Monday: “Oh, I have a week to study, good! I’ll start tomorrow.”
Tuesday: “There are six days left, Don’t fret; I have plenty of time.”
Thursday: “Tough day at college… I’ll start studying at night.”
Friday: “Ugh, I slept again.”
Sunday: “Oh, how will I cover all this in one night?”
Does it sound like you? Did you feel anxiety in the last dialogue? Panic and overwhelming thoughts are what a procrastinator feels when approaching a deadline. Procrastination can feel like a pesky ailment, causing unnecessary delays when we should be tackling important tasks. Take studying for a test or completing assignments as prime examples. Let’s explore ways to overcome this hurdle and stay on top of our responsibilities.
It is among the most common problems affecting millions of students worldwide, especially in colleges. According to one research, 20% of U.S. men and women are chronic procrastinators who put off their tasks until the last moment, leading to low productivity and poor performance. It is a force that prevents many college students from doing what they set out to do.
Leslie Hayes, co-author of Unofficial Guide To Surviving College, experienced the same during college. His college chronicles describe how he coped with this dream-killing habit. Let’s take inspiration from his story and discover ways to eliminate this bad habit.
Who Is to Blame for Procrastination?
Superficially, you seem to be delaying a task because there is too much time to do it, and you don’t want to strain yourself with burdens and challenges. But if you dig deeper, you will find different psychological and behavioral mysteries behind it.
Procrastination is not a choice or deliberate behavior but a trauma response to our negative beliefs or stress. Don’t be too hard on yourself when you find yourself lazy or avoiding work. A little introspection will help you find the trigger that’s causing it.
Entering college is a shocker for many; changing homes and traveling distances can drastically impact their lives. It can also be linked to many psychological disorders like anxiety, ADHD, or other underlying issues.
Negative Effects of Procrastinating in College
Reduces Your Academic Growth
In Academia, it can lead to poor exam scores, incomplete assignments, and lack of motivation to study; students suffering from chronic self-regulatory failure sometimes drop out of college because the stress becomes overwhelming. According to a survey, procrastination occupies around one-third of a student’s time, which is spent sleeping, screen time, and other passive activities.
Danger to your interpersonal relationships
Chronic procrastinators often feel controlled or dominated in their relationships. In this digitized era, many procrastinators use cell phones, tablets, and computers to distract from their responsibilities as partners or friends. Consequently, when their partners find them not applying themselves to the relationship, they drift away and fall out of the relationship. Procrastinators struggle to talk about their challenges out of fear of being judged by their friends and family. They are viewed as disappointing or unreliable friends and family members.
Harms Physical And Mental Wellbeing
A demotivated person is an extension of their poor mental health. Procrastinators are susceptible to mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. After putting down tasks, disappointing themselves, and making unhealthy choices, they are left with guilt, disappointment, and fear.
Outsmart Procrastination With These Tips
Spice Things Up With Some Creativity!
Use a different playlist, workstation, or a beautiful view to make your work attractive. You will find plenty of videos of students decorating their study tables with colors and pens to make them appealing. It helps in raising your interest levels and productivity.
A Self-Awareness Check
Your mind is your greatest friend and your deadliest enemy. Use it wisely to make your life easy. Practice self-awareness and incorporate it into your daily life. Ask yourself the reason for delaying your tasks. Is it because you don’t enjoy them, or are you facing problems? Your self-judgment will answer this question easily, and you can then do the needful to complete it.
Reward Yourself
Positive reinforcement always helps. From training your pets to training your brain, rewarding is the most prevalent practice to combat procrastination. Taking breaks between studying, snacking on your favorite food, walking, or playing with pets are many ways to beat procrastination with fun.
Break Your Tasks Down Into Manageable Pieces
Finishing a book in one day or completing your assignment overnight can be overwhelming. Therefore, starting steadily and managing your tasks without burdening yourself is better. You can make a schedule for your study time. You are going to break each chapter according to the days of the week. Taking breaks in between also helps to refresh your mind.
Beat Procrastination with An Unofficial Guide To Surviving College, a self-help by Dr. Eugene and Leslie Hayes to help first-year students and seniors live problem-free college days. If you or a close friend or family is going through procrastination in college, this book is a great resource.
