MANAGING
PROCRASTINATION
Acadia Student Resource Centre
WHAT IS PROCRASTINATION?
“The avoidance of doing a task which needs to be done”.
• Consequences:
• “procrastination not only affects a person’s work, but also commonly involves feelings such as
guilt, inadequacy, self-disgust, stress and depression”.
(University Counselling Service, University of Cambridge)
WHY DO PEOPLE
PROCRASTINATE?
• Poor time management
• Inability to prioritise
• Overload of tasks at a specific time
• Anxiety about the task, so time is spent worrying rather than doing
• Difficulty concentrating
• Not knowing what is required
• Never having learned how to work or sort out problems while at school or living at home
(University of Cambridge, Counselling Services)
CONT.
• Feeling overwhelmed by the task(s)
• Concern about failing or not meeting your own standards
• Fear of success and its possible consequences
• Perfectionism, often associated with unrealistic standards
• Negative feelings-e.g. “I’m stupid”, “nothing ever goes right for me”
• All-or-nothing thinking, where one setback is seen as a total catastrophe
• Being bored by the task
• Avoidance of things which are disliked or difficult
• Conduct an activity
inventory
Recognize the
signs of
procrastination
Limit distractions/Set
realistic goals
• Divide assigned tasks
into manageable chunks
• Use the STOP method to
interrupt procrastination
• Reward task completion
• Keep a progress journal
• Formatively evaluate
your performance
Try different proven
strategies/Tech tools
PROVEN STRATEGIES
The-Next-Twenty Goal-Setting Method
• Set specific goals you want to accomplish in the next 20 minutes
• Evaluate your ability to accomplish your goals
• Make note of all activities or behaviors that distract you from achieving your goals
THE-NEXT-TWENTY
GOAL SETTING METHOD
Time
Task
Time
Task
Time
Task
Time
6:00
9:40
1:20
5:00
6:20
10:00
1:40
5:20
6:40
10:20
2:00
5:40
7:00
10:40
2:20
6:00
7:20
11:00
2:40
6:20
7:40
11:20
3:00
6:40
8:00
11:40
3:20
7:00
8:20
12:00
3:40
7:20
8:40
12:20
4:00
7:40
9:00
12:40
4:20
8:00
9:20
1:00
4:40
8:00
Task
HEALTHY PRE-STUDYING HABITS
THAT CAN HELP YOU REDUCE
PROCRASTINATION
•
•
•
•
Flexibility
Always keep a copy of your plans with you
Get lots of sleep
Exercise or find other healthy ways of dealing with stress
• Talk to a friend about the challenges you are facing
• Another great resource on campus is the Acadia Student Resource/Counselling Centre
• The counsellors can help you improve your overall emotional, psychological, and social health.
• Also, they can help you develop strategies to address such issues as depression, anxiety, relationship
challenges, and stress.
LIMIT DISTRACTIONS
The Study Environment
• Choose a place that helps your focus
• Turn off Wi-Fi on your computer and phone while you are studying
Break & Reward
• Take a break and reward yourself after completing tasks
• For example, turn on your Wi-Fi as a reward during your breaks
PROGRESS JOURNAL
• Use your progress journal to:
• Track your progress
• To reflect on your goals & tasks
• To write down questions & critics
INTERRUPTING PROCRASTINATION
• The ‘STOP’ Method
• “When you notice your thoughts wandering, say to yourself STOP and then gently bring your
attention back to where you want it to be. Each time it wanders bring it back. To begin with, this
could be several times a minute. But each time, say STOP and then re-focus” (University of
Cambridge Counselling Centre).
• Alarms
Set multiple alarm reminders
PROGRESS REPORT
• Prearrange a time to contact a friend, family member, roommate, or study buddy to review
your weekly or monthly academic progress
• Weekly Self Evaluation
• Review your activities at the end of every week
• Highlight challenges and outline your plan to address them
• (If you cannot, make an appointment with either student services or your
instructor to seek advise on strategies for tackling your challenges).
• Whatever plan or strategy you come up with make sure it strengthens your
ability to manage current and future distractions
QUESTIONS?
Dr. Abu Kamara
Coordinator, Accessible Learning Services
Abu.kamara@acadiau.ca
http://accessiblelearning.acadiau.ca/Welcome.html
REFERENCES/RESOURCES
• http://www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/selfhelp/leaflets/concentration
• http://bsc.harvard.edu/pages/bsc-publications