3.3 Reading

3.3 Do You Often Procrastinate?

Following a schedule and doing things on time is extremely important in today’s busy world. As a result, using time effectively is a practical skill that everyone must master. Catching a bus, getting to school on time, and even meeting friends all require good time management. Unfortunately, many people fail to acquire such a skill, but rather tend to put off doing things until it’s too late.

In fact, everyone procrastinates sometimes. Statistics show that ninety percent of university students usually put off studying for tests until the night before. Even worse, twenty-five percent of university students can be defined as chronic procrastinators. This more serious form of procrastination can even result in a student dropping out of school. Students who persistently delay doing their assignments usually get further and further behind with their studies. Before long, they feel completely overwhelmed. For some chronic procrastinators, the only way to solve their problem is to quit school.

However, how does such chronic procrastination develop? Studies have suggested that there are three main reasons behind this. First, many students have poor time-management skills and often expect to do too much in a short time. They often end up finding themselves defeated and therefore put things off over and over again. Second, many chronic procrastinators think what they are assigned to do is so boring that they have difficulty concentrating on this work. They often avoid doing something because they have no interest in it. Third, many procrastinators are afraid of not being able to do their assignments well enough. These students often worry that their work will never be as good as it should be. In other words, it is because they try to do everything perfectly that they make themselves chronic procrastinators.

Do you recognize any of these signs in yourself? If so, you may want to do something to break this bad habit. The following tips may come in handy if you want to stop procrastinating.

First, list the things in life that are important to you, and then, make another list of the reasons why you are at school. Look at the two lists and see where they correspond. Is there anything you need to do at school to achieve a life goal? Second, once you have identified your goals, list them in order of priority. If you have several things to do, ask yourself, “Which thing should I do first?” As you have become more aware of what you need to do and when you need to do it, you will feel more in control and will be capable of completing tasks on time. Third, budget your time wisely. Create a schedule that allows sufficient time for accomplishing a goal. For example, your schedule should give you adequate time to study for tests. Finally, take time to reward yourself. Tell yourself what you can enjoy after reaching your goals. When you accomplish a goal, do whatever helps you to relax, such as going to the movies or hanging out with friends.

If you believe that you are a chronic procrastinator, you should try to get help as soon as possible. Talk to a counselor or whomever you can trust, and discuss the problem. If you are only a mild procrastinator, be sure to keep yourself motivated, but don’t worry too much. Remember—we all procrastinate at times.