Procrastination
What is procrastination?
Procrastination is when you put off doing something you need to do to another day. Whether that be course work, getting fit, writing a job application, making a phone call or a decision over relationships. Whatever it might be, if you are always putting it off until tomorrow then you are suffering from procrastination - the "I ought to do it today but I'm sure I will find time to do it tomorrow" syndrome.
It was to avoid procrastination that the phrase, "Never put off to tomorrow what you can do today" was coined. It's not too problematic when you actually do tomorrow what you didn't do today. However procrastination becomes difficult when tomorrow never comes and you are always saying, "I'll do it tomorrow".
What happens when procrastination gets out of control?
- You put off the first assignment because you are sure you will
have plenty of time and you are:
- enjoying yourself too much
- worried that you won't be able to do it, so it's easier not to start just yet
- wanting to get your first assignment perfect so you keep reading more but cannot start the writing and meanwhile you keep gathering more and more material.
- Your course work starts bunching up so that suddenly you have three hand in dates looming up and you haven't started the first one yet.
- You start to feel anxious and stressed.
- You realise that even if you work solidly you cannot finish everything on time.
- You feel overwhelmed.
- It becomes even more difficult to work. Unless you can find a way round it you might be in danger of putting things off even more because they feel so huge. And things start spiraling worse and worse...
We all procrastinate to some extent. We start procrastinating in order to make our life easier. But instead of being able to enjoy life more, procrastination leads to guilt, anxiety, feeling inadequate, feeling depressed, feeling out of control and panic.
How much do you procrastinate?
Take a few minutes to fill in this questionnaire or to think about your answers :
| Question | True | Mostly true | Mostly false | False | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | You always put off doing your coursework until the last minute. | ||||
| 2 | You put off opening the official looking letter that arrived through the post to another day. | ||||
| 3 | You know that you have got to go to bed if you are going to get up for tomorrow's lectures but you still sit down in front of the television telling yourself it's just for a few minutes. | ||||
| 4 | You usually forget friends' birthdays and even sometimes their parties. | ||||
| 5 | You feel guilty if you are not busy most of the time. | ||||
| 6 | You know that you feel better when you exercise regularly but you keep putting it off. | ||||
| 7 | You keep all your files from A levels and even some from GCSEs just in case. | ||||
| 8 | You put off doing a job application or making an appointment to see a careers adviser. | ||||
| 9 | You know the answers in your tutorial but instead of speaking up you wait for someone else to give the answers. | ||||
| 10 | Your girlfriend/boyfriend wants you to go somewhere you don't want to go. Instead of saying you don't want to go you keep saying, "We'll go another time." |
If you have answered true or mostly true to three or fewer statements then you are doing well and whilst you may postpone a few things, you have learnt how to take action and not to procrastinate. Just keep an eye on how much you push yourself and that you have enough time for relaxation.
If you have answered true or mostly true to between three and six statements then you are half-way there. You take action some of the time but when you do procrastinate it is probably causing you unnecessary stress. It would be helpful for you to think some more about how to manage your time better.
If you have answered true or mostly true to more than six statements then procrastination is affecting your life and you deserve to enjoy life better than you are doing at present.
Why do you procrastinate?
There are usually various factors leading to procrastination:
- Managing your time badly - so that you have too much to do and/or you are not sure exactly what you need to be doing in the first place.
- Not being able to get on with your task - so you use avoidance activities such as tidying your room, cleaning the kitchen, getting something to eat or drink or even just sitting there thinking about something else.
- Fear is one of the biggest factors - fear of not being able to do it all, fear of not getting it right, fear of doing it too well, fear of being rejected by others or being too close or fear of being tied down by commitments or people.
People deal with the effects of procrastination in a range of ways depending on their temperament. Some people will be very laid back and dismiss any uncomfortable feelings from their minds. Others may become anxious and start to feel stress or panic symptoms.
Time management tips
- Objective - What goals do you want to achieve and what do you need to achieve those goals? Make a list of your goals then prioritise them in order of importance. They may not all be manageable at once. Try to stand back from them and look at them objectively. Are they realistic? If they are, write them down.
- Clarity - Each goal has to be clear and manageable. Be realistic! Break down each goal into smaller targets that are manageable. Write a list of what needs doing and don't just write 'Do assignment'. Break it down to small manageable parts such as 'do plan', 'do introduction', 'do next section' and so on.
- Relaxation - Remember that you will never complete your list if you don't build in some time off. Having time to relax will help you achieve your targets. Ideally you need to spend one third of the day working, one third relaxing and one third sleeping. It might be illuminating for you to work out how you spend your hours so that you know what you don't give yourself time for.
- Be organised - If you have your papers all over the place, no room on your desk and cannot even find what you have to do it is going to be very difficult to start. Allow yourself some time to tidy up before you start. You will know if you are allowing yourself to procrastinate. Then start doing one thing on your list and finish it before you start another.
- Know yourself - Some people work better in the morning others need longer to wake up. Work to your strengths and do most work when you are most active.
- Saying 'no' - You will sometimes need to say no to other people and other distractions when you have a deadline to reach. It's a question of who you prioritise - yourself or other people. You can always plan something fun after your deadline.
What lies behind procrastination?
The most common emotion to lie behind procrastination is fear. Fear can come in many different guises. Procrastination can hide opposite fears such as fear of failure and fear of success. The best way of confronting your fear is to understand it.
- Fear of failure - This fear can stop you starting at all. You spend so much time worrying that you cannot do it that you end up having less time to do the task and start fulfilling your fear. Always make sure you understand what you are being asked to do. Sometimes it is important to learn what you can do and what you struggle to do, but if you don't try then you won't know. This will help you to discover where you need most help. It's important not to keep silent but to ask for the help you need. Your peers could be struggling as well and you may be able to support each other if you speak out.
- Fear of not getting it perfect - If you are a perfectionist then you may find it difficult to see when you have done enough. You might end up spending hours on one assignment only to find that you have no time for the next assignment. Set yourself a time limit in which to finish a task in. Whatever you have achieved in that time will be good enough. Remember it is okay not to be perfect and it's also a lot easier for other people if you can be imperfect sometimes. See also self-esteem.
- Fear of success - If you do this assignment really well will there be an expectation that all your assignments have to be that good? Sometimes people feel scared of showing how knowledgeable they are. But if you speak out then perhaps you can support someone else. After all they may be able to help you in another area in which you are struggling.
- Fear of intimacy or rejection - If you never ask someone out then you will never be rejected but you may never get to go out with the person you fancy. Whenever you decide to take any action you are taking a risk. Yes, you may be rejected but there is also the chance that you won't. How long are you prepared to wait? Until someone else asks this person out?
- Fear of commitment - Sometimes you put things off to avoid being committed and tied down. This can be deliberate or avoidance. Check out whether this is something you want to happen or whether you feel manoeuvred. If you do want this then it may be fear that is stopping you going forward. Again, it might be time to take a risk!
Three strategies for dealing with procrastination
- Often thinking about a task is worse than actually doing it - make a start now!
- Do it one bit at a time and then have a break and do something nice.
- Set yourself small deadlines and keep to them.
Can counselling help with procrastination?
Sometimes all this planning, working out your goals is difficult to do on your own. One or two counselling sessions might help you identify these goals and look at manageable targets. If it is fear that keeps you procrastinating then you may need a safe space in which to begin to understand the fear and where it comes from so that you can start to lose its power over you.
If you can stop procrastinating then you rather than your fear will be in charge of your life.
Page last updated 17 April 2012