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Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

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Page 1: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

Student Academic Success Center

Overcoming Procrastination

Why do you procrastinate?

Page 2: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

Procrastination is a complex Procrastination is a complex psychological Behavior that affects psychological Behavior that affects everyone to some degree or another. everyone to some degree or another.

For some it can be a minor problem; For For some it can be a minor problem; For others it is a source of considerable others it is a source of considerable stress and anxiety. stress and anxiety.

Page 3: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

““I work best under pressure.”I work best under pressure.”

One of the biggest excuses people use One of the biggest excuses people use for procrastinating on a task is the for procrastinating on a task is the mistaken belief that they can work at their mistaken belief that they can work at their best “best “under pressureunder pressure”.”.

Page 4: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

Why Working Under Pressure is Not Why Working Under Pressure is Not OptimalOptimal

You may feel like the pressure is helping you be productive, but…You may feel like the pressure is helping you be productive, but…

At this point you are making progress only because At this point you are making progress only because you have no you have no choicechoice..

Your back is against the wall and there are Your back is against the wall and there are no alternativesno alternatives. .

This causes This causes anxiety anxiety which can lead to many problems. which can lead to many problems.

You have to get the project done now or You have to get the project done now or FAILFAIL!!

Progress is being made, Progress is being made, but you have lost your freedombut you have lost your freedom..

Page 5: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

So why do some people think they So why do some people think they can work best under pressure? can work best under pressure? And even if they don’t, why do And even if they don’t, why do

they keep doing it?they keep doing it?

Page 6: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

The answer is psychologicalThe answer is psychological

Procrastinators receive positive Procrastinators receive positive reinforcement (a good grade) for delay.reinforcement (a good grade) for delay.

Even though the paper was barely completed Even though the paper was barely completed in time, it may actually earn a good grade.in time, it may actually earn a good grade.

The procrastinator is rewarded positively for The procrastinator is rewarded positively for poor behavior. "Look what a decent grade I got poor behavior. "Look what a decent grade I got after all!"after all!"

As a result, the counterproductive behavior is As a result, the counterproductive behavior is repeated over and over again.repeated over and over again.

Page 7: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

The problem is, positive reinforcement does not The problem is, positive reinforcement does not have to happen all the time in order to keep up have to happen all the time in order to keep up the unwanted behavior. So even though a the unwanted behavior. So even though a procrastinator might get a good grade procrastinator might get a good grade sometimes, even when he/she doesn’t, the sometimes, even when he/she doesn’t, the behavior continues. behavior continues.

This is called Classical Conditioning… just This is called Classical Conditioning… just like training a puppy.like training a puppy.

Page 8: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

Four Simple Reasons for Four Simple Reasons for ProcrastinationProcrastination

1.1.DifficultyDifficulty--thethe task seems hard to do; we naturally task seems hard to do; we naturally tend to avoid difficult things in favor of those which tend to avoid difficult things in favor of those which seem easy to us.seem easy to us.

2.2.Time-consumingTime-consuming--thethe task will take large blocks of task will take large blocks of time, and large blocks of time are unavailable.time, and large blocks of time are unavailable.

3.Lack of knowledge or3.Lack of knowledge or skillsskills-no one wants to -no one wants to make mistakes, so we wait until we learn how before make mistakes, so we wait until we learn how before starting. starting.

4.4.FearsFears-everyone will know we don’t know how to do it -everyone will know we don’t know how to do it or that we will screw up. or that we will screw up.

Page 9: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

Four Complex Reasons for Four Complex Reasons for ProcrastinationProcrastination

1.Perfectionism1.Perfectionism

2.Anger & Hostility2.Anger & Hostility

3.Low Frustration Tolerance3.Low Frustration Tolerance

4.Self-Downing (negative self-talk)4.Self-Downing (negative self-talk)

Page 10: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

PerfectionismPerfectionism

Unrealistic high expectations or standards.Unrealistic high expectations or standards.

High degree of dissatisfaction and frustration…High degree of dissatisfaction and frustration…Nothing is ever good enough.Nothing is ever good enough.

Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of energy it Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of energy it will take to criticize and nit-pick something.will take to criticize and nit-pick something.

Uses the words should, must, ought to, have Uses the words should, must, ought to, have to.to.

Page 11: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

How to resolve:How to resolve:

Try self-reassurance that this effort or version Try self-reassurance that this effort or version will be good enough.will be good enough.

Make an effort to praise what you have done.Make an effort to praise what you have done. Remember it's impossible to achieve Remember it's impossible to achieve

perfection.perfection. You have undoubtedly found all the fatal errors You have undoubtedly found all the fatal errors

by now.by now.

Page 12: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

Anger & HostilityAnger & Hostility

If we are unhappy with someone, we’ll If we are unhappy with someone, we’ll often withhold our best efforts. often withhold our best efforts.

For example, if you are upset with a For example, if you are upset with a professor, you might delay in starting a professor, you might delay in starting a demanding project as a way of "getting demanding project as a way of "getting even." even."

But you are the one who loses; you are But you are the one who loses; you are the one who will get the low grade. the one who will get the low grade.

Page 13: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

How to resolve:How to resolve:

Determine that you are the one who is Determine that you are the one who is feeling upset and see how your actions feeling upset and see how your actions will actually harm you in the long run. will actually harm you in the long run.

Don’t let how you feel about a particular Don’t let how you feel about a particular class stand in the way of your personal class stand in the way of your personal future.future.

Page 14: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

Low Frustration ToleranceLow Frustration Tolerance

Circumstances overwhelm you easily.Circumstances overwhelm you easily. You find situations radically intolerable You find situations radically intolerable

and terribly unfair.and terribly unfair. Frustration is characterized by whining Frustration is characterized by whining

and complaining.and complaining.

Page 15: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

How to Resolve:How to Resolve:

Be realistic. The more you want something and Be realistic. The more you want something and can't have it, the greater your level of can't have it, the greater your level of frustration. frustration.

Get help from someone who can show you Get help from someone who can show you how to solve the problem. how to solve the problem.

Learn how to temporarily postpone your Learn how to temporarily postpone your desires. Most of the time, you will eventually desires. Most of the time, you will eventually get what you want. get what you want.

Page 16: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

Self-DowningSelf-Downing

This happens when you continually minimize your own This happens when you continually minimize your own skills and abilities and express doubt about your ability skills and abilities and express doubt about your ability to succeed. to succeed.

You might habitually put yourself down and tend to You might habitually put yourself down and tend to disbelieve yourself even when you are successful.disbelieve yourself even when you are successful.

You may also find it hard to accept praise and You may also find it hard to accept praise and compliments for work performed. compliments for work performed.

The trouble with self-downing is, given a long enough The trouble with self-downing is, given a long enough time, you will actually come to believe that you are time, you will actually come to believe that you are incapable of achievement.incapable of achievement.

Page 17: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

How to resolve:How to resolve:

Practice accepting compliments about your work Practice accepting compliments about your work performance by simply saying "Thank you.“performance by simply saying "Thank you.“

Figure out why you feel uncomfortable with success. Figure out why you feel uncomfortable with success. Did someone in your life make you feel this way? Were Did someone in your life make you feel this way? Were you taught to minimize your success? Why is success you taught to minimize your success? Why is success so scary? Will it make you stand out in the crowd? Do so scary? Will it make you stand out in the crowd? Do you feel as though others will not accept you if you are you feel as though others will not accept you if you are successful? successful?

Remember to compliment and praise yourself for work Remember to compliment and praise yourself for work accomplished. accomplished.

Page 18: Student Academic Success Center Overcoming Procrastination Why do you procrastinate?

Some Ways to Combat Some Ways to Combat ProcrastinationProcrastination

Discover the real reasons for your procrastination and Discover the real reasons for your procrastination and challenge it.challenge it.

Get organizedGet organized Break the task into smaller tasksBreak the task into smaller tasks Make a to-do listMake a to-do list Tell someone about your task and commit to a time-Tell someone about your task and commit to a time-

frame to complete itframe to complete it Use rational self-talkUse rational self-talk Reward yourself for completing tasksReward yourself for completing tasks