Procrastination can be avoided
It’s 3:30 a.m. and the ticks of the clock are becoming louder and coming quicker. You know you have to do it, you know you have to finish whatever homework you decided to hold off until the very last second. This is the life of a procrastinator like myself. Do we do our assignments in a timely fashion? Hell no. Do we cram for tests at the last minute and pray we can scrape by? Hell yes. As we speak, I’m writing this column very last minute because I procrastinated through my day. No, I procrastinated through out this entire term through my classes, newspaper and whatever falls in between. When a procrastinator looks at an assignment for the first time, the first thought that comes to mind is how can I do this while losing as little time as possible to do more leisurely things. Even as you try to do your essay or math homework, little tasks seem to become bigger, more important and distracting. What’s wrong with taking a break from your homework to fill out a myspace.com survey or two or three or six of them. This week has been the biggest wake-up call to my procrastinator ways. The tests, homework assignments and that damned 12-page essay for my WR123 class near their deadlines and due date. I feel the weight and pressure of assignments I could’ve done in a more timely fashion. Instead of heading into my final few weeks of the term without a clue or a plan, I could’ve figured out how I was going to get out of this hole that I dug for myself. But of course, I waited till the last minute to do that. I think lists help and when a procrastinator looks at a laundry list of things they need to do, it lights a fire underneath them and can possibly help them get started. Lists are also a great stress relief: Every time you cross off an item, whether it be finishing a major assignment or receiving a good grade, you feel that little tug of accomplishment. You need any kind of reassurance when your homework is stacked sky high. Another solution to a procrastinator’s ways could be taking away distraction. I’ve secretly wished a few times this week that myspace would crash and take away the distraction of music, videos and profiles. It’s difficult when you know that your work is due the next morning but all you want to do is your laundry or feed your cat or organize your CD collection. You need to set yourself down in a non-distracting environment, make sure you have everything you need to complete the task at hand and get to work. It’s mind over matter when you have all you need but tiny obstacles stand in your way. It’s good to take breaks every now and then for a little mind-numbing Internet surfing but they should be in limited spurts. Create small goals for yourself to help you along the way. Some people can choose goals like write two paragraphs or finish at least five problem sets before taking a break. No sane human being can sit down for five or six hours straight and complete all their homework. If such a person exists, then they have no right reading this column and feeling better about themselves. Setting small goals to help you through your homework will make you feel more accomplished and will give you a good feeling for your next round of writing or problem solving. It also feeds the procrastinators need to do those small, dismal tasks that suddenly become important when trying to deal with the larger issue at hand. Lastly, reward yourself! It’s hard work to be a procrastinator with our sleepless nights and obscene amounts of coffee running through our veins. After completing an assignment or two, reward yourself. Get a bowl of ice cream or watch a little bit of your favorite show. Cool yourself down before heading back into your work-load, it helps refresh your mind and gets you ready to conquer your next mountain. Getting your work done at the last minute is hard but with a steady plan and lots of mini-breaks in between, anybody can enjoy the art of procrastination. As we steadily roll into the last finals week of the calendar year, keep your head high and attention focused. It’s a tough world out there, filled with small pleasures and many distractions. Though there is no cure for the common procrastinator, there’s always those few teachers who take pity on those who wait until the last minute. But don’t count on it, or you may find yourself looking at a big, fat ‘F’ on your transcript.
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