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Week 5 [03.04-09.04.2017] Procrastination

Probably all of us have faced the problem of putting off some important tasks for later. A fast approaching deadline and still a lot of work to do are the duo that creates the feeling of stress we are all too familiar with. All of this is due to the invisible, but powerful force preventing us from focusing on most important things, isn't it? More seriously though, we can argue that some of these situations happen without any fault on our part. But let's be honest - most of them are because of our laziness, carelessness or recklessness.



https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/90/40/c3/9040c3b39ad07a9f559cd55b92527eb8.jpg

The act of needlessly postponing tasks is called procrastination. Psychologists claim that procrastination is caused by the way the human brain works - it values immediate profits more than delayed rewards.
Obviously, procrastination has many negative effects. For instance, a study conducted at The Ohio State University by the professor of educational psychology, Bruce Tuckman, has found out that chronic procrastinators get worse grades in college classes. The later research carried out at the Warwick Business School has confirmed the results of aforesaid study. On the other hand, however, another research has revealed that moderate procrastination helps us to tackle the problems in a more creative way.

Enough of introduction, let's watch a TED talk on this topic:



Questions
  • Do you consider yourself a procrastinator, do you admit it exists in you?
  • If so, are you a chronic, moderate or occasional procrastinator? Do you treat it as blessing or a course? If not, how do you convince yourself not to put something off?
  • Have you ever missed an important deadline because of procrastination and borne painful consequences?


http://jamesclear.com/procrastination
https://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/procrast.htm
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-09-10/procrastination-is-bad-for-your-grades

Comments

Unknown said…
I consider myself procastinator. Actually my whole life is about planning every second of my life and then failing most of the time in fulfilling those plans. Most of the time I fail because i tend to overload myself with work, and when I start feeling pressure of deadlines I just stop doing antyhing and start asking myself why i have planned it so tightly that I barely have time to finish the job. I would say that I am moderate procastinator, and my way to deal with my procatination is starting with smaller task which gives me momentum to deal with bigger plans. My biggest failure related to my procastination was when I submited my bachelor thesis 10 minutes before final deadline. One could say it is success but, regretfully the whole situation had impact on thesis quality which could be better.
Unknown said…
I think that I have waited until the last moment all my life. In fact I stared working systematically and planning not long ago. it's amazing that you can do impossible things when deadline is near. Personally when deadline is near my brain starts making a lot of ideas. When I start doing something early it is more exact. But sometimes I fell that what I do fro one week I can do in a couple hours when deadline is near.
That's right. Very tight schedule and taking on more than you can handle can lead to counterproductive effects as well.
I'm glad to hear that you are able to deal with and control procrastination.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Well, it seems, then, that your personal "panic monster", as it was named in this TED video, is really doing a very good job ;)
I think that the procastinator lives in everyone. Especially in our time, when the rhythm of life is crazy fast.
Of course, I try to plan my time more or less, but sometimes there are moments when I postpone an important matter because of unwillingness to do it or because there are more important things. But I have noticed for myself that the closer deadline than more ideas and energy I have to do the task, so sometimes even can do work more efficiently in a short time and better than if I hadn't been postponed. But the truth to my regret, such efficiency not always happens and more often I must solve the problems arising from the fact that I haven't completed the job on time :(
It's a good idea to try to fight procrastination, if it does more harm than good. I know this is not easy at all (even if it might appear to be simple in theory), but maybe it's worth making an effort. Have you ever thought about it?
Unknown said…
Great talk! I totally loved it.
I didn't consider myself a procrastinator, although, I found his thesis that "everyone is a procrastinator" reasonable. Maybe I just have a healthy relationship with my deadlines, because in fact when they exist I work very efectively. However, if there is no deadline it's getting more complicated. I'm a person who starts working just after getting back home - I'm convincing myself that earlier started work will be earlier finished. But after having succeeded I begin to do sth else and so on and in fact I nearly never have a rest. And if I do (sometimes I do it intentionally e.g I don't have a time but I go for a party) I will have such pangs of conscience that I'll work faster, more efectively and get more work done than in situation I didn't go.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Indeed, it's one of the best, if not the best, TED talks I've ever seen.
Unfortunately, you are right about the "tasks" to which no deadline can be put. As Tim pointed out, these are the most difficult ones to be carried out by procrastinators.
Anyway, it looks like you are hard-working and well-organized person, great respect for you :)
Unknown said…
I have to admit that I am a little bit procrastinator. Usually I'm trying to do all I have to respectively early, so I have got time for patches and other task. But I have to admit that since this semester I have got problem with tasks - I think that this is because of number of tasks and stuff to do - work, school - projects, homework, learning, home, friends - and this number of important stuff to do is something new for me, so I'm still trying to plan in a little bit better, so everything will be done on time or even before deadline.
Unknown said…
People always think I forget to do things when I am really just a big procrastinator. The thing is I plan things out for around the time I want to and its usually always in my head. I always seem to work a lot better when I procrastinate, my mind is more focused and determined to get something done. When I have a lot of time to do something I can't focus and just wander off and do really sloppy.
I think that I am the procrastinator by all means unfortunately. It always depends on my tasks, if I have something really big and important and I know it will take a long time to finish it (I'm thinkink about master thesis now, I don't know why :D ) I just put it off for the very lasts moments. I just think about how much more I need to do, and that is discouraging me. On the other hand, when I have some important but not that big task, I rather try to do it as soon as possible, just to have time for other activities or myself. I plan my time, I try to make a schedule when is the best time to do certain tasks, and that helps me a little bit to finish everything on time.
Unknown said…
When I first had heard about procrastination from my friend, I thought it is just a way to call your laziness a disease. But now I realize that I was wrong - it's not a disease, it's just a name that can help us to see the enemy we are fighting with.

About the video - I hope this guy has YouTube channel, it was amazing 12 minutes of fun :) I don't know how good procrastinator he is, but his talk was developed
thoroughly.
Unknown said…
I'm typical procrastinator. I always do everything for the last moment, but the truth is that stres mobilizes me and I'm more creative. In creative work is so that you can sit all week and don't come up with anything but when deadlines start chasing you then you think so intensely then you find that you suddenly have a lot of great ideas! Of course I'm not procastinator in everything. When it comes to college projects, I always do it at the last moment but in work I I never put off anything for later. This may be because everything I do at school I have to do after work and I'm just tired and even I have time for school projects I prefer to rest. With other things is better I mean healthy diet or when I want to learn something or change something in my life, some undated resolutions then I have no problem with mobilization. I think It's easier for me to do things which results I can see immediately beacuse then I have more mobilization. This talk from TED is really good, I like moment when he shows "the calendar of life", this gives a lot to think ;)
Hmm... maybe let's leave the topic of writing thesis for now. :D It's kinda funny that the more we have to do, the harder it is to start working on it. I really like the feeling when I complete my tasks as early as possible and can have a well deserved rest without worrying about deadlines. It's just a pity that I experience it so rarely.
I'm afraid that he doesn't run any video blog, but his great articles are available at http://waitbutwhy.com/. Enjoy reading!
Unknown said…
I am not procrastinator, because I don't like to live in stress. It's pointless to think all the time what you have to do and care about whether you have manage to do it.

Like I said I'm not a procrastinator at all. I convince myself not to put anything off, because I like to do everything regular. I hate feeling when I realize that I've forgotten to do something and I have to do it immediately.
Have you ever missed an important deadline because of procrastination and borne painful consequences?
Unknown said…
I always how I have something to do I do this as soon as possible. I don't like postponing things for later. So I am not procrastinator. Most of my friends prefer to have a free time in the day and study in the evening but I prefer the other way round. I couldn't sleep with the knowledge that I didn't do some thing.
I don't think I fully procrastinator but a proportion of this is in me , I don't know why but from my experience when I first got a job probably the first 3-4 months of this "monster Panic" every day did not stop. Perhaps this level of procrastination depends on certain consequences, for example for a very important task , for example I think it would be difficult to postpone tax which is not the fulfillment of promises to dismissal or demotion
I admit, I always have a plan to do something right away, as "I need to do it anyway, and by doing it earlier I can have more time in future", but I almost NEVER manage to make that plan come real, and I usually tend to leave everything until the last day of deadline. I'm not necessarily proud of it, but I am somehow happy that I always "make it in time", as I usually realize right when it's the right time to do something, e.g. to study, make some project, or even wake up to not be late for a class.

So yes, I could probably procrastinate less and start working right away on things that need to be done anyway, but sadly I really can't be bothered with it if I still have time.
Unknown said…
Such a great topic! By the way, I wanted to take it for myself with the same TED talk because I really like how he explains procrastination. Of course, as everybody, I have this little noisy monkey inside my head which allows me to do anything but work. So many times I postponed my work closer and closer to deadlines, but I think, I've never missed them (hope I won't miss my master's diploma too). When I catch myself procrastinating, I ether give myself some time to enjoy doing things besides the work, or push myself forward to close everything what distracting my attention; it depends of circumstances.
There is also a bright side of procrastination. Because of unwillingness of doing something important, I clean my flat, wash dishes and make some other housework I don't usually want to do :)
To be honest I’m a huge procrastinator.
I do almost everything at the last possible moment.
I hate it but I find it really hard to change it.
After a hard day at school or work I just want to relax and have some fun, so I try to delay my projects and I convince myself that the next day “I’ll totally do it” and so on till the deadline.
I'm a fairly occasional procrastinator. With more important tasks I really care about deadlines and I'm trying to do everything a bit earlier like day or two to have time to correct some mistakes or change something when I have a better idea. But when I need to make something less important or simply not important, I can delay this thing to deadline or even don't do it. It's kind of a curse but because it's only with less significant matters, so I haven't had any serious consequences so I can normally live with procrastination.
Unknown said…
Well, maybe I am. But I have another problem - I am also a perfectionist. First, I am trying to plan everything in a perfect way, it could last forever. Every day I change my mind and improve my idea. But when it comes closer to deadline I do what I have my time for, and then I lament about how perfect it could be and how lame it is:)
But, to tell the truth, I don't think it's such a big deal, I always managed to finish my tasks.
Your post made me smile, because I was speaking with my friend about this ted video 2 months ago. I think many people have problem with procrastination include myself. I often do all my tasks 2-3 days before deadline. I want to change this, because I think that my projects would have better quality and content. In addition, I would't have sit up till late at night to get my job done.
Vyvyan said…
I think I am chronic procrastinator. I'm alway delay my tasks, even if I planned everything earlier perfectly. I treat it like a curse because, for example, for week 4 I just forgot to comment presentations :D.
Also, I'm always trying to do my task perfectly so I'm always complain about how bad I did something. I always promise myself that "next time I will have enough time to do task and I will do it far, far away from deadline".
Maciej Główka said…
I think that procrastinator is in everyone. To be honest, i find myself temporary procrastinator. To be clear, I've never missed any deadline because of it, but sometimes it is hard for me to start doing some really boring task I need to do.
I don't see this as a curse, i really enjoy things I do during time that I should spend on some boring things. I think that some good procrastination is good for us ;)
Magdalena Popek said…
I am definitely a chronic procrastinator. That's why it is 23:27 and I am here commenting on all of the articles. It has always been like that. It is very difficult for me to start doing something much earlier. I have tried so many times - I always ended up finishing them hours before the deadline. I just cannot force myself to work unless I feel the stress and pressure.
As far as I remember I have never missed any deadline. They were just my works that were really poorly written.
Unknown said…
"Never missed any deadline" yeah, sure, mhm, I have never missed any deadline as far as I remember as well! Even now ;)
Unknown said…
No way I procrastinate, not even once, I just don't manage my time or lack of time properly. I like to think that/reassure myself. Yes.
Unknown said…
I try not to procrastinate, sometimes it is hard to get around and do stuff, but when I manage to start working I rarely distract myself and while don't think I ever actually missed a deadline, I guess there were a few close ones. I would consider myself an occasional procrastinator, sometimes I just don't feel like doing what I'm supposed to do.
Unknown said…
I don't know why but I feel quite on the opposite: the more things I have to do, the earlier I'll have them fished, because otherwise I'd have been stressed I won't succeed on time. That means when there is only a single task to do, my mind is calm that I have plenty of time, so in fact I'll do that straight before deadline. The only exception is my master thesis of course ;)
Bartosz Łyżwa said…
Definitely I am procrastinator, it's always hard for me to do something as soon as possible. I'm always putting off everything for the last time and sometimes I have no possibility to do that. The best example is this course. On monday, I've ever told myself that I have so much time and there is only few comments to do and now I have to make all of them in September :D
Unknown said…
It's a very bad habit but I'm fighting with it!
Absolutely, I'm a procrastinator and it's boring - btw. as You can see, I have deadline at 11:55 pm and I'm still working...
Hopefully I've never missed any important deadline.
I think this problem occurs because; for example, when I find the time of the deadline, I just repeat it to myself, again and again, Vlad you should do it tomorrow or you should start it tomorrow, I say this sentence thousand times with myself. so I do nothing but tomorrow I really exhausted, and it is like that I did it for thousand times, because it is in my mind and I sleep with this thought, I eat with that, I go out but it is in my mind yet. And after that tomorrow, I want to do any work you guess except my real word, I really want to get rid of it and run away from it. I remember I should have studied for my TOEFL exam and all the time, I talked in my mind and said I should do this, I should do that, and suddenly I found, I am really suffering because I don't live, I don't even study, I just plan, do nothing and after that nagging to myself. At the end, I decide just live in now, I should live in now and at this moment I decide what task or work, I should do, and I said to myself, future does not exist and then everything became better. Now I just do it without thinking about it, without a plan for it, I just do it with pleasure and I really enjoy my time and learn English too, without worrying for future or forcing myself. If your mind needs pleasure and lives in the present moment give it to him. And then he really works for you.

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