Procrastination
Practicing Safe Procrastination
Let’s face it. There are endless ways to procrastinate. Most of us could major in the subject, if only it was worth credit. Facebook, mySpace, gmail chat, Wikipedia,YouTube and that’s just on the internet. You know the rest. Most of us are at our most creative when it comes time to procrastinate. Maybe clicking through this website is your procrastination strategy for this evening. “Procrastination” is the avoidance of doing a task which needs to be done. It often starts out in taking much needed breaks from your work. These pauses in productivity can be very useful and refreshing.
However, procrastination is like sex. If you don't practice it carefully, it can get you in a lot of trouble.
But, like safe sex, there are strategies you can use to enjoy life, have fun, and still accomplish all that you ever wanted to.
When does “taking a break” turn into worrisome procrastination?
It’s difficult to tell when breaks in your schedule turn into disrupting procrastination. The two most important questions to ask (of yourself or to think about when helping a friend) are:
- Is work that needs to be done getting done by the time it needs to?
- Is this affecting your (or your friend’s) life?
If you feel your stress level is high (Stress Management), school work is difficult to finish on time (Academic Skills), or there simply isn’t enough time in the day to accomplish what you need to (Time Management), procrastination could be a culprit.
When to Get Help
If you feel trapped, behind in your school work, stuck, and you want more information or just to talk to someone about how to help yourself or a friend, please see Campus Specific Resources or try these Cook Study Skills.
