Chapter 18: Procrastination
Phyllis Nissila
Following the introduction to procrastination in the Time Management Reality chapter, this chapter provides a deeper dive into understanding procrastination and finding solutions for it.
Complete the exercise below to help you solve what is arguably the number one detriment to effective learning at school, home, and/or on the job (aka procrastination).
- usually
- sometimes
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2. I am disorganized when it comes to getting my assignments and/or work done.
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3. I get confused about what I am supposed to do for the assignment or task.
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4. I have a hard time saying “no” to others which puts me behind in my work/studies.
- most of the time
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5. I have this sinking feeling that I will succumb to the usual reasons for procrastinating, no matter what they are.
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6. I just don’t think I have the organizational abilities to be able to stop at least some of my procrastinating.
- most of the time
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7. When I was in high school it wasn’t a problem studying for most tests the night before.
- most of the time
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8. I work best under pressure, so I think that procrastinating is really good for me.
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9. When what I have to study or accomplish is just not that important to me, I find it more tempting to procrastinate.
- most of the time
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10. I have a hard time talking myself into maintaining a better attitude about not procrastinating.
- most of the time
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11. I think I have more time to finish something than I usually do.
- most of the time
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12. It annoys me that some instructors assign so much homework when I have a life outside of school, too! So, I believe that it can be their fault that I have to procrastinate on certain things.
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13. I am very social and spending time with my friends sometimes gets in the way of doing my work.
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14. I can’t seem to stay away from social media.
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15. Here is something (or perhaps more than one) not on this list that also causes me to procrastinate. (Possible issues might include a disability or some kind of learning challenge, homelessness or some other kind of living situation challenge, pregnancy, work hours and responsibilities, and/or personal life stress.)
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- most of the time
- sometimes
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As promised above, let’s get started with some immediate solutions as well as some perspectives that might, in time, help you adjust your thoughts and feelings regarding procrastination.
EXERCISE 18-2
Instructions:
- From your responses to the exercise above, select your top five challenges when it comes to procrastinating. Create a chart, such as this, but leave yourself ample space to fill in solutions you find:
CHALLENGE SOLUTION 1. 2.
3.
4.
5.
Licenses and Attributions:
How to Learn Like a Pro! Authored by Phyllis Nissila. Located at: https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/collegereading/chapter/lesson-2-1-procrastination/ License: CC-BY Attribution.
Adaptions: Removed one exercise, modified an exercise, removed information specific to Lane Community College, opinion article, and some hyperlinks for broader audience purpose.
