On the evening before the regular session (Wednesday, 9 July 2025), we've planned an opportunity for exchanging ideas about the societal impact of procrastination and how public policy and researchers can interact to address it. You'll want to have an early dinner somewhere – there are tons of places nearby – but you are welcome at the event starting at 18:30 ### Wednesday, 9 July 2025 : Evening session with panel of speakers and societal partners, addressing societal impact of procrastination - Co-organized by the "[Behaviour & Institutions](https://www.uu.nl/en/research/institutions-for-open-societies/behaviour-and-institutions) Platform" (part of Utrecht University's Strategic Research Theme, "[Institutions for Open Societies](https://www.uu.nl/en/research/institutions-for-open-societies)") and the [Ethics Institute](https://www.uu.nl/en/research/ethics-institute) of Utrecht University - Location: Kanunnikenzaal of the University Hall (Academiegebouw) in the historical city centre of Utrecht - Directions: [University Hall - Campus - Utrecht University](https://www.uu.nl/en/university-hall) #### Programme: - 18:30 Walk in with coffee/tea and snacks - 19:00-20:30 Discussion with pairs of researchers and those with expert in applied contexts – each "outside" policy specialist will be paired with a Procrastination Research Network researcher. - Moderators: Prof. [[Denise de Ridder]] (Self-Regulation Lab, Utrecht University) & Prof. Joel Anderson (Ethics Institute, Utrecht University) - **Procrastination in the financial domain** - [Will Tiemeijer](https://english.wrr.nl/about-us/office/will-tiemeijer), Scientific Council for Government Policy, now working on a project at the Dutch Tax Office - [[Katrin Klingsieck]] (University of Paderborn) - **Procrastination as a Public Health Issue** - [John de Wit](https://www.uu.nl/staff/jdewit) Public Health specialist; Program Dean of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, Utrecht University - [[Wendelien van Eerde]] (University of Amsterdam) - **Procrastination in academic and work settings** - [Kourosh Dini](https://www.kouroshdini.com), M.D., Clinical Psychiatrist, podcaster, and developer of guides and tools for managing procrastination. - [[Carola Grunschel]] (Universität Münster) - **The struggles of formerly un-housed persons to keep their [[future self-continuity|future self]] in mind** - [Han Ravensbergen](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Han-Ravensbergen-2), M.A.., Nurse practitioner, and former case worker for unhoused persons, Municipality of Utrecht - [[Fuschia Sirois]] (Durham University) - 20:30 - 21:15 drinks and reception ### What we'll discuss What we envision is 4 rounds of 20-minute discussions, addressing each of the four topics above. In each round, two experts will start the discussion with brief opening remarks, and responses to each other, before opening the discussion for all participants. The questions we would like to focus on are the following, with an emphasis on the challenges and opportunities for public policy makers and researchers to work together: #### Sample questions from the policy domain to researchers: - "How can we frame communications about deadlines and requirements in ways that reduce procrastination without seeming punitive or increasing anxiety, especially for vulnerable populations?" - "What evidence exists about whether reducing procrastination in one area (like tax filing) creates positive spillover effects in other areas (like healthcare), and how can we design systems that leverage these connections?" - "What are the most cost-effective, scalable interventions that don't require individual counseling or high-tech solutions, given that we serve thousands of people with limited budgets?" #### Sample questions from the research side to service providers, policy-makers and civil servants: - "Which populations suffer the most severe consequences from procrastination in various domains, and how do concerns about equity and inclusion concerns shape what interventions civil servants can realistically implement?" - "When policy interventions are introduced to reduce delays (like reminder systems or simplified forms), what unexpected obstacles or unintended consequences are encountered that research studies might not capture?" - "How do political cycles, budget constraints, and institutional inertia affect service providers' ability to implement evidence-based interventions, and what would make research findings more actionable within those constraints?" --- See also: ["Behaviour & Institutions Platform hosts evening symposium on "Policy Implications of Procrastination Research"](https://www.uu.nl/en/events/12th-international-procrastination-research-conference) ⇒ Back to [[Working web page for 2025 Procrastination Research Conference (Utrecht, July 10-11, 2025)]]