4 minute read
Procrastination and a case of the Sunday scaries
from The Ontarion - 193.2
by The Ontarion
When it comes to procrastinating, identifying the reasons why you procrastinate is a key component to overcoming it. PHOTO BY TAYLOR PIPE
Tips on how to overcome procrastination when deadlines are looming during the fall semester
CHEN CHEN
Honouring the Halloween month, I am sharing something that was scarier to me than ghosts and monsters. Something that is real, and that is procrastination. When I was a student, I suffered a lot from procrastination. The thought of starting to work on final projects was dreadful, and I often made excuses to put it off to the last minute.
A few days before the deadline, I would feel the enormous pressure from the deadline, eat a lot of cakes, and pull all-nighters to get them done. It was painful and exhausting. After I turned in the assignment by the deadline, I would think that the assignment was not as challenging as I thought it would be and wished that I had started earlier. If this resonates with you, this article may be relevant to you.
The Procrastination Process
Let’s start by understanding the process of procrastination. The usual process of procrastination involves the following steps: First, we think of the important project that we need to work on. Then, the thought of starting to work on the project triggers unpleasant feelings such as anxiousness, discomfort, and avoidance.
With the unpleasant feelings, you come up with excuses such as “I will do it tomorrow” or “I work better under pressure”, then you push off the task and switch to do other lower priority tasks. The guilt built up in you and the more you delay the task, the less likely you are going to do it.
TASK e.g., Final Essay
UNHELPFUL ASSUMPTIONS AND EXCUSES e.g., I can do it tomorrow
Tips on Overcoming Procrastination
When it comes to breaking the cycle of procrastination there are many things we can do. The following tips might be especially helpful if you’re prone to binging Netflix instead of working on your assignments.
Starting small.
The thought of getting started on the entire task for hours can be daunting. However, we can limit the task by just starting to work on a small piece of it. We can try to set a timer (minimal work session) to get started with the task for just 10, 15, or 20 minutes. You can start to build up the momentum from there and lessen the burden of having to start for too long.
Focus on the process, not the product.
This is a mindset that’s helpful to develop when it comes to procrastination. Sometimes, we will hear ourselves say that “I cannot do this”, “this is too difficult” and by thinking about those, we are focused on the final product such as the complete essay, the entire project etc. Instead, we can train our mind to focus on the next minimal step that we can put into the project. We can do so by changing our internal dialogue to focus on “what is the next step I can take?”, “What can I contribute for just 10 minutes?”. Rome is not built in one day, so as any complex projects. Just like we build a building by laying one brick at a time, we are putting together our projects by contributing to it one piece at a time. off, try to use the excuse as a cue for you to work for just 10 minutes. Whenever you catch yourself saying “I am feeling too tired to do it today”, try to work on the task for just 10 minutes and see how you feel. You will find that you can actually get a lot of things done in just 10 minutes, or even gain a clearer idea on the next step required for the task.
Practice discomfort tolerance.
Getting started with the task is uncomfortable. Sometimes we will just have to change our expectations and learn to tolerate the temporary pain that comes with life. Oftentimes, the most difficult time about procrastination is the first 15 minutes of getting into the zone. Once we get started, we might realize that things are not as difficult as we expected. Therefore, increasing our ability to tolerate pain is important. We can develop discomfort tolerance skills by practicing mindfulness. We can start to notice the existence of discomfort and try to breathe with it. As we try to deal with the discomfort, we might increase our ability to coexist with them and perhaps reduce the discomfort.
Procrastination is a big topic and there are many strategies that can help you to overcome it. Try different strategies and see which one works the best for you! Also try to observe your own procrastination patterns: Listen to what excuses you often use and try to challenge them. Also try to practice skills that can help you get started! Hopefully by next Halloween, you can enjoy the fun of Halloween and don’t feel haunted by tasks and procrastinations!
