Overcoming Procrastination

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• Overcoming Procrastination
• This powerpoint is designed for students who
  need advice on managing procrastination. The
  format of the Workshop held on 11.2.09 is
  different to this powerpoint.
• Chris Nancarrow and Adam Sandelson
• LSE Student Counselling Service
• Wednesday 11 February 2009, AGWR (A550)

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Aims

• Examine difficulties with procrastination
• Identify a range of strategies to overcome it
• Explore unhelpful negative thoughts and
  behaviours
• Review sources of help

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Introduction

• What is procrastination?

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What is procrastination?

• Putting off a task which needs to be done
• It can affect our study and writing
• We may disguise avoidance by being very busy
• We may find things to do that are interesting or
  even useful, but don't contribute towards the
  main goal
• It may involve feelings of anxiety, stress,
  guilt, shame and depression

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Common issues

• time management
• inability to prioritise
• overload of tasks at a specific time
• anxiety about the task
• not knowing what is required
• feeling overwhelmed

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How do we procrastinate?

• When did you last procrastinate?
• What triggers it?

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Taking control of time

• Ask yourself from time to time
• How am I using my mental and physical energy now?
• Is this good use of my time?
• Identify priorities/commitments for the week
  ahead and write on blank sheet lectures/classes
  leisure activities paid work time for self
  adequate rest/sleep.

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Use personal timetabling to

• acknowledge what you have achieved
• save mental energy
• be purposeful and realistic
• meet deadlines and keep up with work
• have effective study time and effective
  relaxation
• Enjoy yourself without guilt and worry

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Using time effectively

• If you were deliberately going to set out to
  make poor use of your time, what would you be
  doing differently?

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How could we AVOID making effective use of our
time?

• Study
• Planning
• After Lectures
• Files
• Relaxation
• Saying No
• Time Log
• Parkinsons Law
• Rewards

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Reviewing essay preparation

• Dont
• Ignore the essay title, plunge into reading,
  make copious
• notes, get overwhelmed with information and then
  start
• worrying about producing a coherent account.
• Instead
• Give yourself time to think
• Brainstorm, research answers, and learn
• Through thinking and asking questions become more
  selective in your choice of material
• Allow a structure to emerge, and be prepared to
  revise it

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Writing Strategies

• Free yourself up
• Go for a walk Talk it out loud
• Wait for a structure to arrive
• Bullet points, mind maps, scribble ideas
• Give yourself time to work it out learning and
  writing involve unconscious processes
• Imagine looking back at this task in 2 or 6
  months time
• Work with others, use study groups, etc.

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The final stage of writing

• Budget about an hour for each sheet, half of
  which will be allocated to the draft.
• Dont worry about being stylish.
• Clarity is much more important.
• Keep asking questions and finding answers.
• Let go of the tortuous process of putting the
  essay together like a jigsaw
• Use the essay to examine answers to your own
  curiosity
• Remember - is it a book or an essay?

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Overcoming Procrastination

• Use a daily schedule and weekly diary
• Prioritise and set achievable targets
• Revise targets
• Acknowledge progress
• Stay focussed
• Avoid avoidant activities!
• Reward yourself

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Strategies to move forward

• Experiment with your standards for success. Try
  for 80 or even 60
• Focus on the process of doing an activity not
  just the end result.
• Evaluate success in terms of what you
  accomplished and whether you enjoyed the task.
• Check your feelings. Monitor feelings of anxiety
  and depression. Dont set up impossible
  expectations
• Face your fears that may be behind your
  procrastination - What am I afraid of? What is
  the worst thing that could happen?"
• Celebrate your mistakes

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Looking behind the time issue

• What kind of internal pressure do I put myself
  when preparing to work?
• What negative thoughts get in the way of
  working?
• Where do these come from?

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• Procrastination Mini Questionnaire
• 1. Describe the Internal Critic.
• 2. What does he or she say to you when you are
  under pressure?
• (list negative thoughts)
• Whos voice is it?
• 3. What is the resulting self defeating behaviour
  (i.e. procrastination) and unhealthy emotion
  (i.e. anxiety, fear, panic etc)?
• Self Defeating Behaviour
• Unhealthy Negative Emotions
• What could an alternative be to the Internal
  Critic? (i.e. a less judgemental voice)

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Conclusions

• Look after yourself (diet, sleep)
• Keep a supportive structure for
• your daily life have relaxation time
• See writing as a time of discovery
• Recall past achievements
• Challenge negative thoughts
• Imagine looking back at the task in
• 3 or 6 months time

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Sources of Help

• TLC Study skills advisors
• Disability Office
• LSE Learning world http//learning.lse.ac.uk/
• Speak to other students
• Tutor or Departmental Tutor
• Mental Health and Wellbeing Advisor

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LSE Student Counselling Service

• Free and confidential
• Groups and Workshops programme
• Self Esteem Group Thursday 26 February.
• Stress Management Group next one in summer term
  see the website
• Longer term groups for PhD and for MSc students
• Website has information about the Service
• Stress management handout
• Relaxation tape MP3s
• Links to self help resources
• Powerpoints from Workshops on perfectionism and
  procrastination