I am such a PROCRASTINATOR! Help?

Question

I am a senior in college and I am such a procrastinator with my work. Its horrible. I always get the work done and do pretty good. But what can I do to break this HABIT.

** Come on, This is a serious question people. **

Answer 1

I have a hard time with Procrastination too. here are some things that work for me. Go to the library or study room at your school, if you aren't home with distractions you are more likely to do work, plus you will see everyone else doing their work and will feel inspired. Setting strict rules or saying I'll start it at such and such a time never worked for me, but you can give it a try. Instead work on rewards, like I'll watch such and such a tv show or Ill have some ice cream when I finish my math assignment. Get a study buddy with good work habbits, again being around people who want to do the work on time will help you to feel like you should too. He/she can also remind you to keep working when you get distracted and if you split up outlines you will feel obligated to get it to your partner on time (make sure ur partner's deadline is well ahead of that of your teachers) this works b/c you will feel like you are letting down a friend and not just a teacher.

Answer 2

I hear ya. I'm a huge procrastinator also, but I got through college and I graduated with a 3.985 GPA. I really don't think that it's a habit you can break. I always waited to do my term papers like the night before they were do, but I found that I did my best work that way. My grades never suffered; I also think that the pressure made me work better and harder. I know that procrastination is irritating to yourself and others, but the best advice I can give you is to accept it as part of who you are. If you still get your work done and it's not hurting your grades, go with it. Waiting 'til the last minute may help you work better. If it gets so bad that you can't stand it or other people think that they can't depend on you, talk to a counselor. I even bought a book on stopping procrastination once several years ago- do you think I've read it? No, but I plan to someday (when I have more time). :)

Answer 3

There ought to be a society for us procrastinators, or a self-help group, or something. As a fellow procrastinator I know the angst, the pure dread, and the exquisite hell, I put myself through by ignoring tasks until I can't avoid them any more. Sometimes it's just too late, and deadlines have passed, or the work must be rushed. It is not a fun position to be in. Although I have found that at times what I thought had to be done, didn't really, and by putting it off, I avoided unnecessary work.

There is a way that I have put off using lately to break the habit of procrastination. It's really a simple thing of applying a modicum of discipline to your bad habit. Choose one task every day that you've been putting off and do it, follow through with it, and put it behind you. Every day as you complete each task you can build up the habit of facing tasks squarely instead of putting them off. Eventually you will have everything done except the hardest or most dreaded ones, but you should now be able to tackle even these without procrastinating.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Ask yourself a few questions first: "Do I really want to change this?" "Why do I want to change this?" "Can I change this?"

Being a procrastinator is your way of making life less rewarding. Try doing the opposite. Try being ACCOUNTABLE. You will never get much out of life if you aren't accountable. Make commitments, plan, and take action. The key is stopping yourself from saying stuff like "I can do it later." The key is to catch yourself when you think these thoughts and stop them in their tracks and take action at THAT VERY MOMENT. Don't let yourself off the hook. I know your pain. Your problem is so common. Just remember to catch yourself making excuses and do what you are uncomfortable doing... For instance, I hate doing dishes and I let them pile up... Lately, I've caught myself saying "Not today, I'm too tired, I have other stuff to do... etc." When I catch myself making excuses I decide to take care of business then and there. I do the freakin dishes. It takes time but it feels so much better to not be a procrastinator. Just remember it will feel uncomfortable to break this habit but you will feel much better. Just start doing it and start this TODAY.

J

Answer 5

I was going to write a self help book about procrastination based on my own personal experiences with it,but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Answer 6

I haven't looked for any self-help books on the subject, but I'm sure they're out there if you're desperate enough for assistance.

I've found some little tricks that seem to help me. For example, if I have a big work project but also a long deadline, then I find I can get an early start if I put in just five minutes of work on it once or twice a day. It's easy to convince myself to stop once or twice a day and just sit down to the project for a mere five minutes. And I use that time to prepare the project, set out the materials, pull out any background reference sources, etc. The preparation work also serves to get me focused on the project and start organizing it in my head, maybe make some notes and outline my thoughts. At some point I get drawn into it enough that I start sitting down for longer periods (though I retain the right to quit after five minutes), and eventually there comes a point where I just work straight through on it because I can already see the end in sight. And that all happens without the pressure of a looming deadline.

(And if I still end up running up against the deadline, at least I'll be that much ahead of the game by having the project already prepped and organized and started when it's time to make the final big push to finish it off.)

If I have a lot of small things to do over a shorter period, for example I need to do some fix-it and clean-up projects around the house on a Saturday, then I'll use the same principle. I'll make a list ahead of time of all the things to be done. Then Friday night I'll prep the projects very briefly (ten minutes) just to get focused on them and start organizing them in my head. Then Saturday morning, I'll initially start by circulating among them and putting in five minutes on each project. I'll keep circulating and doing small segments just to get each of the projects underway without really accomplishing much work on them yet. Then at some point one or two of them will be prepped enough (and organized in my head enough) that's it's just easier to stay with them past the five minute deadline and do them outright instead of in little chunks. I'll continue to circulate among the rest doing five minutes of work at a time until I get pulled into those as well.

So that way I keep working consistently, but the work stays fresh and easy to tackle because I only have to do five minutes on any given project and then I can take a break.

This little trick doesn't *cure* procrastination. I'm still late every morning for work and I still run up against other sorts of deadlines. But if a project is important or if I really want to be productive on a Saturday and get a lot done, then the five-minute trick helps me stay on track for those particular projects.

I have other little tricks for other situations. For example, if I absolutely need to get into work on time, I have some little organizational tricks to make that happen. But I think you probably get the idea: Get creative and try some little tricks to get around your procrastination, at least for individual projects or goals. Or go buy a self-help book and try some of the tricks they suggest. Very likely certain tricks will work better for some people than others. So try lots of stuff until you find some gimmicks that work for you.

There's no real harm in procrastination per se. There are enough procrastinators around that most bosses understand the phenomenon. But it's nice to have some control over it and some ways to beat it at least for the more important projects. Otherwise, the stress of always trying to beat the clock may leave you feeling like your life is out of control.

Answer 7

This works for me because I'm such a dork. Buy new office/school supplies, then you'd want to do your work with them. (Damn, this short story looks sooo pretty written by my new pen!) I told you I'm a dork.

Answer 8

Girl, you are NOT ALONE!

esp sr year of college--my last semester was pretty bad.

i don't have a definite answer for you. what i do is i pray and ask God for help, motivation, and for me to remember my life is to glorify Him and if He will be glorified by me getting to work then, i better get to it.

and then i just keep on trying to focus on my work (requires several thousand efforts ).

good luck.

Answer 9

you like to make yourself suffer by placing extremely difficult deadlines on yourself by procrastinating....i don't have any suggestions though......cuz im an ***, but i am a fellow procrastinator....sorry

Answer 10

make a deal with yourself that no tv/computer until you finish homework or whatever you r doing