Anti-Procrastination Methods

[schouston1991]

Haha I am the best procrastinator in the world. I'll do anything to skip study... clean my room, do the chores, watcha show, chat on msn, make luch, go for a job... haha so i have to be MEGA organised.

I like to make study time tables and allocate a set time for everything. My holdiay and w/e time table goes

8-10: study

10-10.30: recess

10:30-12.30: study

12.30-1: lunch

1-3: study

3-4: exersice

4-5: read

but then on school days i go half an hour work and then 5 inute break where i get up and walk around or grab somthing to eat or drink

at one point i had do remove msn from my computer, but i've taught myself not to be onl it when im working.

It also helps if you make sure that you do everything like chores or tyding you room before the time you've allocated for studying so you dont get distracted.

also dont do your hw infront of the tv or with music on.

-hope this was helpful

-soph x

HAHAHAHAHA also btw, im procrastinating right now by being on IBS

haha another thing to avoid

[Stereoisomer]

Tehehehehehe

Well

Usually 3 weeks prior to exams/tests

I

stress

out

majorly

So um I just study study study.

[Guest heartarcade]

Don't work on your laptop while lying down in bed. It sort of destroys the whole work vibe. Sit at your desk with a chair. Then you feel as if you're forced to do some work.

[jangy]

To be honest I think I've tried evrything! But nothing seems to be working like I'm procrastinating right now! Because i can't seem to concentrate for more than 5 minutes without being distracted. I don't think uninstalling msn will work for me as I'll end up going on some web-messenger!! Any ideas? I think my problem is actually getting STARTED..as soon as I do that I'll be whizzing along just fine with my work....

[Guest dragonb111]

I normally finish a couple subjects and take an hour break. Otherwise if I did any less homework or any less break time, I overdo the break and waste an hour and a half and get less work done.

To be honest I think I've tried evrything! But nothing seems to be working like I'm procrastinating right now! Because i can't seem to concentrate for more than 5 minutes without being distracted. I don't think uninstalling msn will work for me as I'll end up going on some web-messenger!! Any ideas? I think my problem is actually getting STARTED..as soon as I do that I'll be whizzing along just fine with my work....

I know how you feel. It's the same with me. Unless it's the last second, there aren't that many methods of avoiding this type of thing since if it's the last minute, you're not gonna want to work at all. Maybe you should try to stay away from the computer while you work unless it's a project or something. You never know, it could work.

[jjestel]

What I found works for me is breaking the big stuff into little pieces then tryign to get through 1 each day. And i make sure i show someone that i did work the night before. And if i miss one then i can catch up on the next day, but that way there is that urgency to do that chunk every day. worked for me!

jjestel

[saya]

Ainx, God bless procrastination but I think I will have to say good-bye to it as soon as possible if I want to do IB. I just found this here [ Approaches to Psychology - Study Skills ], and thought that it would be useful to share it with you people. Advice from a psychologist....can you get better than that!

I am attaching the full word text at the end...have a look through it. I am sure you will find it useful

Procrastination

Why do people procrastinate?

People procrastinate for a variety of reasons, sometimes for more than one reason. The following are the most common reasons:

• An excuse for poor performance. Sometimes we procrastinate because we are experiencing low self-esteem and self-confidence. Or we may be perfectionists. In either case, when we fear that we will not be successful in the task, or the finished product will not live up to our (unrealistic) standards, it may be easier to put off the task. Then, when the finished product is mediocre, we can reassure ourselves that the substandard result was not a product of our inadequacy, but a result of having too little time to do the task properly. It hurts less to say, "I got a D because I only started the assignment the night before it was due" than to say, "I got a D because my best wasn't good enough for anything more." Of course, if the finished product is satisfactory, we are reinforced for procrastinating and can be expected to repeat the behaviour.

• The task is very large or unpleasant. The sad reality of life is that no matter how much we enjoy our work, there are some elements of it that we enjoy less than others. Sometimes the task we are given is so large or complex that we feel overwhelmed. In these situations, we may procrastinate simply to avoid the aversiveness of the task.

• Overoptimism. When we face a task, we judge how much time will be needed to complete it. Sometimes, and especially with tasks that are new to us, we underestimate how much time will be required. This often leads us to leave a task for too long, under the assumption that we will have plenty of time to finish it. Some of us are also overly optimistic about the time that we have: we assume that we will not catch a cold, our friends will not experience a crisis and need us, our families will be amiable and supportive. In short, we assume that nothing will happen that may take up our time and energy. This is a gamble, and in the long run, gamblers usually lose.

• Overscheduling. In some cases, we take on too much work or too many activities. This may be because we have a problem being assertive and we feel uncomfortable saying no to anyone who places demands on our time. Or we may have problems delegating work to others, under the belief that "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." Or we may believe that by being very busy, we look important to others, and maybe to ourselves.

• False beliefs. The most common false belief that procrastinators may have is that "I work best under pressure." This belief often comes from the spurt of energy that we have at the last minute to finish the task. It's important to be aware, however, that this energy is only gained because our backs are against the wall and we have no choice. If we manage to finish the task and it is given a satisfactory response, such as a good grade, we tend to believe that this is because we work so well under the stress of an imminent deadline. The truth is that we received a satisfactory response in spite of the pressure we were under: the gamble paid off, and we assume that it always will. If we had not procrastinated, the chances are our results would have been much better, and we would have spared ourselves considerable stress.

How can I stop procrastinating?

There are several tips that you can try. The key is to find what works for you.

• Break the task into small steps, the smaller the better. This is a particularly good idea for large complex tasks that look overwhelming. Climbing a mountain is daunting, but crossing a series of molehills is far less anxiety-inducing. Once the first step is taken, no matter how small, it is more likely that you will go on.

• Take advantage of small blocks of time. Often we tell ourselves that we will do a task when we have a block of time large enough to complete the task. Yet such an uninterrupted block of time rarely comes, and if it does, we are rarely able to take advantage of the whole block because we become fatigued. If we learn how to take advantage of smaller blocks of time, we are more likely to accomplish what we need. If we have broken the task into small steps, it is easier to take advantage of the smaller time periods. Thus, instead of searching for a whole weekend to plan, research, write, and edit an essay, look for half an hour to plan the essay, a few hours spread out over a few days to do the required research, an hour to write the introduction, and so on.

• Prioritize tasks. It's a common and natural tendency to want to do pleasant jobs instead of unpleasant jobs. This isn't a problem if the pleasant jobs are necessary and have close deadlines as well, but it is a problem if we find ourselves doing an enjoyable assignment that's worth 5% of our final grade while delaying work on an unenjoyable assignment that is worth 30% of our final grade.

• Talk to yourself realistically. We all talk to ourselves, and often we are more unkind to ourselves than we would ever be to anyone else. We may tell ourselves we are inadequate, that we are too stupid to be able to the task properly, that we can't do anything right, that being less than perfect is shameful. On the other hand, we may tell ourselves that we work best under pressure and that four hours is plenty of time to write a 3000 word research essay! All of these self-statements are unrealistic and untrue. The truth is that we are very adequate human beings, that we are not perfect and will never be so, but we can attain excellence and we need to strive for our personal best. The truth is that time pressure is stressful, and stress diminishes the ability to think and concentrate. The truth is that a 3000 word research essay requires far more than four hours of time! Mentally shout "Stop!" to yourself when you find yourself making an untrue and unrealistic self statement, and immediately replace that statement with something more realistic and more supportive. "I've written essays before, so I bet I can do this one. I'll just take it a little bit at a time. I must be pretty smart to have made it this far, so I'll demonstrate how smart I can be, and I'll learn from this to get even better. The mark I got was less than I had hoped for, but I learned a lot from my mistakes and I won't make those mistakes again" Many people are skeptical of this approach, saying that even if they say the positive statements to themselves, they still won't believe them. True, this will take time– you didn't learn to be negative and unrealistic about yourself overnight, so becoming positive and realistic about yourself won't happen overnight either. But by consistently stopping the negativity and replacing it with a more positive outlook, you will find that over time, you will come to believe the positive statements. And so you should– they are true.

• Use social pressure. People can seduce us into procrastinating, but they can also help us stop procrastinating. Tell people about your plans for accomplishing a task. If we do this, we may feel obligated to follow through. Also, knowing our plans for working may make those who would seduce us away from work refrain form doing so! Another useful trick is to study with someone who doesn't procrastinate or to study in a place such as a library where the people around us are concentrating on work. The location will give little opportunity for procrastination and the people working will serve as helpful role models.

• Time manage. Plan your tasks for each day. Overestimate rather than underestimate how much time will be required for each task. In this way, you won't feel rushed, and if you do have time left over, you will be free (guilt-free!) to use the time in any way you want.

• Reinforce yourself. All too often we get away with procrastinating– we may not have finished the task well, but maybe we finished it well enough to get by. This has reinforced our procrastination, so we tend to repeat the behaviour. We need to counteract this by reinforcing ourselves for not procrastinating. We will see long term reinforcements in our improved work, but we need short term reinforcements as well to establish our new behaviour. So plan for a mocha cappuccino or a walk with the dog or 20 minutes of listening to music or whatever you want after you work on one step of your task for a pre-determined period of time without procrastinating. Your goal is to create a new habit to replace your old habit of procrastinating.

• Expect to fall off the wagon. You will find yourself slipping back into your old habits sometimes. Don't worry about it – in fact, don't give it a moment's thought and definitely don't start scolding yourself for this! Just start again right away. Everything is not lost because you made a mistake. That just shows that you're not perfect. Accept this and move on.

Study_Skills.doc

[beccilini]

I write a list of everything I have to do that day, and when I'm done I cross it over and feel really good about myself

But I don't do this very often unfortunately... I have a lot of problems with procastinating.

[adriandg89]

The (10+2)*5 method works.

You do work for 10 minutes straight.

Then for 2 minutes, you MUST go play or chat on MSN. You're not allowed to skip it.

Yes, I completely agree with this method (far more effective than the 20 minute work and 10 minute rest suggestion)

The reason I like this method more is that you might join two 10 minute sessions together without feeling tired.

Then the two minute rests become more flexible, you may not take the rest right away but maybe take a 4 minute break later on...

Maybe you still take only a 2 minute break and saved 2 minutes!

[moneyfaery]

My friend made me change her facebook and MSN passwords for her, and initially pleaded me not to tell her what i'd changed them to.

Now she calls me and screams at me to "stop being such a prick" and just tell her I'm not giving in... now if only I had the determination to do the same thing!

I did that with an online game, however, only lasted about a month before I gave in. I HAVE since quit that game and haven't touched it in ages so all the fascination is gone. Too bad I keep finding other things to do...

The internet's really distracting so I use this app (LeechBlock) that blocks websites after you've been on them for X minutes. There's really not much motivation to procrastinate if the effort used to procrastinate is more than the effort it takes to do work.

[FahaD]

1- NEVER EVER EVER log on MSN o Yahoo! the pop-ups will distract you.

2- Take a 10-15 min break not an hour break like someone i know

3-Always have something to hit in your 15 min break

_____________________________________________________

[Cami]

1- NEVER EVER EVER log on MSN o Yahoo! the pop-ups will distract you.

2- Take a 10-15 min break not an hour break like someone i know

3-Always have something to hit in your 15 min break

_____________________________________________________

I really need to work on how long my breaks are... I think; "Break for 15 min", but somehow it ends up being "Break for 50 min"...

[Haney]

OK person experience for managing procrastination

1. Clear from your vision all things that might distract you (books, movies, pictures)

2. Have a poster with a motivation in your sight somewhere (this ranges from "DREAM OF HARVARD" on a banner to a 54.5% on your economics test hanging in front of you)

3. have all drinks and food and clothes and fans...etc near you before you start

4. list your homework

5. say a mantra when you feel like giving up- maybe something along the lines of "WILL get this done, Can't fail, Must finsh, WILL finish) - note the WILL say that instead of CAN, it hypntises you to do it, instead of just knowing you can.

6. Don't stress. you waste time stressing

7. tell your parents your timetable- make them send you to study when it's time

8. get into the habit of studying- break all bad habits- right now i'm in the process of stopping saturday tvitis and fall asleep at 8 on deak (without doing homework)itis

the above is a pretty good start.

[TeeBlake]

Care to share what works for you?

Or any methods you've attempted?

I am currently using these methods:

1. Work for 20 mins and then take a break for 10.

2. Starting tomorrow my friend and I going to only go online for an hour a day.

basically the same thing, 'cept i go by an hour then 10min...

i can't stop myself from going online

check box system

make a checklist of to-dos..even IAs that's not due for a while...for those i just give myself a goal (eg, EE intro)

post it where i can see it...and make it visible (neon colors help a lot)

priority list - with hw that's due sooner higher in the list, and tests as well..

go for a run when i feel pressured...

i dont force myself to get that done when i dont want to...if i feel like stopping, go on someting else

Edited September 10, 2008 by TeeBlake

[Bee =3]

urgh the thing that makes it even worse in my case is that internet's SO slow in my room (i go to a boarding school) .. and so i want to log onto some forum or whatevr for, lets say 5 mins, before starting to study and suddenly, that becomes an hour!

sighs.. so the idea of making myself go online for 2 mins is impossible..

and what do i do if i need to use the computer/internet for working.. and that is what makes me deviate?

i'm in major procrastination mode atm.. *heeelp!*

ta, B

[NaaPuchho]

Hm, when I wrote the first half of my Extended Essay, I forced myself to write 1000 words and THEN do a break, regardless of how long it takes to write those 1000 words. It certainly helped me.

Though, the negative part of this was: I typed 3 hours straight and forgot about food and drinks. :| My stomach wasn't happy.

Otherwise I have a to-do list hanging on my wall in fron of me and a list of my goals and how I will be able to reach them. [i just noticed that I have reached one of them already yay!]

Maybe I should do a study plan as well... that's a good idea.

[Solarstorm]

I am thinking to lockdown all the interntet browsers on my computer by blocking them by setting random passwords-for that asking any random person on the street to come and set the pass and go away. No one will know the pass now. lol. So you are only left with the Computer and Microsoft Office. I know it is hard but i am thinking to do that.

[uummmdonuts1]

I just force myself to work its haaard, but you can do it. Sit in a room where there is physically nothing else to do, and start off with a subject you like.

[FahaD]

found it online hope it helps

Eliminate_procrastination.docx

[Esther_04]

Well I just have a list that says things to do yesterday and even though i still have some problems it works!