1.3 Overcoming Procrastination
Instructor Preparation and Summary
In this instructor resource, there are many tools for instructors to choose from to best meet their unique learners’ needs. In my experience, the 3-2-1 method of responding to procrastination has been quite successful for learners. It is a basic tool that all levels of learners can use. The Pomodoro technique is more complex and more suitable for Level 2 or 3 learners. The videos in this unit demonstrate the use of the techniques for learners who are visual and auditory learners. This unit breaks down the complex concept of procrastination into simple, hands-on strategies to respond to this obstacle to success. It reassures learners that many people procrastinate, and they learn some strategies to respond to procrastination in their own lives.
The principles of Universal Design for Learning are incorporated into the variety of activities in this unit.
This unit will help some students to:
- Define procrastination.
- Identify if they procrastinate.
- Discuss the reasons and possible solutions for procrastination.
- Describe the 5-second method to break the habit of procrastination.
- Describe the 3-2-1 Method to help overcome procrastination.
- Describe the Pomodoro technique to help students maintain focus.
- Implement the 3-2-1 method and/or 5-second method in their everyday life.
- Implement the Pomodoro technique while doing schoolwork.
Classroom Activities
Procrastination Exercise 1
For each item, select one answer.
NOTE: This exercise is not graded on responses. The purpose is to help learners see when and what tasks they are most likely to procrastinate on. When complete, select “Show Results” at the end to view the learner’s choices.
Exercise Text Description
- usually
- rarely
- never
- sometimes
- usually
- sometimes
- never
- rarely
- never
- sometimes
- usually
- rarely
- rarely
- most of the time
- never
- sometimes
- never
- most of the time
- rarely
- sometimes
- sometimes
- most of the time
- never
- rarely
- never
- sometimes
- most of the time
- rarely
- never
- rarely
- sometimes
- most of the time
- rarely
- sometimes
- most of the time
- never
- sometimes
- most of the time
- rarely
- never
- sometimes
- never
- most of the time
- rarely
- never
- sometimes
- most of the time
- rarely
- never
- rarely
- sometimes
- most of the time
- most of the time
- rarely
- never
- sometimes
- never
- sometimes
- rarely
- most of the time
Procrastination Exercise 2
Text Description
This H5P Documentation Tool activity allows the user to provide documentation for a project according to the given task description: Procrastination Exercise 2
Number of Pages: 4
Documentation Pages:
Page 1: Instructions: From your responses to Exercise 1 (Procrastination Questionnaire), select your top five challenges when it comes to procrastinating then develop a solution to each one.
Page 2: Goals Page: This page allows the user to define project goals.
Page 3: Goals Page: This page allows the user to define project goals.
Page 4: Document Export Page: This page allows the user to export the created document.
Download a digital version of the above exercises:
- Unit 1.3 – Procrastination Exercises Worksheet (MS Word)
- Unit 1.3 – Procrastination Exercises Worksheet (PDF)
Videos
Click through the following interactive video carousel to view each video. There are 4 in total.
Interactive: Reasons for Procrastination and Possible Solutions
Identifying the cause of procrastination can help you move towards a solution. Click on the common reasons for procrastination below to view suggested solutions.
Text Description
Answer:
- You can make an appointment with a tutor or teacher to help you break down the task into parts and begin with the first part.
- You can ask someone who has done the task how they started.
- Take a workshop or watch a video on how to do the task you are expected to do.
Answer:
- Count down from 5-4-3-2-1 and start the task for 5 minutes. You will find that once you have started, it is easier to keep working. The starting was the hard part.
- Develop a “Just Do It” attitude and reward yourself after you have done it.
- It’s not realistic to expect everything in life to be fun.
- We all have to do things we don’t like to learn and grow in life.
- You need to put in hard work to master a skill.
- See if you can have a friend do the task with you.
- Use the 3-2-1 technique and do the task. It must be a task that is possible to do immediately.
Answer:
- Make sure you have realistic expectations of what success means to you. Is perfection a realistic goal?
- Your definition of success needs to align with your values.
- As humans, we are not perfect, so setting this as an expectation is not helpful to your positive self-esteem.
- Tell Yourself: “People are allowed to make mistakes. I can do my best!”
Interactive: Apply the Pomodoro Technique
Watch the following video on the Pomodoro Technique for completing tasks and then take the quiz to test your knowledge.
Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Text Description
- Pomodoro
- 25
- task
- four
- timer
- phone
- short break
Web Resources
- Free Pomodoro Timer: Visit Pomofocus online and download the Chrome extension to your laptop/computer.
Applied Learning Assessments
Text Description
- Complete the 3-2-1 Method Worksheet
- When working on your schoolwork, use a timer (not on your phone) to work for 15 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. On your break, do something that you love to reward yourself, but stay off your phone or technology that is difficult for you to stop after 5 minutes.
- Complete the 3-2-1 Method Worksheet
- Complete the knowledge quiz
- When working on your schoolwork, use a Pomodoro timer on your computer (not on your phone) to work for 15 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. On your break, do something that you love to reward yourself, but stay off your phone or technology that is difficult for you to stop after 5 minutes. Then repeat this pattern of 15 minutes on schoolwork and 5 minutes on break 3 times. Then, after the 4th 15-minute work period, take a longer break of 25 minutes.
- Complete the 3-2-1 Method Worksheet
- Complete the knowledge quiz
- When working on your schoolwork, use a Pomodoro timer (not on your phone) to work for 15 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. On your break, do something that you love to reward yourself, but stay off your phone or technology that you will have a hard time stopping after 5 minutes. Then repeat this pattern of 15 minutes on schoolwork and 5 5-minute breaks 3 times. Then, after the 4th 15-minute work period, take a longer break of 25 minutes.
- After using the Pomodoro timer, fill out the “How Did I Do?” Worksheet.
Instructor Tools
References
Nissila, Phyllis. (V. 2.2). Chapter 14: Procrastination in Blueprint for Success in College: Indispensable Study Skills and Time Management Strategies, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
