We all study at the same university and we all have the same
work to do – individual projects, group projects, tests, exams. Some of them
have short deadline, others are semester-long and we tend to think that there
is still a lot of time to get everything done and study to every test or exam.
But suddenly all you have left is one weekend and nothing’s done. So you rush,
break the night and the final piece of work turns out to be a piece of shit.
Here’s Tim Urban on procrastination and its long term results.
Questions:
1. Do you
consider yourself a procrastinator?
2. Do you have
any particular method that allows you to mobilize and start working?
3. Have you
ever experienced anything that made sad or miserable just because you put it
away in time?
Comments
2. I think for me motorcycle and gym is go to when it comes to start doing something. It lets me think about everything and organizing what I have to do next.
3. Well I experience sadness every time I put something for later or just tell myself that I don't have time to do the one thing that would take 10 minutes when I have an hour. I think there is always this but... that makes us stop what we are doing and tell ourselves a lie that will drive us into gloom.
2. Well, I guess that in my case fear of being overwhelmed with work is enough. I hate having a lot on my plate – It makes me feel depressed and bitter. I got used to putting all tasks in the Wunderlist app. It helps me organise everything and plan time for work.
3. There is probably one word missing from that question and I am not sure what you mean. If you mean “made you sad or miserable” then yes, if I put something away in time I know that alongside other duties it would probably ruin another weekend. I am eagerly waiting for the moment when I finally finish my studies and free my mind from endless stream of tasks and deadlines which invade my private life and slow down self-development. That’s ironic.
I think everybody does? There is always more that could be done. I do procrastinate sometimes, however I try to shorten this time.
2. Do you have any particular method that allows you to mobilize and start working?
Yes, I usually remind myself reasons why I need to do a certain thing. Or what will happen if I don’t do it properly.
Sometimes I just let panic monster do the thing 😉.
3. Have you ever experienced anything that made sad or miserable just because you put it away in time?
Yeah, so many times… However, I propably do not want to share those memories.
It depends, sometimes I do more than I can, but sometimes I fell really horrible and just spend my time at bed for whole day.
2. Do you have any particular method that allows you to mobilize and start working?
Coffee at begging of your day - this will help for sure. Also eating healthy and doing sports - yes I know, everyone keep saying this - will really help you, it will boost your energy. Other thing that may be helpful is organizing your work. Last thing is: you must take break sometimes. When you code at your job for 3 hours straight, then go for coffee or play table ping pong.
3. Have you ever experienced anything that made sad or miserable just because you put it away in time?
Yeah, I hate everytime when my day is ending and I have not done anything that day. On the other hand when I go to bed and I know that this day I had been in work, done my work out, watched a movie, read a book and studied something - then I fell great!
1. I admit that I consider myself as a procrastinator, but to be honest... Who does not consider it? In my opinion this is natural thing, in of course, reasonable "amount". What too much is not healthy ;)
2. I do not think that I have any particular method that allows me to mobilize and start working. Some things should or must be done, sooner or later. So anyway I always make my work done.
3. Nope, I never experienced anything that made me sad or miserable about postponing somethin. At least I can't remember.
Depends. It is easy for me to get down to certain things, also job-related, but somehow others I am postponing forever.
2. Do you have any particular method that allows you to mobilize and start working?
I go outside of my house - because that's where I feel safe and lazy. To a library or a coworking space, for example. I also drink coffee, that stimulates me intellectually.
3. Have you ever experienced anything that made sad or miserable just because you put it away in time?
Yeah, when you forget to buy tickets for a festival and suddenly they become more expensive :D
To me, the best option for mobilization is having many responsibilities during the week, the more I have, the more organized I am because I know that if one thing is delayed/postponed then everything else goes down as well.
Well I would say that my method for mobilizing is simply the deadline. I know more or less how much time I need to complete certain tasks and by doing so I can set approximate time when I have to start working to finish my job. I on one hand I am stalling and putting off things but on the other I still manage to get them done. This technique is risky but, in my case, it has never failed me before and I hope It never will.
Not really as I said earlier I know when it’s time that I really have to do something and somehow my organism can mobilize it self to work and finish tasks on time.
There are quite a lot of time management techniques for the correct setting of priorities and maximum productive waste of time. But only sufficiently accurate and detailed planing of my day helps me with procrastination.
After all, if you know that you have tasks every hour painted, you will understand that you simply do not have time for procrastination. We are now young and our time is like never our main resource for achieving goals. Therefore, if we manage it competently, we will achieve our goals much faster.
Definitely and unconditionally yes.
2. Do you have any particular method that allows you to mobilize and start working?
Deadline. This is the best method. You can also start doing something else, such as cooking. After that, it's much easier for me to sit down and start doing the things I need.
3. Have you ever experienced anything that made sad or miserable just because you put it away in time?
No, newer. On the contrary, I am always very glad that I was do something in time. I would like to meet a man who would be upset.
2h left till end of this week course so yeah. I think i am huge procrastinator. Also ask my master degree project how is it going heh.
2. Do you have any particular method that allows you to mobilize and start working? Not really, maybe i don't need to engage this panic monster but when something isn't connected to my very greatest hobbies then i just can't start working ahead. It's just stronger then me to procrastinate.
3. Have you ever experienced anything that made sad or miserable just because you put it away in time?
Hah, like every evening before exam? Yeh, i had such feeling couple times.
Yes, I feel myself, 100% procrastinator. Most of my times, I am sitting somewhere, watching in my phone some videos/memes/info. Sometimes it causes a lot of problems sometimes no.
2. Do you have any particular method that allows you to mobilize and start working?
Putting away all devices, which I have and totally focus on the work. I am trying to focus on it as much as I can. I also heard about some apps, which blocks your phone screen and protects you from procrastinating.
3. Have you ever experienced anything that made sad or miserable just because you put it away in time?
Sometimes yes, but it is mainly because of the feeling that I am not doing anything instead of doing something important. Like writing comments, working on a project for the academy or something else. In such moments, I feel the panic and it helps me to start doing something.
The perfect concept describing me, always everything for the last moment. Is it with work or university without exception, unfortunately :( Once I tried to fight it and plan the day but unfortunately it did not work out. I think that this may be the reason for senseless browsing the Internet and a certain conformism
Do you have any particular method that allows you to mobilize and start working?
It's hard business, but once I tried to plan a day for myself. Once my girlfriend changed the planned things for me in advance and seeing that I have little time to do my job. Later, after doing them it turned out that I still have a week, a great feeling.
Have you ever experienced anything that made sad or miserable just because you put it away in time?
I have experienced this many times and experience all the time. An example may be the university when I delayed my studies and then I had to study 2 nights which was so tedious and exhausting for me that I overslept on the exam itself. Instead of spending it in time and having some free time, I suffered :(
Yes, I do. I really like to make things in last moment even if I had a lot of time, to do it before. I'm trying to address this problem but this is hard.
2. Do you have any particular method that allows you to mobilize and start working?
Music helps me to concentrate on task. I like motion pictures soundtracks and classical music but this depends on my mood. Also I tea on a table makes me more focused. I don't know how this works but it really helps me.
3. Have you ever experienced anything that made sad or miserable just because you put it away in time?
A lot of times. But I'm working on becoming a better version of myself. So I hope, I'll feel this way more rare.
No, I dont have time to sit and do nothing.
2. Do you have any particular method that allows you to mobilize and start working?
Low grade, deadline, but i think thats apply to all of us.
3. Have you ever experienced anything that made sad or miserable just because you put it away in time?
Every year, right in time, last day before the exam itself.