Put an End to ProcrastinationNOW

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Put an End to ProcrastinationNOW!

• Sponsored by the
• Teaching and Learning Center
• 658-7792

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MOUNT OLIVE COLLEGETEACHING AND LEARNING
CENTER547 Michael Martin Dr., Waylin Center

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• Website - www.moc.edu/academics.tlc.cfm
• Disability Services

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Do you.

• Put all-nighters and cram for tests?
• Find yourself waiting until the last minute to do
  something?
  
• Usually find reasons for not acting immediately
  on an assignment?
  
• Know what you have to do but frequently find
  something else to do?
  
• Work best at the last minute when the pressure
  is on?

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Do you

• Find that there are too many interruptions that
  interfere with accomplishing your to do list or
  priorities?
  
• Think / hope that if you ignore a task, it will
  go away?
  
• Avoid making difficult decisions or getting
  forthright answers when it might be unpleasant?
  
• Put off tasks or assignments because you just
  dont have enough time today?
  

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Startling Statistics

• William Knaus, a psychologist, estimated that 90
  of college students procrastinate.
  
• Of these, 25 are chronic procrastinators and are
  usually the ones who end up dropping out of
  college.
  
• Univ. of Buffalo (2002)

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• Soloman Rothblum (1984) found that
• 65 of college students want to learn to stop
  putting off writing term papers
  
• 62 feel the need to study for exams more
  promptly
  
• 55 hope to read their assignments earlier

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What is Procrastination?
Procrastination is the thief of time.
Anon

• The avoidance of doing a task which needs to be
  done
  
• Postponing action
• For some of us, it may only happen once in
  awhile for others, its a constant issue.
  

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Procrastination is

• Only remotely tied to time management
• Most procrastinators know exactly what they
  should be doing, but dont do it
  
• For most, a detailed schedule is no help

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When do we procrastinate?

• Avoiding a confrontation with a friend, boss, or
  significant other
  
• Not tackling bad habits
• Using the Id do it if I had time excuse if you
  are challenged about whats undone
  
• Showing up late for classes, work, social events
• Always criticizing how others behave rather than
  being a doer yourself
  
• Starting term papers and projects so late that
  you dont have a chance to do well
  
• Discovering just how tired you are when you start
  to do your work
  

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The Process of Procrastination
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Process (cont.)
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EFFECTS of Procrastination

• Feelings of guilt, inadequacy, depression, and
  self-doubt
  
• Creates stress
• Interferes with academic and personal success
• Lower grades

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WHY do we procrastinate?

• Task is difficult
• Task is time consuming
• Lack of knowledge / skills
• Lack time management skills
• Personal problems
• Difficulty concentrating/study environment

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Other reasons / causes

• Lack of relevance/interest/motivation
• Evaluation anxiety
• Ambiguity Uncertain of whats expected
• Negative beliefs Self-Downing
• Uncertain goals, priorities, and objectives

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Complex Reasons for Procrastination

• Fear of failure
• Perfectionism
• Fear of success
• Rebellion
• Protectionism

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Fear of Failure

• Procrastination protects us from failure
• If were worried that we wont do well on a
  paper, were less likely to do it

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Perfectionism

• Procrastination maintains perfectionism
• Sometimes we feel the need to do everything
  perfectly.
  
• When we get busy, we fear that there is no time
  to do a quality job on everything
  
• We do nothing

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Fear of Success

• If we do well on something, then we might be
  expected to do well on everything
  
• We dont want to draw attention to ourselves
• Pressure to do well

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Procrastination is the fear of successbecause
success is heavy, it carries a responsibility
with it, it is much easier to procrastinate and
live of the someday Ill philosophy.
Denis Waitley
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Rebellion

• Problems with authority
• Living by someone elses rules, expectations,
  goals, etc.
  
• If we dont want to do something, we tell people
  that we didnt have the time
  
• Saves us from telling them we didnt want to do it

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Protectionism

• Procrastination allows us to live a world of
  hopes, wishes, and maybes.
  
• Maybe the professor will cancel the test.
• Ill just ignore the problem with my roommate.
  It will just go away.
  
• Fantasies are easier to deal with than taking the
  risk to change.

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2 Types of Procrastinators(Soloman Rothblum,
1984)

• TENSE

• RELAXED

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TENSE Procrastinators

• Feels both an intense pressure to succeed and a
  fear of failure

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RELAXED Procrastinators

• Feels negatively towards his/her work
• Blows off work / forgets it by playing
• Avoids as much stress as possible by dismissing
  work and concentrating on fun
  
• Denial-based
• Self-indulgent, easily-frustrated, denies
  reality
  
• Pleasure seeking

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Relaxed procrastinators are much more common
among college students.
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How to End ProcrastinationNOW

• Understanding
• WHY you procrastinate
• WHEN you procrastinate
• HOW you procrastinate
• WHAT you are afraid of
• is the first step.

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Tips for ALL Procrastinators

• 1/3 of all student procrastinators can improve
  their habits by
  
• Recognizing their habits
• Having a to do list
• Keeping a daily schedule
• Being realistic
• Having a record keeping and reward procedure

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TIPS

• Get an appointment book. Learn to use it
  everyday. Look ahead. Make its presence with
  you a habit.
  
• Provide yourself with daily to do lists. Check
  off as you go so you can see accomplishment.

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TIPS

• Establish a routine
• Reward yourself
• Modify your environment
• Change your attitude
• Do something daily
• Use your friends as study buddies and role models

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Overcoming Procrastination Difficult /
Time-consuming Tasks

• Learn how to plan ahead realistically
• Break tasks into manageable goals and provide
  deadlines for mini-goals
  
• Dechunk Break tasks into 15 minute chucks
• Study in small blocks of time (50 minutes on, 10
  minute break)
  
• Keep your tasks visible

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Overcoming Procrastination Perfectionism / Fear
of Failure

• Re-assure yourself that this effort will be good
  enough
  
• Make an effort to praise what youve done
• Realize its impossible to avoid all mistakes
• Value your mistakes. Dont judge them or
  yourself.
  
• Acknowledge your fears and go ahead anyway

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Remember Van Gogh and Shakespeare.
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Overcoming Procrastination Negative Thinking /
Self-Downing

• Practice accepting compliments about your work
• Compliment yourself for work accomplished
• Try to think positively about yourself
• Recognize your strengths

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Overcoming Procrastination Uncertain Goals /
Priorities

• Spend time considering your personal short-term
  and long-term goals
  
• Brainstorm, talk to someone, reflect
• Look at syllabus and assignments
• Prioritize by due dates and importance
• Write down your goals and post them where you can
  see them often (mirror, calendar)
  
• Be sure the task you think you should do is
  really necessary/important
  

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• Discipline is
• Do what has to be done
• 2) when it has to be done
• 3) as well as it can be done
• and
• 4) do it that way every time.
• Bobby Knight

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7 Day Anti-Procrastination Plan
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BENEFITS of overcoming procrastination

• Peace of mind
• Feeling of strength and purpose
• You are in charge of your life
• More personal freedom