Procrastination is like a bludger in the game of Quidditch: It comes at you head-on, smacks you in the face and slows you down so you cannot get to your goal. It strikes probably when you most expect it, right after you finish eating dinner at an oh-so-leisurely pace, right before you start writing that five-to-seven-page philosophy paper that is most likely due tomorrow. It keeps you up until the wee hours of the morning, with one hand on the keyboard, the other tiredly, slowly, but surely flipping through the pages of your textbook -- or, worse yet, it keeps you thinking, "I still have until tomorrow!"
Procrastination, then, must be beat.
Dean of Students Allen Groves led a "Beat Procrastination" workshop, presented by the Arts & Sciences Council, Jan. 31. The workshop featured 13 techniques to combat procrastination and was followed by a brief question-and-answer session.
"The primary reason [for this workshop] would be the amount of added stress that students put on themselves by procrastinating, and if they plan better, they can remove significant amounts of stress off of their shoulders," Groves said.
That night, a group of about 20 students ranging from first-years to fourth-years came not only to listen to these different techniques, but also, after the presentation, to bring forth problems they themselves have experienced.
"I'm always looking for ways to improve my success in college," first-year College student Oluyemisi Ojumu said, adding that he has problems with procrastination and wanted some new, more helpful techniques to combat it.
Groves began the workshop discussing his personal background with procrastination, an issue that for him surfaced most prominently during law school. On one occasion, he and his partner stressfully had turned in a brief for a project with no more than six seconds before the final deadline.
"I remember thinking, in fact, life is too short for this," Groves said. "I had plenty of time to get this ready -- why were we sitting in the computer lab in the last few hours before it was due, and why was I sitting there looking at the clock with six seconds [left]? So, I had to learn some techniques pretty quickly to get control of myself on that kind of stuff -- otherwise I wouldn't be able to continue my career as a lawyer."
One of the first techniques Groves mentioned involved making a "to-do" list. While constructing this list, he said, it is imperative to include only those tasks that need to be done immediately and also to list them as "A," "B" and "C" items, with "A" items being the most important.
"If you make your to-do list longer than it needs to be, then it seems to be more daunting ... [If] I'm looking at this list of 10 things ... I [say to myself], 'Look at all the things that I need to get done -- that's more than I can do,'" Groves said. "Then I get bummed out and depressed. Some stuff just doesn't need to be done. You may feel strongly about it, but it's really not a priority ... Get the As done first, then worry about the Bs and Cs."
Groves also noted that usually people complete the Bs and Cs before the As simply because they are tasks that are easier relative to the As.
"What happens when you do [the Bs and Cs]? You high-five yourself and say ... 'I crossed out three things!' and you feel good," Groves said.
Workshop attendee Laura Wilensky, a fourth-year College student, said she "would say the most important step [Groves presented] is prioritizing between what absolutely needs to get done and what can wait -- even when the things that can wait are easier and more desirable to do."
Wilensky added that she has decided to "try to be more on the ball [instead of] putting off things that are really hard by breaking up [work] in chunks and not doing things last-minute."
Another piece of advice Groves offered is that students should just start work, because it is improbable that one will actually "feel like" doing work. Students should also begin their work in a place that affords the most efficient working environment, which depends on a student's study habits.
"It's amazing how long you can look at something and hope that it will just do itself," Groves said. "It just sits there, and you keep saying to yourself, 'Tomorrow!' And then what happens? You've locked yourself in in a horrible way."
In this efficient working environment and mindset, a student then must screen telephone calls -- unnecessary distractions that can inhibit quality thought -- and concentrate on the solution to the task instead of on the idea that there is a problem waiting to be solved, Groves said.
"That may sound trite, but what I mean by that is if you get stressed out, focus on, 'How am I going to get this done?' [and] not 'Gosh this is a big problem,'" Groves said. "Positive thoughts actually matter."
While working on a task, it is prudent to consider how much time the task will take to complete in order to set benchmarks, the completion of which would allow occasion for a reward. Setting and completing benchmarks, according to Groves, makes the task seem more doable; instead of, for example, sitting down and writing a 20-page paper all at once, an individual could write five pages at a time, and then reward himself by watching his favorite television show.
While considering the benchmarks and the benefits from completing them, one should keep in mind that perfection is almost impossible to attain.
"The problem is, people sometimes agonize over the fact that it has to be exactly right," Groves said. What you have "is actually probably really good, so keep going, hang in there and keep it aside ... the next day, take a look at it and you might be surprised at how good it is -- but you're not going to hit perfection."
Furthermore, while forming benchmarks, it may be helpful for a student to imagine the days leading up to the deadline of the task so he can take into account other activities that occupy his time as well as the time it takes to physically turn in the work and the manner in which it is to be delivered, Groves noted.
"How much time do you really have? You'll find that you have less time than you realize, and that's another thing that should hopefully motivate you to do pieces along the way," Groves said, noting that it may be helpful to leave reminders of what needs to be done by placing notes on a nightstand or leaving oneself voicemail.
Finally, while considering his schedule, a student can factor in time to discuss any uncertainties about a task with the professor or teaching assistant. This, according to Groves, is necessary because one can be working on an incorrect interpretation of the assignment, which wastes time in itself.
"A lot of our anxiety is because we're uncertain and because there are unknowns ... you can reduce your anxiety, which ups the chances that you'll get started, and then you'll feel good about it and move forward with your project," Groves said.
By clarifying points of uncertainty and using strategies to avoid completing tasks at the last minute, an individual can deter procrastination from controlling his abilities to reach his goals and his life in general.
Procrastination "is one of the things in life you absolutely control, and it helps minimize the impact of things that you can't control," Groves said. "If you procrastinate, if your computer crashes or the weather is bad -- these things become more powerful in your life because you haven't given yourself enough time, and the impact on it is exponential compared to what they would be if you had planned better. This is real world stuff. With the kind of competition academically here at the University with lots and lots of bright people, you can't afford to be at a disadvantage because you don't plan well."
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