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"