What is procrastination?

Deliberately delaying a task that should be done on time is called procrastination.

Procrastination is the tendency to delay important tasks by prioritizing less pressing, more enjoyable, and simpler activities. It differs from laziness, which is the unwillingness to act.

Sometimes, owing to negative thoughts, one ignores an important work because they feel it may lead to undesired results.

This causes them to avoid the task and increases stress.

Procrastination is a common phenomenon because there is a constant pressure to perform & give the desired results. In fact, procrastination is a serious problem because if not addressed, it may lead to serious consequences.

In teaching, educators have to check the answer sheets and upload the marks within the stipulated time. Procrastinators delay the work because it requires considerable effort and keep it pending till the last day.

When the due date approaches, they panic and try to complete the work, leading to errors. Procrastination means viewing a simple task as mammoth, thus delaying it until the last minute.

Tax payers have to file ITR by July 31st, which is a recurring practice. While the proactive ones will file ITR much before the due date, the procrastinator will delay it, leading to panic & stressful situations.

Timely completion of work is preferable to last-minute procrastination. While travelling, it’s better to book your tickets in advance & save cost rather than delaying it till the last dates.

Pending work burdens our minds until it’s done. If you want peace of mind, finish your work before the deadline to avoid last-minute rushes and panic situations.

Students procrastinate a lot

Many students study just before exams because they procrastinate until the last date. When they study just 2 days before the exam, the syllabus seems overwhelming, and it creates a panic situation. To avoid the syllabus appearing overwhelming just before the exam, it’s best to study daily.

In studies, one should be consistent because slow & steady wins the race. While learning to code, one should code daily because it’s a step-by-step process leading to skill development.

Procrastination creates a feeling that a task is boring and gives a temporary relief by avoiding it for some time. Since the task is important, it’s best to finish it before the deadline.

Causes of Procrastination

Fear of failure & boring tasks

An unfavourable result is the most common reason that causes procrastination. Students procrastinate because the topic is boring, and it does not motivate them to learn.

The teachers should banish fear from the students’ mind by teaching STEM subjects in an engaging manner. When a child is losing interest in physics, the teacher should engage them in the learning process so they enjoy it. Enjoyment of the subject leads to timely homework completion and eliminates procrastination..

Lack of belief in your abilities

When we aren’t confident about our abilities, we procrastinate because we fear the outcome won’t be favourable. People who lack confidence often procrastinate because they feel people may laugh about them.

Perfectionism

When we are perfectionists, we delay the task because we feel we aren’t ready yet. We can explain this by students preparing for competitive exams. Many of them avoid solving previous year’s questions because they feel they aren’t ready yet.

The reason for their procrastination is the fear of not being able to solve most of the questions correctly, which impacts their self-confidence.

Distraction

Social media distractions can lead to procrastination as people become more interested in their phones than important tasks. They knowingly delay the work, which gives temporary relief but causes stress as the deadline approaches.

Uncertainty & Decision Making

When we have many choices and are uncertain about the right choice, we procrastinate. This further aggravates the problem because it’s something that needs to be done.

Procrastination thrives on poor decision making, since we spend a lot of time selecting the best option.

How to overcome procrastination?

Follow the punch line ‘Just Do it’.

The best way to overcome procrastination is to follow the punch line ‘Just Do It’. You know that an important task needs to be accomplished, so complete it rather than delaying it.

This habit requires a minor effort but gives great relief after work completion.  

Prioritize the work

Make a list of all the pending work in order of their urgency. Finish them one by one and tick them after they have been done. This is great for killing procrastination because one completes all priority tasks and it does not burden you with work.

Try to abandon this habit

We all know that procrastination is a habit that takes time to change. Please recognize that you are procrastinating and instead of avoiding the task, complete it on time.

Know the top reason for procrastinating

Try to identify the root cause of procrastination because it will help to overcome it. If you find the task overwhelming, try to break it down into smaller parts to complete it daily. Once you work daily on a project, it cannot appear mammoth, and will complete on time.

Minimize Distractions

Distractions hinder our concentration and breed procrastination. When doing priority work, switch off social media and TV to complete the work on time.

Promise yourself a reward

One of the best ways to kill procrastination is to reward yourself after you have completed the work. This could be a trip to a café or a family dinner so that it motivates you to complete the task on time.

Commit to the task

Don’t run away from priority work because the best way to find peace is by completing it. Be determined that I will take up other tasks only when I have completed the one at hand.

Ask someone to check on you

Ask your peers to remind about priority tasks because it prevents procrastination. Peer pressure works because people work in teams and if all have filed ITR than it pressurizes others to do so.

What is procrastination in students?

According to an American study in 2004, no less than 70% of college students suffer from chronic procrastination, making it a widespread issue.

Students procrastinate because of the same reasons we have mentioned above primary being a lack of motivation to study.

Many times social media and internet addiction are the main reasons that cause procrastination.

Students who lack interest in their studies may turn to other tasks that provide minor relief but result in an incomplete syllabus that can lead to stress in the long run.

Students should find inspiration in stories of role models who, despite obstacles, attained success. They should contemplate why they took admission in the course to change their destiny.

How can students overcome procrastination?

Now we know procrastination and what causes it, for students to overcome it their teachers can be the saviours. Multiple subjects and high CGPA requirements make student life busy..

Educators can make the subject more interesting by involving learners in quizzes, lab assignments, and coding challenges.

Youngsters are full of energy and teachers should make the topic interesting for them to dive deep into the matter and create value.

Once students enjoy the subject, they cannot procrastinate because the topic is interesting and creative. Just lecturing the topic without generating interest will push students into boredom and procrastination.

Lab practicals are vital since they enable the application of theoretical concepts in real-life situations. Teachers should show the outcome in labs for students to internalize key theoretical concepts.

Teachers must use methods to make topics more interesting, allowing students to enjoy learning and avoid procrastinating altogether.

A task that has to be completed is better to finish it rather than hovering our minds and ruining the mental peace.

Effects of Procrastination

Some effects of procrastination are:

High-Stress Levels

Relationship and work issues

Incomplete Tasks

Mental Health Issues

Living in Delusion

Loss of Valuable Time

Poor Decision-Making

Act before it is late

Procrastination is not a disease but a mental block that prompts individuals to pursue less priority tasks instead of important ones. When we know something is crucial, finish it first before it gets gigantic to handle. It’s our presumption that make the task mammoth when actually it’s quite simple than we thought it to be.

Procrastination Examples

Here are some procrastination examples to consider:

1 You know exams are approaching in 15 days but you postpone studying because you feel relieved that there is still time. A few days of study before exams cause stress because of an overwhelming syllabus.

2. Not washing your clothes till the time you have no clean clothes left.

3. Not cleaning your house till the day it becomes cluttered and disorganized.

4. By avoiding to pay the bill much earlier and waiting till the last date and create a panic situation.