1.1.3 OVERCOMING PROCRASTINATION

Procrastination is a serious problem that trips up many otherwise capable people. There are numerous reasons why students procrastinate. In the book Procrastination: Why You Do It, What to Do About It, psychologists Jane Burka and Lenora Yuen summarize a number of research studies about procrastination.¹ According to these authors, even students who are highly motivated often fear failure, and some students even fear success (although that might seem counterintuitive). Some students procrastinate because they are perfectionists; not doing a task might be easier than having to live up to your own very high expectations—or those of your parents, teachers, or peers. Others procrastinate because they find an assigned task boring or irrelevant or consider it “busy work,” believing that they can learn the material just as effectively without doing the homework.

Simply not enjoying an assignment is not a good reason to put it off; it’s an excuse, not a valid reason. Throughout life you’ll be faced with tasks that you don’t find interesting, and in many cases you won’t have the option not to do them. For instance, when you work in an entry-level job, you might find that you are assigned tedious tasks that are generally reserved for new employees. On a more personal level, you might occasionally put off cleaning your house or your room until the day comes when you can’t find an important file or document. At that point, cleaning your personal space becomes an essential task, not an optional one.

When you’re in college, procrastinating can signal that it’s time to reassess your goals and objectives; maybe you are not ready to make a commitment to academic priorities at this point in your life. Only you can decide, but a counselor or academic adviser can help you sort it out.

Here are some strategies for beating procrastination:

• Remind yourself of the possible consequences if you do not get down to work, and then get started.
• Create a to-do list. Check off things as you get them done. Use the list to focus on the things that aren’t getting done. Move them to the top of the next day’s list, and make up your mind to do them. Working from a list will give you a feeling of accomplishment.
• Break big jobs into smaller steps. Tackle short, easy-to-accomplish tasks first.
• Promise yourself a reward for finishing the task, such as watching your favorite TV show or going out with friends. For more substantial tasks, give yourself bigger and better rewards.
• Find a place to study that’s comfortable and doesn’t allow for distractions and interruptions. Say “no” to friends and family members who want your attention; agree to spend time with them later.
• Don’t talk on the phone, send e-mail or text messages, or surf the Web during planned study sessions. If you study in your room, close your door.

If these ideas don’t sufficiently motivate you to get to work, you might want to reexamine your purposes, values, and priorities. Keep coming back to some basic questions: Why am I in college here and now? Why am I in this course? What is really important to me? Are these values important enough to forgo some short-term fun or laziness in order to get down to work? Are my academic goals really my own, or were they imposed on me by family members, my employer, or societal expectations? If you are not willing to stop procrastinating and get to work on the tasks at hand, perhaps you should reconsider why you are in college and if this is the right time to pursue higher education.

Researchers at Carleton University in Canada have found that college students who procrastinate in their studies also avoid confronting other tasks and problems and are more likely to develop unhealthy habits, such as higher levels of alcohol consumption, smoking, insomnia, a poor diet, or lack of exercise.² If you cannot get procrastination under control, it is in your best interest to seek help at your campus counseling service before you begin to feel as though you are also losing control over other aspects of your life.