Unit 2: Time, Tools, and Study Environment
7 Procrastination Activity
Phyllis Nissila
Following the introduction to procrastination in the Time Management Reality chapter, this chapter provides a deeper dive into understanding procrastination and finding solutions for it.
![Post-it note that says "do it now!"](http://pressbooks.usnh.edu/blueprintgsc/wp-content/blogs.dir/48/files/2017/11/do-it-now-1432945_640-300x300.png)
Complete the exercise below to help you solve what is arguably the number one detriment to effective learning at school, home, and/or on the job (aka procrastination).
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2. I am disorganized when it comes to getting my assignments and/or work done.
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3. I get confused about what I am supposed to do for the assignment or task.
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4. I have a hard time saying “no” to others which puts me behind in my work/studies.
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5. I have this sinking feeling that I will succumb to the usual reasons for procrastinating, no matter what they are.
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6. I just don’t think I have the organizational abilities to be able to stop at least some of my procrastinating.
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7. When I was in high school it wasn’t a problem studying for most tests the night before.
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8. I work best under pressure, so I think that procrastinating is really good for me.
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9. When what I have to study or accomplish is just not that important to me, I find it more tempting to procrastinate.
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10. I have a hard time talking myself into maintaining a better attitude about not procrastinating.
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11. I think I have more time to finish something than I usually do.
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12. It annoys me that some instructors assign so much homework when I have a life outside of school, too! So, I believe that it can be their fault that I have to procrastinate on certain things.
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13. I am very social and spending time with my friends sometimes gets in the way of doing my work.
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14. I can’t seem to stay away from social media.
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15. Here is something (or perhaps more than one) not on this list that also causes me to procrastinate. (Possible issues might include a disability or some kind of learning challenge, homelessness or some other kind of living situation challenge, pregnancy, work hours and responsibilities, and/or personal life stress.)
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As promised above, let’s get started with some immediate solutions as well as some perspectives that might, in time, help you adjust your thoughts and feelings regarding procrastination.
EXERCISE 2
Instructions:
- Assess your results from the above exercise. Try to note any patterns you see.
- From your responses to the exercise above, select your top five challenges when it comes to procrastinating. Create a chart, such as this, but leave yourself ample space to fill in solutions you find.
- Upload your responses in a word document, pdf, or jpg to the corresponding assignment submission link in the course website.
CHALLENGE SOLUTION 1. 2.
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Licenses and Attributions:
Nissila, Phyllis. How to Learn Like a Pro!. Open Oregon Educational Resources, 2016. Located at: https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/collegereading/chapter/lesson-2-1-procrastination/ License: CC-BY Attribution.