Procrastination Flashcards
What is procrastination?
Procrastination is a form of self-regulation failure characterized by the irrational delay of tasks despite potentially negative consequences.
How does Depression impact procrastination?
Depression can cause feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and a lack of energy can make it difficult to start (and finish) the simplest task, lead to self-doubt.
What are some additional reasons why people procrastinate?
Reasons why people procrastinate:
- Overestimate how much time they have left to perform tasks
- Overestimate how motivated they will be in the future
- Underestimate how long certain activities will take to complete
- Mistakenly assume that they need to be in the right frame of mind to work on a project
- Not feeling in the mood to do it
- Being in the habit of waiting until the last minute
- Believing that you work better under pressure
- Lacking the initiative to get started
- Blaming sickness or poor health
- Delaying one task in favor of working on another
What are the two types of procrastination?
Two types of procrastination include:
Passive: Delay the task because they have trouble making decisions and acting on them
Active: Delay the task purposefully because working under pressure allows them to “feel challenged and motivated”
What are the behavioral styles of procrastination?
The behavioral styles of procastination are:
Perfectionist: Puts off tasks out of the fear of not being able to complete a task perfectly
Dreamer: Puts off tasks because they are not good at paying attention to detail
Defier: Doesn’t believe someone should dictate their time schedule
Worrier: Puts off tasks out of fear of change or leaving the comfort of “the known”
Crisis-maker: Puts off tasks because they like working under pressure
Overdoer: Takes on too much and struggles with finding time to start and complete task
What common characteristics of Non Procrastinators?
Non Procrastinators focus on the task that needs to be done.
They have a stronger personal identity and are less concerned about what psychologists call ‘social esteem’—how others like us—as opposed to self-esteem which is how we feel about ourselves.
tend to be high in other areas including self-discipline, persistence, and personal responsibility.
What are the impacts of procrastination?
Procrastination can have a serious impact on a number of life areas, including a person’s mental health and social, professional, and financial well-being:
Higher levels of stress and illness
Increased burden placed on social relationships
Resentment from friends, family, co-workers, and fellow students
Consequences of delinquent bills and income tax returns
What are some tips to stop procrastination?
Make a to-do list: To help keep you on track, consider placing a due date next to each item.
Take baby steps: Break down the items on your list into small, manageable steps so that your tasks don’t seem so overwhelming.
Recognize the warning signs: Pay attention to any thoughts of procrastination and do your best to resist the urge. If you begin to think about procrastinating, force yourself to spend a few minutes working on your task.
Eliminate distraction: Ask yourself what pulls your attention away the most—whether Instagram, Facebook updates, or the local news—and turn off those sources of distraction.
Pat yourself on the back: When you finish an item on your to-do list on time, congratulate yourself and reward yourself by indulging in something you find fun.
How do you protect against perfectionism?
Protect against perfectionism by lowering the bar on the first take. Do something “good enough”, get feedback, and then progress to “great” if necessary.
