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Week 9 [20-26.05.2019] Master Procrastinators


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

Bartosz Barnat said…
1. I consider myself a procrastinator but only sometimes. It really depends what mood I currently have and what I have already done in a week. When I have a good mood it's really easy to make something work and stop putting something for later but when I have bad mood I can't do anything for many hours and the day has passed and I haven't done a single thing.
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.
1. No, I try to plan every task and put its due date to the calendar which is mostly successful, because there are exceptions of course. Working almost full time and studying at the same time consumes so much time that procrastination would cause catastrophic consequences. If I put away all tasks planned for one weekend to the next one, it could be impossible to accomplish everything on time.

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.
1. Do you consider yourself a procrastinator?
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.
1. Do you consider yourself a procrastinator?

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!
Answering your questions:

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.
Anna Koca said…
1. Do you consider yourself a procrastinator?
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
Zygmunt Z said…
Hi Bartosz, thanks for your comment. In contrast to you, I am mostly a procrastinator, no matter in what mood I am, but I agree with you that when you enjoy company of yourself it is easier to get things done. But when it comes to me, I'd rather do other things than my duties and I find things that usually make me suffer, bring me joy like cleaning my apartment for example.
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.
Zygmunt Z said…
Good for you Marcin, I really envy that you are that organised. I also work full time and study in the evening but that sometimes doesn't stop me from being a procrastinator. Especially when it comes to learning for exams. Instead of staying and learn for example one hour in the evening every day, I end up with tons of notes on Sunday's evening. I like your response to the last question, I totally share your opinion on this topic. I can't say that learn a lot during these studies but on the other hand it consumes much of my free time and I end up spending this time on learning stuff that I don't find particularly interesting or practical during my work in the office, instead of spend it on self-development
Zygmunt Z said…
Hi Sławek, thanks for your comment. Generally what you said is good when you say it but it comes harder to actually do it. Of course, I say to myself about the consequences of not doing certain things but in the end I still postpone most of the things and let panic take possession of myself. I will not dig deeper into your final reponse as it probably is very personal but anyway, thank you very much for your input
Zygmunt Z said…
Hi Igor, thanks for your input. Generally speaking I agree with you that when you exceeds any limit of decency in terms of procrastination then you can get out any situation unscathed but I think it requires from you other abilities like self-control for example when your deadline as getting closer and closer and you do not let the panic monster conquers you :). On the other hand you can be a completely laidback dude that doesn't give a ... to those things and assumes that everything can be done with a little bit of delay. And it's good that you have never experienced anything sad or miserable from postponing something, good for you.
Zygmunt Z said…
Hi Anna, thanks for your comment. I agree with you on things that are job-related and I also do not postpone them as later there would be some questions for me about my general performance and things that would not be done. But when it comes to studies it is much harder for me to sit and get things done. Also, I agree with that getting out of home is a good motivator if you want to push forward your responsibilites. I generally prefer to go to my office during the weekend rather than staying at home because I switch into more productive mode and try to do everything as best and as fast as possible so I can have rest of the weekend free of work. Out of curiosity, which festival are you thinking about?
Yep, i consider myself as a procrastinator, but not a fully one. I have my times when i am actually able to put myself to doing something productive. I observe that i am willing to do things that i am interested at. So, if i have a boring lecture as university, i am unable to motivate myself to do anything until it is almost too late. But, if i am interested in something, i can dig into it imidietly, and do things that are not necessery needed, but i like to experiment with different things, tools, ideas etc. Unfortunatelly, i have no method of mobilizing myself in any way. I have no experience in situation that you mentioned in your third question. I am aware that i am a procrastinator and i am able to live with consequences of it.
Yes, I consider my self a procrastinator very much but in a positive way. I mean that even though I put everything off for later still I am able to complete tasks that I had to do on time and with pretty good results.
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.
Yana Lytvynenko said…
We are all a bit procrastinators, but I’ve been trying to control and distribute my time for a long 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.
1. Do you consider yourself a procrastinator?
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.
1. Do you consider yourself a procrastinator?
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.
Zygmunt Z said…
Hi Michal, thanks for your comment. I completely understand you on this as I have similar technique which is the mentioned deadline. Yes, it is very risky but when you have good results it always pays off and you also have the feeling that in the end you didn't waste any time as you were doing some things that may not be considered productive but in the end they make you feel happy and later you manage to do everything that is needed to be done.
Zygmunt Z said…
One hour left and I still have to answer all these comments. It is all by you, procrastinators that I have to sit here and write something so I will not be failed. To be honest, I should be in bed right now sleeping as I have a new week of hard work. Thanks everybody for your comments, unfortunately I can't answer everything as I am going to bed. Thank you!
1. Do you consider yourself a procrastinator?

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.
I must say I am a true procrastinator. I am so bad at deadlines that I put everything aside to the last moment. Moreover, I tend to convince myself and even ask how fast can I cope with certain task and then be relaxed by the moment the deadline comes so close that the time I have set myself for is just about to begin. I do not have means to force myself do something but the closeness of the deadline.
Do you consider yourself a procrastinator?
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 :(
I’m definitely a procrastinator. Unfortunately, I haven’t any method to self-mobilize. If I have a lot of time I often put off things for later. I think it’s easier to do things that are your passion. A lot of times, I’ve felt guilty because of putting things to do away in time. I always wake up too late and there is too much stuff to do.
Illia Lukisha said…
1. Do you consider yourself a procrastinator?

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.
Peter Clemenza said…
1. Do you consider yourself a procrastinator?
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.

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