Overcoming Procrastination

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Overcoming Procrastination

• The big P

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Who procrastinates

• 90 of college students procrastinate
• 25 are chronic procrastinators

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What is procrastination?

• Avoidance of a task
• This task is important!!
• Theres a circular effect
• Avoidance guilt/ stress/anxiety
• Guilt/stress/anxiety more avoidance

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What are effects of big P?

• Feelings of -
• Stress
• Guilt
• Depression
• Inadequacy
• Self-doubt

• Interferes with
• Personal success
• Academic Success
• Physical effects
• Illness
• Headaches
• Stomach aches etc.

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Rationalizations

• A defensive mechanism by which your true
  motivation is concealed by explaining your
  actions and feelings in a way that is not
  threatening
• This job is easier when Im in the mood and Im
  not in the mood.

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Rationalizations (Contd)

• If I wait until the last minute, I wont spend so
  much time.
• I do my best work when Im under pressure.

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The other big P Perfectionism

• You must be the best
• You must get an A
• Its not good enough
• I havent read everything
• What will others think?

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Solutions

• Dont confuse the task and your personal worth
• Start early Do the best you can NOW
• Review and revise
• Always turn SOMETHING in
• Self- reassurance
• Praise yourself
• Some mistakes are okay

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Fear of Failure

• Or fear of Success
• Failure is not getting an A
• Imagine disaster
• Imagine pressure to always get an A
• Judging yourself harshly

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Solutions

• Reframe failure What did I learn?
• Make a plan for next time Move on
• Imagine success What did I do well? How did I
  feel?
• Compete only with yourself
• Visit the professor What can I do differently

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Its Boring!

• Feelings of ambivalence
• Lack of involvement
• Is it important/necessary?
• Is it something I want?

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Solutions

• Focus on priorities and goals Why am I doing
  this? What do I want?
• Apply material to yourself
• Get involved work with others
• Challenge yourself
• Just start it
• Find optimal level of difficulty

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Fear and Anxiety

• Feeling of being overwhelmed
• Spend your time worrying

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Solutions

• Break it into small pieces
• Use a worry pad
• Just do one thing at a time
• Use time management schedules

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Difficulty concentrating

• Daydreaming
• Distractions
• Physical stuff

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Solutions

• Control your environment
• Use the 5 minute rule
• Preread
• Review lecture notes
• Checkmark technique

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Personal Problems

• Finances
• Relationships
• Illness
• Depression

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Solutions

• Use campus resources
• Center on Career Counseling
• Psychological Services
• CDFS budgeting
• Academic Adviser
• Talk to a friend, parent, professor
• Budget your money

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Poor Time Management

• Little control over time
• Dont know where your time is spent
• Lack of schedules
• Overinvolved
• Dont know what your priorities are

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Solutions

• Keep a log of how youre spending your time now.
• Summarize your time by categories sleep eat
  TV video games friends class study
• Make a weekly schedule
• Use a daily priority list
• Put tests etc on monthly calendar

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Benefits of overcoming P

• Peace of mind
• Sense of control
• Feeling of strength and purpose
• Move forward toward accomplishing personal goals

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Time Management Resource

• Come to Academic Success Center in BRNG 3268.
  Meet with an instructor or pick up handouts on
  time management
• Go to our web page at www.purdue.edu/asc for
  schedules, handouts etc.
• Do a search on the web under time management or
  procrastination

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• Kathy Kroll
• Director,
• Academic Success Center
• March, 2004