Procrastination

Procrastination

It’s nearly the end of the academic year and we’ve noticed there are still lots of students finishing off their work – especially in the library.

Perhaps you are a student who always seems to leave their work to the last minute or are you a lecturer who puts off doing their marking? Perhaps you put off doing the cleaning or tidying at home. Most of us procrastinate.

This can be down to 2 things
1) Procrastination
2) Poor time management

Photo by Kalyan Kanuri. https://www.flickr.com/photos/kalyan/3184149164

Even the best time management skills (such as planning) can fail to have the required results if we don’t actually get on with what is needed, so what is procrastination?

What is procrastination?

For those of you who don’t know this word, procrastination often involves

· Delaying what needs to be done

· Putting off something that you don’t like or find boring

· Being easily distracted by other things (e.g. Facebook!)

· Finding something easier to do instead

· Falling behind and not achieving what needs doing

You may identify with Tim Urban in his humorous TED talk below

Tips for avoiding procrastination

In Psychology Today, Elizabeth Lombardo Ph.D, gives 11 tips for avoiding procrastination

To summarise, paraphrase and apply this:

• Don’t make a huge deal out of having to do your work (manage those emotions)
• Think about the long term results (ie qualification, better job, better mark) rather than trying to feel better in the short-term
• Plan your work (but not to the extent you have no time to do it!)
• Give yourself plenty of time to achieve what you need to do –be realistic and don't leave it too late.
• Break the piece of work up into smaller chunks
• Stop making excuses
• Find someone who will check up on you and make you accountable
• Think about your environment. Turn off your phone, email, Facebook, internet and other distractions
• Reward yourself when you complete stages and/or the whole of your work
• If you get distracted, don't beat yourself up about it and just get on with your work again
• Avoid perfectionism. Aim for better and your best rather than perfect.

As Martin Luther King Junior said " You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step"

How to keep up to date with new developments in your area of work

Impress at job interviews and keep up to date

Lots of students are now leaving college and applying for jobs. Many will be working in a particular sector such as hairdressing, construction, fire service, nursing or child care.

New developments are being made and affect the workplace all the time e.g.

• ·         new legislation or guidelines passed (e.g. health and safety)
• ·         new initiatives being piloted,
• ·         new problems being tackled
• ·         new people with new ideas.

 Hairstyles change, new research comes out in helping children’s development, new fashions in cooking and hospitality, and new materials and techniques in building homes and structures, for example.

Keeping up to date with professional Periodicals/ Journals

In the library (due to the refit they are currently in Room 121 and then sent out to departments) we have a range of professional periodicals which are one way of keeping up to date in your field. If you want to have the edge in a job interview, why not read up on what the latest issues are so you can mention these and show that you take an interest in the work you will be doing.

Some titles we currently hold are:

Building
Caterer
FE Week
Fire (I expect a lot will be written about the Grenfell Tower fire in forthcoming issues)
Hairdressers Journal
Highways (previously Surveyor)
Leisure Management & Health Club Management
Make Up Artist Magazine
Marketing Week
Navy News
Nursery World (with archive online)
Nursing Times
Professional Beauty
RAF News
TES
THE
Travel Weekly

Library Periodicals. Photograph by Peterborough Regional College

Some other ways to keep up to date and keep learning in your chosen profession/ job

Websites of professional bodies (organisations which represent a profession) – e.g Hair Council, ABTA, Institution of Civil Engineers. It is probably best to concentrate on those based in the UK as legislation and practice may be different in other countries such as the US.

Websites of professional journals (see above) – these will give a summary even if you don’t subscribe. Building magazine is already discussing the construction materials used in Grenfell Tower as is Fire magazine.

Social media accounts – e.g, the nursing and midwifery council has a twitter account@nmcnews, the Royal Navy has a Facebook account. You need to make sure you have the official accounts (look for the tick) and that new content is being regularly added. Well known professionals in your field may also write a blog eg Sarah Jagger (Make up artist).

Email lists and RSS feeds. You can subscribe to news feeds so new information about subjects in which you have an interest are sent to your email account. You can often choose to get a weekly digest so that you don't get too many emails.

Library Closure

Library Closure

Earlier this week, we moved out and all the books were packed up and put into storage because the library is having a refit! We have moved to a new temporary location and there will be limited space and computers for you to do your work.

Where will we be? 

Room 75 for book returns, 4 student PCs & study tables, library/book enquiries. Opening hours remain unchanged.

Room 121 - this will be the PC Centre from 8.45-4.30pm everyday until the end of term.

Both rooms will be manned by library staff and are for students to complete their work only as space is limited. 

What about the books?

These are in storage and are not readily available. However, if you need a book for your work, take a look on the library catalogue (via the library 24/7 page on Moodle) and if it says it is available, come and speak to us and we will let you know if we can get it for you. If we can we will need 48 hours. Remember you have access to e-books and other electronic information resources - also from our Moodle pages. If you need specific information, please come and speak to us as we may be able to find what you are looking for somewhere else.

Public domain photo by Hermann Traub
https://pixabay.com/en/books-education-school-literature-441866/

Can I use a computer?

There will be 4 PCs and some laptops available in Room 75. Room 121 has 20 computers. There may be some time slots when it will not be possible to open Room 121.

Can I still buy stationery?

 No, sorry. We will not be selling stationery during this time.

Can I ring the library and renew my books or speak to a member of staff?

Yes, we are still contactable using the same telephone number and email address.

When are you moving back in to the library?

Hopefully by the end of August, ready for the beginning of the academic year.