Overcoming Procrastination
The big “P”
Who procrastinates
• 90% of college students procrastinate
• 25% are chronic procrastinators
What is procrastination?
• Avoidance of a task
• This task is important!!
There’s a circular effect –
Avoidance = guilt/ stress/anxiety
Guilt/stress/anxiety = more avoidance
What are effects of big “P”?
Feelings of • Stress
• Guilt
• Depression
• Inadequacy
• Self-doubt
Interferes with
• Personal success
• Academic Success
Physical effects –
• Illness
• Headaches
• Stomach aches etc.
Rationalizations
A defensive mechanism by which your true
motivation is concealed by explaining your
actions and feelings in a way that is not
threatening
• This job is easier when I’m in the mood
and I’m not in the mood.
Rationalizations (Cont’d)
• If I wait until the last minute, I won’t spend
so much time.
• I do my best work when I’m under
pressure.
The other big “P” – Perfectionism
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You must be the best
You must get an “A”
It’s not good enough
I haven’t read “everything”
What will others think?
Solutions
• Don’t confuse the task and your personal
worth
• Start early – Do the best you can NOW
• Review and revise
• Always turn SOMETHING in
• Self- reassurance
• Praise yourself
• Some mistakes are okay
Fear of Failure
Or fear of Success
• Failure is not getting an “A”
• Imagine disaster
• Imagine pressure to “always” get an “A”
• Judging yourself harshly
Solutions
• Reframe failure – What did I learn?
• Make a plan for next time – Move on
• Imagine success – What did I do well?
How did I feel?
• Compete only with yourself
• Visit the professor – What can I do
differently
It’s Boring!
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Feelings of ambivalence
Lack of involvement
Is it important/necessary?
Is it something I want?
Solutions
• Focus on priorities and goals – Why am I
doing this? What do I want?
• Apply material to yourself
• Get involved – work with others
• Challenge yourself
• Just start it
• Find optimal level of difficulty
Fear and Anxiety
• Feeling of being overwhelmed
• Spend your time worrying
Solutions
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Break it into small pieces
Use a worry pad
Just do one thing at a time
Use time management schedules
Difficulty concentrating
• Daydreaming
• Distractions
• Physical stuff
Solutions
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Control your environment
Use the 5 minute rule
Preread
Review lecture notes
Checkmark technique
Personal Problems
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Finances
Relationships
Illness
Depression
Solutions
• Use campus resources
– Center on Career Counseling
– Psychological Services
– CDFS – budgeting
– Academic Adviser
• Talk to a friend, parent, professor
• Budget your money
Poor Time Management
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Little control over time
Don’t know where your time is spent
Lack of schedules
Overinvolved
Don’t know what your priorities are
Solutions
• Keep a log of how you’re spending your
time now.
• Summarize your time by categories –
sleep – eat – TV – video games – friends
– class study
• Make a weekly schedule
• Use a daily priority list
• Put tests etc on monthly calendar
Benefits of overcoming “P”
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Peace of mind
Sense of control
Feeling of strength and purpose
Move forward toward accomplishing
personal goals
Time Management Resource
• Come to Academic Success Center in
BRNG 3268. Meet with an instructor or
pick up handouts on time management
• Go to our web page at
www.purdue.edu/asc for schedules,
handouts etc.
• Do a search on the web under time
management or procrastination
Kathy Kroll
Director,
Academic Success Center
March, 2004