Title: Put an End to ProcrastinationNOW
1Put an End to ProcrastinationNOW!
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3Do you.
- Put all-nighters and cram for tests?
- Find yourself waiting until the last minute to do
something?
- Usually find reasons for not acting immediately
on an assignment?
- Know what you have to do but frequently find
something else to do?
- Work best at the last minute when the pressure
is on?
4Do you
- Find that there are too many interruptions that
interfere with accomplishing your to do list or
priorities?
- Think / hope that if you ignore a task, it will
go away?
- Avoid making difficult decisions or getting
forthright answers when it might be unpleasant?
- Put off tasks or assignments because you just
dont have enough time today?
5Startling Statistics
- William Knaus, a psychologist, estimated that 90
of college students procrastinate.
- Of these, 25 are chronic procrastinators and are
usually the ones who end up dropping out of
college.
- Univ. of Buffalo (2002)
6- Soloman Rothblum (1984) found that
- 65 of college students want to learn to stop
putting off writing term papers
- 62 feel the need to study for exams more
promptly
- 55 hope to read their assignments earlier
7What is Procrastination?
Procrastination is the thief of time.
Anon
- The avoidance of doing a task which needs to be
done
- Postponing action
- For some of us, it may only happen once in
awhile for others, its a constant issue.
8Procrastination is
- Only remotely tied to time management
- Most procrastinators know exactly what they
should be doing, but dont do it
- For most, a detailed schedule is no help
9When do we procrastinate?
- Avoiding a confrontation with a friend, boss, or
significant other
- Not tackling bad habits
- Using the Id do it if I had time excuse if you
are challenged about whats undone
- Showing up late for classes, work, social events
- Always criticizing how others behave rather than
being a doer yourself
- Starting term papers and projects so late that
you dont have a chance to do well
- Discovering just how tired you are when you start
to do your work
10The Process of Procrastination
11Process (cont.)
12EFFECTS of Procrastination
- Feelings of guilt, inadequacy, depression, and
self-doubt
- Creates stress
- Interferes with academic and personal success
- Lower grades
13WHY do we procrastinate?
- Task is difficult
- Task is time consuming
- Lack of knowledge / skills
- Lack time management skills
- Personal problems
- Difficulty concentrating/study environment
14Other reasons / causes
- Lack of relevance/interest/motivation
- Evaluation anxiety
- Ambiguity Uncertain of whats expected
- Negative beliefs Self-Downing
- Uncertain goals, priorities, and objectives
15Complex Reasons for Procrastination
- Fear of failure
- Perfectionism
- Fear of success
- Rebellion
- Protectionism
16Fear of Failure
- Procrastination protects us from failure
- If were worried that we wont do well on a
paper, were less likely to do it
17Perfectionism
- Procrastination maintains perfectionism
- Sometimes we feel the need to do everything
perfectly.
- When we get busy, we fear that there is no time
to do a quality job on everything
- We do nothing
18Fear of Success
- If we do well on something, then we might be
expected to do well on everything
- We dont want to draw attention to ourselves
- Pressure to do well
19Procrastination is the fear of successbecause
success is heavy, it carries a responsibility
with it, it is much easier to procrastinate and
live of the someday Ill philosophy.
Denis Waitley
20Rebellion
- Problems with authority
- Living by someone elses rules, expectations,
goals, etc.
- If we dont want to do something, we tell people
that we didnt have the time
- Saves us from telling them we didnt want to do it
21Protectionism
- Procrastination allows us to live a world of
hopes, wishes, and maybes.
- Maybe the professor will cancel the test.
- Ill just ignore the problem with my roommate.
It will just go away.
- Fantasies are easier to deal with than taking the
risk to change.
222 Types of Procrastinators(Soloman Rothblum,
1984)
23TENSE Procrastinators
- Feels both an intense pressure to succeed and a
fear of failure
24RELAXED Procrastinators
- Feels negatively towards his/her work
- Blows off work / forgets it by playing
- Avoids as much stress as possible by dismissing
work and concentrating on fun
- Denial-based
- Self-indulgent, easily-frustrated, denies
reality
- Pleasure seeking
25Relaxed procrastinators are much more common
among college students.
26How to End ProcrastinationNOW
- Understanding
- WHY you procrastinate
- WHEN you procrastinate
- HOW you procrastinate
- WHAT you are afraid of
- is the first step.
27Tips for ALL Procrastinators
- 1/3 of all student procrastinators can improve
their habits by
- Recognizing their habits
- Having a to do list
- Keeping a daily schedule
- Being realistic
- Having a record keeping and reward procedure
28TIPS
- Get an appointment book. Learn to use it
everyday. Look ahead. Make its presence with
you a habit.
- Provide yourself with daily to do lists. Check
off as you go so you can see accomplishment.
29TIPS
- Establish a routine
- Reward yourself
- Modify your environment
- Change your attitude
- Do something daily
- Use your friends as study buddies and role models
30Overcoming Procrastination Difficult /
Time-consuming Tasks
- Learn how to plan ahead realistically
- Break tasks into manageable goals and provide
deadlines for mini-goals
- Dechunk Break tasks into 15 minute chucks
- Study in small blocks of time (50 minutes on, 10
minute break)
- Keep your tasks visible
31Overcoming Procrastination Perfectionism / Fear
of Failure
- Re-assure yourself that this effort will be good
enough
- Make an effort to praise what youve done
- Realize its impossible to avoid all mistakes
- Value your mistakes. Dont judge them or
yourself.
- Acknowledge your fears and go ahead anyway
32Remember Van Gogh and Shakespeare.
33Overcoming Procrastination Negative Thinking /
Self-Downing
- Practice accepting compliments about your work
- Compliment yourself for work accomplished
- Try to think positively about yourself
- Recognize your strengths
34Overcoming Procrastination Uncertain Goals /
Priorities
- Spend time considering your personal short-term
and long-term goals
- Brainstorm, talk to someone, reflect
- Look at syllabus and assignments
- Prioritize by due dates and importance
- Write down your goals and post them where you can
see them often (mirror, calendar)
- Be sure the task you think you should do is
really necessary/important
35- Discipline is
- Do what has to be done
- 2) when it has to be done
- 3) as well as it can be done
- and
- 4) do it that way every time.
- Bobby Knight
367 Day Anti-Procrastination Plan
37BENEFITS of overcoming procrastination
- Peace of mind
- Feeling of strength and purpose
- You are in charge of your life
- More personal freedom