Recently in Procrastination Category

If you're like me, you probably get on your laptop, check you're email, then head straight to Facebook. Then throughout the day you may check it once or twice more just to see what people are saying in their status' or if you have any new messages or comments. Like me, you are not alone because according to this article 65% of Facebook users do the very same thing. Well, researchers are now saying that this could be lowering your grades more than you think. It has been found that those who utilize Facebook are underachieving by a whole letter grade compared to those who do not have a Facebook! GPA's of Facebook users were also significantly lower than those who do not use the social networking site. One researcher's explanation is that people are getting of Facebook as opposed to studying. The article cites one student's experience of trying to write a 2,000 word paper with the distraction of Facebook. Her decision as a result of that distraction was to deactivate her Facebook account. This sounded extreme to me, but I remembered a friend of mine who did the exact same thing at the beginning of the school year! Most of Facebook users (79%), however, don't believe the time spent on Facebook has any impact on school work and grades.

I would have to say I'm partially a part of that 79% because when I read this article I was shocked! I know that Facebook is a distraction and I find myself constantly logging onto the site (even when I have to blog or do other homework online) but I would have never contributed my getting a B instead of an A to a social networking site.

Reeve (2009) discusses Relatedness being a psychological need to have social interaction that is warm, close and affectionate (p. 161). With technology advancing sites like Facebook seem to make our friendships less affectionate, but I think our rejection of homework for Facebook is to fulfill our need of Relatedness to a degree.

What kind of impact do you see Facebook having on the quality of your relationships as well as your studies?


I understand that we are an evolving society that revolves on technology tremendously, but what is our motivation for logging onto Facebook several times throughout the day when we are facing deadlines as college students? Have any of you deactivated your Facebook due to the distraction or know someone who has? Does anyone is this class NOT have a Facebook account?
Article: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article6078321.ece

Lately I have noticed I'm having a serious case of senioritis and am procrastinating more than I would like.  My ideas to help me overcome procrastination have been failing, so I decided to find some suggestions online.  This problem has become the inspiration for my latest post.  I'm assuming many people are beginning to procrastinate more because the end of the school year is quickly approaching and the weather is beginning to, finally, get nice!  The website I found with suggestions to beat procrastination is....

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_96.htm

This website provides general steps and suggestions to overcome any procrastination issues you may have.  Professor Clarry Lay described procrastination as "a temporal gap between intended behavior and enacted behavior."  This discrepancy is not a new phenomenon and can be overcome by creating implementation intentions with specific goals.

The first step is Recognize That You're a Procrastinator.  You won't be able to overcome this problem, if you don't accept you are a procrastinator.  The website even offers a link to find out if you're a procrastinator, if you are unsure http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_99.htm.

The second step is Work Out WHY You're Procrastinating.  Reasons for procrastinating include the task is unpleasant, you are disorganized, you feel overwhelmed by the task, you are a perfectionist, and a major cause you have troubles making decisions.  I was surprised to see being a perfectionist as a reason because I feel being a perfectionist would push you to finish work.  However, sometimes being a perfectionist can hinder you because you do not want to make a mistake.

The third step is to Adopt Anti-Procrastination Strategies.  Some general tips to motivate yourself to get work finished include making your own rewards, having others check on you, etc.  Some suggestions to help you get organized include making a to-do list, prioritize your to-do list, setting a time-line for goals, and focusing on one task at a time.  If you find a task unpleasant, actually try the task before deciding it is not fun or enjoyable.

Overall, the article states in order to beat procrastination, one must develop good time-management, cultivate better organizational skills, and encourage effective habits.  One also must realize, procrastination is a difficult habit to break.  To overcome this habit, one must work hard to incorporate new approaches to work and habits to avoid procrastination.

(I shouldn't admit this) but in the little time between classes I find myself always frantically trying to finish a homework assignment for the next class.  I put stuff off until the last minute because I "thrive" under the pressure. I have done that with this weeks blog posts/comments and it gave me inspiration (for my post).

Procrastination - News Article

The link above is a news story that popped up after my google search of why I procrastinate. 
It turns out I am just not a perfectionist and I don't have a lot of faith in completing tasks I need to complete.  This is true [for me]...I will be honest that this internet blogging thing is so new to me and I always feel like I'm doing them wrong. So I put them off until Thursday when they are due...and I rush to get them done in a short amount of time.

Some facts that the news took out of the article state that perfectionists don't procrastinate, they just worry more about their final product. Are there any perfectionists out there? If so, is this true?  Also, how do you do it?
Some questions:
To fellow procrastinators, do you think this article is true for you or is it bologna?
Do you think that procrastinators can not procrastinate if they work at it, or will they always delay getting work done?  

I read some of the comments below the article and it seems that most people don't doubt their confidence level and self efficacy as being the problem.  They just do so much better when under stress.

Here is a link to the actual sited article in the news story:
The Nature of Procrastination - Steel

Why do today what could be put off until tomorrow? Perhaps the most common form of self-sabotage, procrastination is a concept that we are rather familiar with as college students. Psychology Today offers us ten insightful reasons as to why this has become one of our favorite ways to avoid doing those things that we would rather not do.

For some of us, it has become a lifestyle choice. We miss out on many things we would have enjoyed because the opportunity has passed us by. While many could deem this a personality trait (e.g. Jim is just the kind of person that is never on time), it does seem to have a significant impact on others that "have their lives figured out." My favorite example demonstrating this would be how one does their Christmas shopping. There are those that get it done six months beforehand, those that do it right after Thanksgiving, and others that leave it until the night before.

The article goes on to say that we as a society do not take procrastination as a serious problem. It is an issue of self-regulation. By not calling people out on their ways, we are allowing for the behavior to continue. Also, procrastination isn't an issue of time management. Procrastinators are aware of the time but are somewhat optimistic about how much they can get done. The example given here is that giving a procrastinator a daily planner is like telling a depressed individual to cheer up--it just doesn't work.

We must also take into account that procrastinators are a product of their environment. They were not born to act as they do, but they do not directly develop these behaviors from their parents. It could be that an individual displays procrastinating behaviors to rebel against what they are being forced to do by an authoritarian household figure. They may internalize what they are "supposed to do" and never learn how to regulate their own behaviors. Often times these individuals turn to friends who are accepting of their excuses for help. It must also be noted that these self-regulation problems are related to a greater probability of disengagement and substance abuse issues.

Procrastinators lie to themselves. They tell themselves that they will be more up to completing their assignment the next day when in all actuality, they know that they wont. They justify these behaviors by saying that it isn't that important that they do the task anyway. It is just a five point assignment. What difference is five points going to make? Another common excuse used is that we "work better under pressure." I have personally experienced this form of procrastination, and I find that it causes me more stress than anything else. For some reason though, I can convince myself that my best work is done right before it needs to be handed in for a grade. Perhaps I am squandering my resources as the article says?

In addition to this, there are always so many things that need to be done besides the task of priority. There are dishes in the sink to be cleaned, laundry to be folded, and rooms to be straightened up. Why on earth would I want to write an essay when I'm surrounded by this mess? We do this as a way to distract ourselves from the fear of failure we feel by putting things off until the last possible moment.

Most interestingly, there are three different types of procrastinators. First are those that seek the arousal or thrill of meeting a deadline just in the nick of time. Next are those that avoid the fear of failure or success. They are very concerned about what others think of them and would rather be blamed for lack of effort than ability. Last are those that just can't seem to make a decision. By not making a decision one way or another, they can't take the blame for the outcome of their circumstances.

To conclude, procrastination is a topic that should be taken seriously. College students demonstrating procrastinating behaviors were found to have more compromised immune systems, gastrointestinal problems, and greater instances of insomnia. Others will suffer due to our choice to put things off--in the workplace and in the classroom. In the end, we must remember that we do hold the power to change our behavior and doing so will have a great impact on how we lead our lives.

You can find this article at: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200308/procrastination-ten-things-know