be helped to develop self-discipline and self-motivation to address procrastination.

Arba, A. N. (2021). The Relationship of Time Management and Academic. Procrastination: A Case of University Students. Seluk niversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstits Dergisi (46), 214-224.https://doi.org/10.52642/susbed.909737

Fitbit Inc. (2022, 08 Jun). Why Do We Procrastinate, Really? PUBT.https://global-factiva-com.ezproxy.lb.polyu.edu.hk/redir/default.aspx?P=sa&NS=16&AID=9HON006900&an=PCNVB00020220608ei6800bkq&drn=drn%3aarchive.newsarticle.PCNVB00020220608ei6800bkq&cat=a&ep=ASI

Ilma, M. Z., Wibowo, M. E., & Sutoyo, A. (2024). The effectiveness of cognitive behavior therapy group counseling with cognitive restructuring and self-talk techniques to reduce students' academic procrastination. Jurnal Bimbingan Konseling, 39-44.https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/jubk/article/view/5858

Miyake, A., & Kane, M. J. (2022). Toward a Holistic Approach to Reducing. Academic Procrastination with Classroom Interventions. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 31(4), 291-304.https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214211070814

NFINCE. (2022, January 26). Procrastination: learn tactics to avoid leaving. tasks for later. CE Noticias Financieras.

https://global-factiva-com.ezproxy.lb.polyu.edu.hk/redir/default.aspx?P=sa&NS=16&AID=9HON006900&an=NFINCE0020220126ei1q00490&drn=drn%3aarchive.newsarticle.NFINCE0020220126ei1q00490&cat=a&ep=ASI

Shreya Rathi, & Vishva Chaudhary. (2024). Understanding the psychology of procrastination: causes and solutions. International Journal of Linguistics Applied Psychology and Technology (IJLAPT), 1(2(June), 1-24.

https://ijlapt.strjournals.com/index.php/ijlapt/article/view/45/57

Valente, S., Dominguez-Lara, S., & Loureno, A. (2024). Planning time. management in school activities and relation to procrastination: A study for educational sustainability (16), 6883.https://doi.org/10.3390/su16166883