MANAGING PROCRASTINATION Acadia Student Resource Centre.

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

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 Task

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

HEALTHY PRE-STUDYING HABITSTHAT 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

[email protected]

http://accessiblelearning.acadiau.ca/Welcome.html

REFERENCES/RESOURCES

• http://www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/selfhelp/leaflets/concentration

• http://bsc.harvard.edu/pages/bsc-publications