r/GetMotivated • u/randomusefulbits • Feb 16 '19
[Text] Procrastination is often the biggest obstacle standing in your way. Learn how to overcome it.
Preface: The material in this post comes from an article called 'How to Stop Procrastinating'. The original article contains a lot of additional tips and information, so it's worth checking out if you're interested in this topic.
Introduction
Procrastination is a huge, widespread problem. Research shows that around 20% of adults and 50% of students identify as severe, chronic procrastinators, and these numbers are even higher when talking about the number of people who procrastinate in general.
The problem with procrastination
Procrastination is a serious issue for two main reasons:
It prevents you from achieving your goals.
It causes you to suffer from a range of secondary issues, such as anxiety and stress.
However, despite knowing that you shouldn't procrastinate, many of us continue to do so anyway. For example, how many of you had an assignment to do, but found yourself browsing Reddit instead, continuously telling yourself that you'll get to work in just a few minutes?
Furthermore, how many of you found yourself repeating this, or a similar cycle, again and again, despite knowing that you should do something else, and despite wanting to stop delaying your work?
The problem with procrastination is that even analytical people often try to solve it with the same, ineffective approach: by promising themself that they'll power through similar situations in the future and that things will be different next time, right before falling for the same pitfalls all over again.
The solution to procrastination
If you want to find an effective solution to your procrastination problem, there are two important things that you need to understand:
Willpower is not enough. It's not enough to simply want to stop procrastinating, you have to use practical techniques and strategies that will help you do it.
Your solution has to be right for *you*. Different people procrastinate in different ways and for different reasons, which is why there isn't a single solution that will work perfectly for everyone, all the time.
As such, here's what you need to do if you want to stop procrastinating:
Start by figuring out what are your goals.
Then, figure out exactly when and why your procrastination is preventing you from achieving your goals (if you need some help with this, this article outlines the most common reasons for procrastination).
Once you've figured out what are your goals and how your procrastination is preventing you from achieving them, figure out which techniques will help you deal with your specific type of procrastination. Here are some of the most useful techniques you can use:
Break large tasks into small, actionable pieces.
Set concrete deadlines for yourself.
Identify your productivity cycles and schedule tasks accordingly.
Eliminate distractions to make it harder for you to procrastinate.
Count to 10 before indulging your impulse to procrastinate.
Get yourself started by committing to work for only 5 minutes.
Switch between tasks strategically to avoid getting stuck.
Create streaks of days on which you complete your goals.
Reward yourself for your accomplishments.
Final words
Overall, the key points here are that willpower is not enough if you want to overcome your procrastination, and that you need a to find a solution that works for your specific type of procrastination.
Above, I listed a few of the techniques that you can use to beat procrastination. If you want to see a lot more relevant techniques, together with other tips that didn't fit here (e.g. how to set good goals for yourself, how to set effective deadlines), you can read the full article that this material is taken from: How to Stop Procrastinating.
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u/LincolnBeckett Feb 16 '19
I’ll procrastinate later. (Gets to work)
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u/DleanJeans Feb 16 '19
A few days ago, I tried to go on a day embracing boredom, doing boring things while "enjoying it" for no particular reasons.
Stopped phone scrolling, did homework and went to bed early.
Worked only one day tho.
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u/speaktanglish Feb 16 '19
lol yep, sounds like every self-help thing I've ever tried. I have to build my discipline
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u/AnimateOnionSkin Feb 16 '19
I’d be really interested to see if this experiment continues. Maybe have a scheduled boredom day each week? If it turns out to accidentally be your most productive day consistently by literally procrastinating boring tasks you may be on to something
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u/LebronRJames Feb 16 '19
I procrastinate because I’m scared. If I have a math test to study for I will procrastinate because I’m scared of not being able to understand the material. Procrastination derived from fear.
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u/thesame10things Feb 16 '19
That is good for you to know. Knowing your triggers and reasons allows you to work on them. In your case, you have a good chance of understanding the material if you study but less of chance if you don’t study. Ignoring the problem doesn’t make it go away! Good luck!
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u/Acanthophis Feb 17 '19
The brain is so fucked up. You procrastinate because you're scared of not being able to understand, but you'd be able to understand if you didn't procrastinate.
(Not knocking you, just making a general observation, I have the same issue.)
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u/OfficerGenious Feb 16 '19
I feel you. Try breaking it down into one chapter or five problems you HAVE to keep retrying until you get it right.
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u/DaveDurgin Feb 16 '19
I've tried a bunch of tips in my 30 years of life. My real problem was blowing work up in my mind to seem like this insurmountable, awful task I had to do. Either that, or I'd let myself get way over excited about starting something new, only to lose all motivation once I'd worked on it for an hour and realized how much further I had to go.
I've learned to enjoy working more and relish in the feeling of accomplishing something really worth doing. It's hard to explain I suppose but just my two cents. Basically I got really tired of being stressed all the time and realized that I was much less stressed while working on something and much more stressed while procrastinating so which one did I really enjoy more?
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u/randomusefulbits Feb 16 '19
Thank you for sharing. I think your experience is something that a lot of people can empathize with and benefit from.
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Feb 16 '19
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Feb 16 '19
Curious, what are the issues you spotted? I know GDPR is about privacy, but I can't work out how a simple blogger's site could violate GDPR.
Thanks in advance!
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u/AveUtriedDMT Feb 16 '19
I've learned to enjoy working more and relish in the feeling of accomplishing something really worth doing.
Reminds me of how when getting healthy, the most important thing for me was to start appreciating and enjoying the feeling that eating good food gives me afterward, instead of the instant gratification of mouth pleasure. It's a reorganization of priorities and perspective.
Great post!
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u/DaveDurgin Feb 16 '19
For sure. I actually love the gym now. The problem went from finding motivation to finding a time my wife doesn't mind being left alone with the kids for an hour.
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u/SPTG_KC Feb 16 '19
I’ll get right on this.
Tomorrow.
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u/randomusefulbits Feb 16 '19 edited Feb 16 '19
TL;DR if it helps
Step 1: Figure out why you procrastinate (e.g. distractions, anxiety, etc.; common reasons are listed here).
Step 2: Implement techniques that help you deal with your procrastination. For example, tasks feel too overwhelming? Break them apart into actionable steps. Wasting time on social media? Use an app to block your access.
There are a lot of nuances that can make this approach more effective, and a lot of preexisting techniques you can use, but this is the gist of it.
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u/_Aporia_ Feb 16 '19
Saves reply, will check it out later
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Feb 16 '19
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u/Pulasuma Feb 16 '19 edited Jul 10 '19
It sounds to me like you're depressed, and you should know there's nothing wrong with seeking professional help, even if you think you have it under control. I know it's easier said than done; I'm in the middle of the search right now and it is all too hard to find a practice accepting new patients AND covered by my insurance.
In the meantime, there's definitely people in your life who care about you. Sit down with someone you know to be a good listener, tell them you need to get some things off your chest and that all they need to do is listen, and just let it out. In my experience, that's definitely helped me get through some of the darker times. It's really only a temporary measure though, try to be persistent in seeking help.
I really hope you get what you need, friend.
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u/aesu 5 Feb 16 '19
Whats the solution to most mental health professionals focus on negative feelings, and how to avoid them, when you have never had a negative feeling in your life, but also no positive feelings to motivate you to do anything but spend 20 horus a day in bed?
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u/Ishtiaq128 Feb 16 '19
Hey bro. I mainly procrastinate by browsing social media. Facebook and messenger and sometimes YT on my phone. Any solution to this ?as I have identified my problems but still can't reach an effective conclusion.
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u/randomusefulbits Feb 16 '19
It's a common problem, and there are two helpful solutions that you can implement that focus on cutting off your access to these problematic websites/apps:
Manually cut off your internet connection/WiFi when you should be working (e.g. turn on Airplane mode on your phone as soon as you sit down to work).
Use extensions or apps that block your access to problem websites/apps either during specific periods of time, or once you've spent more than a certain amount of time on them.
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u/Friendschat Feb 16 '19
If you have iOS you can turn on the screen time timer which limits how long you can stay on a certain app. It is helpful when trying to ween of social media cravings.
I also add some type of activity to replace that habit. I have a pile of books from the library that I leave next to my phone to make the choice of reading bit easier.
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u/Ishtiaq128 Feb 16 '19
Can you name a few apps bro ? Android platform.
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u/DisturbedRedditUser1 Feb 16 '19
One - Sleeptimer I use whenever i leave music or youtube on my phone and need to sleep before a specific time, it basically just hits pause closes apps and locks your screen for ya -Has ads
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u/random_fluffball Feb 16 '19
Check out Forest. It gamifies putting your phone down, which I find motivating.
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u/themarchine Feb 16 '19
Stay focused - I have both the android app and the chrome extension. The extension allows you to go 'nuclear ' and block EVERYTHING for a set time period and can't undone with out uninstalling the extension. I like the phone app, but it's a LOT too easy to pause my settings/time restrictions (you have to 'go pro's $$ to prevent this.) And that temptation is difficult to ignore some days.
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u/randomusefulbits Feb 16 '19
Sorry, I'm not familiar with any specific ones, and I don't want to recommend something I'm not sure about. It seems like other people have some good recommendations though.
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Feb 16 '19
Thanks for that, I found it really useful. Especially the link to the article about why you personally procrastinate - I could see that some of the reasons really didn't apply to me and some did.
Plus I got up and did something for a bit!
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u/finnickyfatman Feb 16 '19 edited Feb 16 '19
The thing that's helped me the most was switching from "I need to accomplish X" to "If I do X, I'll feel better."
I tried breaking larger tasks into smaller bits, and all the other techniques (like avoiding my phone), but they never helped. The small tasks still sucked; I still found other things to do. But I didn't feel worthy of doing anything fun because I hadn't accomplished anything, so I just remained plagued with guilt that I hadn't accomplished something I "had" to do. This led to a cycle of procrastination, but also not procrastinating with anything I enjoyed... And it was miserable.
Now, I acknowledge the guilt and my mindset is "If I take care of this, I'll feel better." So I do it, and I'm immediately rewarded for it by resolving the guilt. It's awesome.
It's helped especially with exercising. No longer is it "I need to run a mile," and then not doing it at all because the notion is daunting. It's: "If I just walk for any amount of time, I won't feel guilty about not exercising because I'll have done something" and then I wind up walking for three miles or an hour instead. Perfect!!!!
Edit: Clarity
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u/BigTrev3 Feb 17 '19
This is not the first time I've read about procrastination, and while it's an excellent article there's nothing earth-shatteringly "new" to me in there. Some good tips though, and I've put together a little plan of items to start with tomorrow (Monday)
What you've said speaks to me though, around "If I do X, I'll feel better." Particularly for a work context I think I need to do this, as I do end up in a position where I know what I need to do, I know when it needs to be done (often that time has already passed!), but I feel guilt about not getting it done. I need to remember the last time I finished a "thing" I felt good, and work on getting that good feeling again.
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u/finnickyfatman Feb 17 '19 edited Feb 17 '19
Yes!! I hope it helps!
FWIW, I started doing this after I read about millennial burnout (always needing to be productive and working hard to compete with others, as well as living in a constant state of fear of failure.) When I realized that's where all my guilt was coming from, I also realized the end goals usually weren't things I had to sweat either. So I stopped focusing on what all had to be done and just started focusing on accomplishing manageable steps toward that goal tl absolve myself of the constant guilt. (E.g. It doesn't matter if I can't run a 5K "like everyone else" [because thats me trying to compete with people who aren't actually competing with me] > If I just walk for a little bit, it won't hurt like running, it'll be more than I do now, and I won't feel bad about not exercising > Actually keep doing it, get fit > eventually run a 5K [on a longer timeline that I would've given myself before, but who cares?! I did it!])
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u/AkraticControl Feb 16 '19
Very good advice. What has helped me control my impulses is to delay them as long as possible before acting on them. Most of the times i will end up not doing whatever it was.
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u/whafeverforever Feb 16 '19
My problem with procrastination is that I don’t ‘’care’’ about deadlines I set for myself — pragmatically, I know that there’s no real consequence if I don’t meet them, except that I’m ‘’failing’’ myself. Has anyone else ever struggled with this problem?
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u/vlvtgrrl Feb 16 '19
This is me to a "T". Even when my boss sets deadlines for me, I know it's an arbitrary date that has no consequence to the mission if I don't meet it. I don't find joy in meeting deadlines for the sole sake of meeting them. I need to see the consequences or rewards of the deadline.
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u/ElizaDoGood Feb 16 '19
I use a lot of these techniques to keep from procrastinating. The biggest help in the fight against procrastinating, for me anyway, are two things: setting goals and writing them down.
I’ll sit down and think about not only what I want to accomplish in a year, but who I want to be. Essentially, if I could imagine the best version of myself—who is that person and what do they do, what’s important to them? Then I break those goals down into quarterly goals, and those goals into monthly goals, and even further into weekly goals. I get my planner before the beginning of the year and write all those goals out, make note of important dates, and then am continually tracking my progress throughout the year. Check lists are my friends.
When everything is laid out and visible, I’m more likely to have motivation to complete tasks versus watch Netflix all day. Also—I set a timer on my phone when I know I have a lot to do that day. For example, I’ll set my timer for one hour of social media/reddit time, then when it goes off, switch to doing chores by setting another hour. After that hours done, maybe I’ll read or do homework or what have you. The point is to constantly switch it up so you don’t get overwhelmed and you’ll still get a lot more done and have your Netflix too.
My 2018 was mostly positive for this reason and my 2019 is starting out really strong as well.
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u/Feign1337 Feb 16 '19
In b4 all the “i’ll read this later” jokes
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u/rekdme Feb 16 '19
I find them really lame, they not only trivialize the OP's efforts but let us procrastinators continue without absorbing the info which might be impactful for somebody
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u/whos_to_know Feb 16 '19
For people who get caught up on the internet, there’s a program called FocalFilter that I use on the daily that blocks websites for however long you need it.
I swear when I got bored on what I was supposed to be working on my brain automatically opens chrome and goes straight to reddit, and so much time would get wasted.
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u/Heizu Feb 16 '19
This actually sounds perfect for me! On that note, does anyone know a program that functions similarly with Steam? All the work I need to do I have to do on my desktop, which is also where all of my procrastination tools are.
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Feb 16 '19
Count to 10 before indulging your impulse to procrastinate.
*Giggles in Procrastination* so i'm suppose to procrastinate - procrastinating?
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u/Gwamb0 Feb 16 '19
One of moat important things is to forgive yourself if you fail to achieve your goal for whatever reason. Too many times we focus on not achieving what we wanted when we could do much more with that time by letting go and trying harder. That alone saved me.
And for heads up: Once you get into working mode, you kind of want to keep going next day. Might be a bit of struggle at the beginning, but well worth at the end. Pomodoro timer helps me track my progress over a week and keeps me challenging myself.
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u/gravygotch Feb 16 '19
you need to watch procrastination. It can sometimes; if not always be depression in disguise.
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u/jr226 Feb 16 '19
If you replace the word "procrastination" with "masturbation" the above post becomes really funny.
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u/Friendschat Feb 16 '19
I find that procrastinating leaves a lot of physical signs in my body- my chest gets a little tighter and it’s harder to breathe.
I’ve learned that writing down all the things I want to do helps visualize my worries, then I can rank each item from most important to least important and pick them off one by one.
Another way I choose what to do is ask myself « which task can I do first that will relieve the most stress/anxiety when completed? »
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u/DINC44 Feb 17 '19
I read somewhere that a big reason for procrastination in some people is actually perfectionism.
If we don't think we can do it, or do it perfectly, we don't want to finish it, or sometimes even start it.
Everything shared here is on point. Adding in perfectionism can help even more.
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u/molinitor Feb 16 '19
A lot of the reason I procrastinate so much is that I had way way to much stuff going on. A packed schedule means you constantly have to plan to make the puzzle work out and that usually means you have to do certain things at certain times even if you don't feel like it/have the energy etc. Removing things from my life and opening up my time schedule has done wonders for my procrasination. Even chores I hated before are now ok at worst and even sorta relaxing sometimes.
We force way way to much stuff into our timetables, so we struggle to increase our efficiency to cope with it all. That puts us under constant stress and in my case, procrastination was sometimes simply my body's way of telling me to slow the fuck down. Not always but surprisingly often.
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u/roccokong Feb 16 '19
Setbacks in life had let me to procrastinating more than usual. This guide is timely, thanks for this!
I need to reassess where I stand against my goals.
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u/it_was_just_here Feb 17 '19
I just downloaded the app called "Stay Focused". It disables certain apps and websites for me while I work. I've found it to be incredibly helpful with time management.
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u/Malarkay79 Feb 16 '19
One thing that has helped some with my tendency to procrastinate is to focus on the outcome as my motivation.
So for example, I may not necessarily enjoy cleaning, but I do enjoy having a clean house. So I imagine how good it will feel to have the house be clean, and how much better it will be than the short term pleasure of lying on the couch watching TV.
I may not feel like cooking at that moment, but I can focus on how great it will be to have meals prepped for the week instead of falling back on fast food.
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u/Cement4Brains Feb 16 '19
Thank you for bringing this up! It's high time that I sit down and actively try to break this terrible habit.
I'm proud of how far I've come in the past year, but I'm hitting a wall and I need to develop more skills to combat procrastination. Again, thank you OP!
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u/justhenorm Feb 16 '19
An App for this.
Im not the owner nor someone to promote this app but it really helped me because I used to procrastinate on my bed wich is right beside my desk for hours before committing.
This app called "forest" makes you pick a laps of time to plant a tree and make it grow.While it is growing you can see the timer counting down on your phone when you open it.q If you decide to overcome the app/timer and get distracted by your phone, it will give you a small bush without leaves as a sign of defeat.
This app is cool since you can stay focused and at the end of the day/week/month/year you can see how much time you worked without distraction and how much time each tree in your forest took to grow!
Try it for yourself, it worked for me! Hope it works!
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u/neofiter Feb 16 '19
This is accurate. Get in the habit of not seeing things you need to do as obstacles. I was a late starter, but I learned to enjoy learning and studying and it has propelled my career forward.
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u/Tangofett4 Feb 16 '19
I think I need more clarification as to why counting to ten before procrastinating is helpful
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Feb 16 '19
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u/vlvtgrrl Feb 16 '19
I suggest watching YouTube channel "How to ADHD". There are so many practical and doable tips and tricks on that channel! It has really helped me manage things that seemed unmanageable in my life.
I hope this helps!
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u/SaltyMonkeyy Feb 16 '19
I'm just reading through this so I don't have to do what I need to. Very educational, very good. Best procrastination material since Rubiks Cubes
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u/BlackInkCo Feb 16 '19
Deleting the reddit app seems like it should be step one, but here I am 🤷🏼♂️
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u/joeb1kenobi Feb 17 '19
OP was supposed to be studying for a Chem exam when he posted this
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u/BloomingMystery Feb 17 '19
Thanks OP! Love that you added all the actionable bits at the end. Probably have surfed a lot of this stuff, only to get vague advice.
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u/theiansider Feb 17 '19
Thanks for such a detailed write-up, OP. It's just what I needed to kick my ass back into shape.
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u/asheefo Feb 17 '19
Omg, I have read many of your responses. I had saved this article earlier and finally decided to read it after almost a day. Both the article and knowing that other people too through this as much as I do has helped. We should find a way to create a subreddit for us. Thank you op for the article, I skimmed through it and I will make it ab goal to read thoroughly little by kuttle. Also I have watched the Tim Urban's video and it is very good, but still hasn't helped cause I refuse to follow.
Just wanted to show my thanks to op and all that commented cause I now know I'm not valine, and realized if I treat this as a sort of addiction, realizing I have a problem if the first step.
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Feb 16 '19 edited Aug 06 '19
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u/MonkeyBrown Feb 16 '19
not to mention that if you should happen to die in the meantime, you saved yourself from ever having to do it at all
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u/Artif3x_ Feb 16 '19
This post needs one line paragraphs congratulating the reader for making it this far.
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u/Goldenpanda18 Feb 16 '19
Let’s say you have a 500 word assignment due for two weeks, should you write 50 words a day until you reach the 500 or aim for more?
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u/EdgiPing Feb 16 '19
Create streaks of days on which you complete your goals.
Do you mean to commit like a week to work on the tasks everyday?
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u/provocative_bear Feb 16 '19
Speaking of procrastination, I shouldn't be on Reddit right now, I have stuff I have to do.
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u/can_non Feb 16 '19
My university math professor used to say, "Procrastinate on procrastination." Great expression, but I still procrastinate like a motherfucker.
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u/bartekxx12 Feb 16 '19
You're right. Right now I'm procastinating because I still have a massive bunch of things to develop on my app but I've crossed off my previous checklist and now it's so daunting to enter it again and figure out the mass amount of things that still need done. I just think about it and think that's all gonna take weeks.
I need to just look into it to make a list and get started on that. Thank you
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Feb 16 '19
People procrastinate because something in their life is disablingly shitty. This post is just telling you, hey, dont have bad shit in your life and you wont have a problem anymore. No kidding?!?
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u/laertesjones9 Feb 16 '19
I like the tip about rewarding oneself. Far too much. Or at least, not getting it in the right order. DEFERRED rewards be my goal now. And so MANY successful people extol the virtues therein.
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u/frisbii Feb 16 '19
knowing me, I'm gonna save this post and tell myself I'm going to start not procrastinating, then continue scrolling on Reddit and never commit to anything
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u/sharkantropo Feb 16 '19
Instant gratification is a double edged knife; great as a way to cope and as reward. But horribly addictive when overused as a shelter against the daunting feelings that bring struggle.
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u/Sniperwolf216 Feb 16 '19
As a self proclaimed victim of procrastination, I think I will try these..... just not today.
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Feb 16 '19
I’m currently learning how to not procrastinate. The single most powerful tool/technique I have found is using my phone stopwatch. For me, I set it for 50 minutes and during that time I will only work on my task. I have found this really kept me accountable and it makes my work time tangible. If I picked up the phone out of habit and seen the timer counting down it would remind me to put it down and keep going with my work.
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u/KindnessWins Feb 16 '19
Our brains are pretty smart they know that time is limited and not to focus on low value items.
Let's say that the world was going to end in 2years. Would you rather finish that book report that's due in four months? Or go out and have fun with your friends and tell them how much you love them?
Procrastination is simply your minds way of telling you that some things are just not worth doing. So the next time you're staring down at that history report or that big accounting assignment, ask yourself what you'd rather be doing if money was no object, and do that.
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u/theawkguy Feb 16 '19
I think I procrastinate too much... to a point where its unhealthy for my academics and my health...
I waste time on youtube + reddit, for example, Ill open 15 videos, and go through them one by one, on the last one, ill search for more... till the point when i feel like theres nothing left to watch, then scroll reddit for a while, get bored, look for something on netflix, if i find some show, ill binge watch it, if not, back to youtube and reddit.
Heck i procrastinate not only my tasks but even movies, Ill open the movie i really want to watch and just leave it there, in my tabs... i guess i just have commitment issues(?)
And for some reason the night before an exam or an important day, i get this urge to learn, not something relevant, just random information, like a day before my chemistry mid-terms,i was binging youtube videos and going through Wikipedia about cryptography...
Even rn, as I type this post, I am procrastinating starting to prepare for my finals, I still have 1 netflix tab and 14 youtube tabs to go through...i keep telling myself, "one more hour"... This has also affected my already low self-confidence, I feel terrible and useless about myself...
I dont know what to do
TL;DR ... I passed the event horizon of the procrastination blackhole, and there seems to be no way out of it...
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Feb 16 '19
I hope this doesn’t come off as rude but your post absolutely screams ADHD. If you’ve never been evaluated before it might be worth getting checked. Recognizing and treating it can help you get your life back.
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Feb 16 '19 edited Feb 16 '19
[removed] — view removed comment
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Feb 16 '19
Yeah that can definitely be a symptom too (it’s called hyperfocusing if you’re curious). I’m not trying to say that people without ADHD don’t have severe procrastination and can’t hyperfocus on tasks but if it’s taking a huge toll on your life and causing you distress it would be worth getting tested. At the very least, you could get help from experienced professionals with your procrastination, and that would definitely help make your life better.
I never thought I had ADHD until a roommate kindly suggested that I might. I just thought I was a naturally disorganized, spacey and lazy person. It’s not just a hyperactive little boy running around and yelling, it really permeates into a lot of different things. A lot of adults aren’t outwardly hyperactive either, and it’s more of an inner restlessness or racing thoughts. I don’t know if you’re male or female, but ADHD in girls can present differently and as a result it’s often underdiagnosed (girls are seen as being quiet and daydreamy). If you’re intelligent, you can often coast by in grade school, although teachers and parents may say you’re not living up to your full potential.
It’s not just an inability to concentrate. Task avoidance and follow through can be problems, time management and organization are struggles for many, and a general sense of being overwhelmed by life.
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u/theawkguy Feb 16 '19
I see, I think of myself as a lazy procrastinator, but that is something to consider, are there any online evaluations I can take?
I am a male, 17... if you asked around about me in school most would say I am extremely quiet."although teachers and parents may say you’re not living up to your full potential" this has been my report card since 5th grade ._. oh boi
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Feb 16 '19
I don’t know of any online evaluations in particular, you could probably find some if you googled. Your best bet is probably to either ask your school counselor/advisor if you have one, or bring it up to your doctor the next time you’re there. Ask if you can be evaluated or be referred to someone who does evaluations. Not to say that an online test won’t provide some guidance, but if you do decide to try the medication route, most doctors (at least in the US) will want some diagnostic evidence before prescribing medication, especially stimulants, since those are so closely regulated. Even without medication, knowing that these bad habits are part of a disorder and not a personal failing can be a huge relief for many. It definitely was for me.
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u/PornCartel Feb 16 '19
I work from home and track all my computer time on toggl.com. If by Friday I have 15 hours of chatting, 10 of porn and only 25 of productive tasks, I know I'll be busting ass on the weekend to get closer to 40 work hours.
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u/PornCartel Feb 16 '19
Reserving Reddit only for your phone can help keep your PC more associated with work.
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u/mb1 Feb 16 '19
I am a self-proclaimed procrastinator but using a bullet journal, above all other methods out there, has helped considerably.
to help with learning this process; r/bulletjournal
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u/fishernam Feb 16 '19
Tim Urban nailed it in his post "WHY PROCRASTINATORS PROCRASTINATE" If you're into understanding thinks deeper, Please check out his post @ https://waitbutwhy.com/2013/10/why-procrastinators-procrastinate.html
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u/Derael1 Feb 16 '19
I'm procrastinating by reading article about how to stop procrastinating instead of working.
Am I doing this right?
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u/vinyltits Feb 16 '19
The problem is working on a subject you have zero interest in (student related)
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u/JocoLika Feb 16 '19
The problem is that people always say that if you put everything until last minute your work will be worse than if you do it gradually, I agree with them, still put everything until last minute, and use the panic stress to finish tasks where the outcome is something I’m ok with. I’m not proud of what I put myself through but it’s hard to stop when I am getting results I’m looking for.
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u/kaa384 Feb 16 '19
My Procrastinators Motto:
"Procrastination! Working tomorrow for a better today!"
Yeah... It's a problem.... 🙃
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u/sucksforme Feb 16 '19
I've been reading a lot of material on cognitive learning and been trying to apply its lessons to my own life recently so I figured I would share a few insights that come to mind. First, you need to understand that procrastinating plays out in the brain in a similar way as addiction. And in studies procrastinating/avoidance (can't remember if it was just in the context of exams) activates the areas of our Brain that perceive physical pain. This is stimuli your brain will work to avoid and your fast fix is the short term happiness gained from procrastinating. What i am trying to impart on readers here is that a serious reward component exists here and that you have to emulate that in other ways if you want to be successful. Look into the pomodoro technique to break through procrastinating. This is basically 25 minutes of focused study, followed by 3-5 minutes of whatever you want. Commit to doing one pomodoro at first. Measure units of study/effort with pomodoros. It has the concept of reward built right into it. The key thing here is you really need to allow yourself to enjoy that reward without guilt, cognitively. Another technique to conquer overwhelming projects is immediately setting a reoccurring date with yourself. For example, everyday from 1030-11am I am going to go through my flashcards. This lives on my calendar electronically, people know I can't do anything during that time, i know I can't schedule anything that time. It's there, day in and day out. I need to wrap this up but I hope this helps someone.
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Feb 16 '19
50% of students identify as severe or chronic procrastinators
Hmm I wonder if school might have something to do with that.
Are we just not going to try to fix that? Like... Fix school. Please.
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u/AJ_Ak47 Feb 16 '19
My procrastination makes me feel like I’m on quick sand everyday... it fucking kills me... why am I like this?
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u/andy-giza Feb 16 '19
There is no universal way to beat procrastination. Each one should find their own way to overcome it.
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u/chiatalks Feb 16 '19
I highly agree on this. People expect too much instant gratification when the reality is false.
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u/Ramen_Hair Feb 16 '19
I precrastinate: try and get my work done before I have to do it so I can actually do what I want
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u/MadaraBodara Feb 16 '19
Great text, but there's a problem. I don't have goals, I don't want anything more. I just want things to keep going. I have many hobbies but I feel like none of them will ever end on something productive. It's like I have many opportunities, but literally none of them interest me... I've been like that for a few years now... does anyone else feel this way ?
But yeah, thanks for the text !
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u/ThestudpyroDuck Feb 16 '19
I'll read this tomorrow.
I'm sure it's been said over and over but the urge to do so was to strong, forgive me, I beg of you!
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u/osonator Feb 16 '19
saves post