PROPEL
Study Table to Minimise Procrastination
During the initial days of research, I came across multiple issues that had strong
connections with digital anxiety. Being a Gen-Z er myself, I took a step back and
reflected on my own experiences with digital anxiety, upon which I stumbled upon
Procrastination.
Procrastination loosely translates to “the action of delaying or
postponing something”. In this age of an intense digital boom, surrounded by
umpteen forms of distraction, procrastination is a vicious productivity suppressor. It
leads to underlying effects, which include anxiety, depression, feelings of guilt and
disruption of one’s professional life. Factors such as infinite scrolling and instant
gratification become reasons for us to overlook our goals and not adhere to
deadlines. The urge to pick up one’s device or even something as trivial as taking a
smoke break leads to a lack of concentration when attempting to follow a path of
ambition and achievement.
The Propel Table gets its name from “causing something to move forward”. It acts as a
study or work tool that prevents one from losing focus to achieve daily targets. In an
age where the concept of a home office has become the norm, there is a general
need to be aware and consciously engage in forms of self-motivation. Individuals
often find this a herculean task while being isolated within the four walls of their
abode. Enter The Propel Table.
Propel is a smart table that is connected to your phone via an app, which helps you
put away distractions temporarily in an efficient manner while you go about your tasks.
An individual fully sets the schedule and customises it wholly based on their work
mantra. All forms of distraction can be deposited in the table pockets, strategically
placed to serve as a constant reminder of the reward at the end of the task. The table
is also connected to your smartwatch, which senses when you have been inattentive
or get distracted mid-task, causing the LED lights along its edge to blink subtly and
gently remind you to get back to work.
The colour scheme and materials have been chosen with the utmost thought and
strategic planning—the materials from a production perspective and the colours from
the visual impact. The materials have been kept simple and straightforward to make
the production seem less intimidating, which isn’t usually the case when anything
“smart” is involved. The colours used are warm neutral tones, representing calm
minimalist design. The Propel Table is a productivity tool that aims to prevent work-
related and procrastination-induced stress that leads to many mental health issues
