What do the following words mean to you: "I'll do it tomorrow"? If you are a procrastinator they will mean a great deal. If you are not they may mean nothing. So which are you? Are you the type of person that allows due dates to creep up and tap you on the shoulder? Or do you get your work done nice and early to eliminate all worry and panic? (Congratulations if you do!)
The good news is you probably do have a brain after all! What a relief. The big problem is, however, that while the words "I'll do it tomorrow" may comfort you and give you a sense of relief that everything be will be OK or a hope about what tomorrow may bring, they are also the bane of your entire existence! They torture you. They tease you. They make you think that when you wake up in the morning you will be super-motivated and super-pumped to tackle a task that yesterday seemed completely impossible. But not today! Today (being tomorrow) you know all the answers and have all the confidence in the world and all the obstacles that stopped you from starting the task yesterday are now gone aren't they? Well aren't they? Unfortunately the answer is no, because nothing at all has changed! Everything is the same. Except that today is the day! Things are going to happen! Angels are going to fly! The earth is going to shake! OK well maybe not, but you are going to do some work you have been putting off anyway.
So Many Lies
Believe it or not procrastination has a purpose and creates something that people actually enjoy (for reasons way too deep to discuss today - drama! Procrastination creates panic. It creates a sense of urgency. It creates excitement and adventure. Someone asked me to do something but I'm not doing it, what will happen to me? Let's find out after this commercial break.
The 'truth' in all of this is simply that postponing anything for a day or two isn't really that big of a deal at all - so don't fret if that's all you do in this situation. The big problem is when one day becomes two days, two days becomes four days, four days becomes a week, one week becomes a fortnight, a fortnight becomes a month and then a month becomes a year. This trend can literally last forever. Unless of course your exam is today and you didn't study! Then procrastination isn't your issue anymore anyway - your bleak future after failing is! Also figuring out who to blame will be another thing you will need to work out.
Find A Solution
On objective reflection, this is a horrible approach to anything in life, particularly your studies. Worse still, you will get found out if you try to continue this behavior after high school because University and College (and life in general) takes no prisoners when it comes to last-minute work. Do it at your own risk - you will (no doubt about it) pay the price. Believe me, we know. We've been there. Learn from us. So, what can you do about it?
Instead, just take a moment and think about it. Think about what the payoff is for you. Think about what it is that reinforces why you should procrastinate. There has to be a payoff. No-one does anything they don't want to do without a payoff being involved. So what's yours? Is it because you don't like being told what to do? It is because you want to be in control - even if that means failing? Is it because you fear what your friends will think if you get your work done and act like a good student? Is it because you think it will be too hard? Is it because you don't know where to start and are hoping someone will help you? What is making you believe procrastinating is a desirable action? Think hard here. What could it be?
The good news is you probably do have a brain after all! What a relief. The big problem is, however, that while the words "I'll do it tomorrow" may comfort you and give you a sense of relief that everything be will be OK or a hope about what tomorrow may bring, they are also the bane of your entire existence! They torture you. They tease you. They make you think that when you wake up in the morning you will be super-motivated and super-pumped to tackle a task that yesterday seemed completely impossible. But not today! Today (being tomorrow) you know all the answers and have all the confidence in the world and all the obstacles that stopped you from starting the task yesterday are now gone aren't they? Well aren't they? Unfortunately the answer is no, because nothing at all has changed! Everything is the same. Except that today is the day! Things are going to happen! Angels are going to fly! The earth is going to shake! OK well maybe not, but you are going to do some work you have been putting off anyway.
So Many Lies
Believe it or not procrastination has a purpose and creates something that people actually enjoy (for reasons way too deep to discuss today - drama! Procrastination creates panic. It creates a sense of urgency. It creates excitement and adventure. Someone asked me to do something but I'm not doing it, what will happen to me? Let's find out after this commercial break.
The 'truth' in all of this is simply that postponing anything for a day or two isn't really that big of a deal at all - so don't fret if that's all you do in this situation. The big problem is when one day becomes two days, two days becomes four days, four days becomes a week, one week becomes a fortnight, a fortnight becomes a month and then a month becomes a year. This trend can literally last forever. Unless of course your exam is today and you didn't study! Then procrastination isn't your issue anymore anyway - your bleak future after failing is! Also figuring out who to blame will be another thing you will need to work out.
Find A Solution
On objective reflection, this is a horrible approach to anything in life, particularly your studies. Worse still, you will get found out if you try to continue this behavior after high school because University and College (and life in general) takes no prisoners when it comes to last-minute work. Do it at your own risk - you will (no doubt about it) pay the price. Believe me, we know. We've been there. Learn from us. So, what can you do about it?
Instead, just take a moment and think about it. Think about what the payoff is for you. Think about what it is that reinforces why you should procrastinate. There has to be a payoff. No-one does anything they don't want to do without a payoff being involved. So what's yours? Is it because you don't like being told what to do? It is because you want to be in control - even if that means failing? Is it because you fear what your friends will think if you get your work done and act like a good student? Is it because you think it will be too hard? Is it because you don't know where to start and are hoping someone will help you? What is making you believe procrastinating is a desirable action? Think hard here. What could it be?
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