By Dr. Jim Bell and Dr. Dave Dickens 2012
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Decreasing Academic Procrastination: Stopping the Thief of Time
by Dr. Jim Bell and Dr. Dave Dickens 2012
“There is nothing quite so fatiguing as the constant nagging of an uncompleted task.”
We agree. Each semester we ask our students: “What is holding you back from being an excellent student?”. The most common answer is “procrastination.” Research consistently indicates procrastination is a major problem for many students. At the end of our courses almost all students report they have decreased their procrastination in our courses and about 40% report they procrastinate less in their other courses.
NOTE: If procrastination is not something you want to learn and think about, please see us for an alternative assignment. Previous students spent about 2.5 hours on this handout and we can help you do an alternative 2.5 hour assignment. In general, we recommend you do a project on improving your study skills or improving your time management. You can find sources in the library or on the web. Indicate what you read (provide references), what you learned (cite ideas with page numbers), and explain what you plan to change based on your study.
Our Goals for This Handout
We wrote this handout for our students. To learn the most from this handout, we recommend that you actively read, think, and write where the word WRITE is indicated. Write your thoughts in your own words using a computer. You may want to underline, highlight, and/or make notes as you study this handout to make it more useful to you.
Here are our goals:
1 (1) To encourage you to think and reflect on your academic learning. (2) To help you determine if academic procrastination is a problem for you. (3) To help you devise a written plan to decrease your procrastination (4) To encourage you to put your plan into action. (5) To encourage you to self assess to improve your plan
We have seen many students decrease the time that they procrastinate. We are confident that you can also decrease your procrastination. If you would like to talk with us, come during an office hour or make an appointment.
You will learn more if you go beyond this handout and apply what you study here. There are many opportunities for students to procrastinate. Here we focus on academic procrastination.
2 I. Becoming an Educated College Graduate
Our students plan to transfer to graduate from a four-year college. Often courses at the four year colleges don’t use specific objectives, don’t check if you attend class, don’t assign homework each week, and don’t check how you are learning except for a midterm exam, a final exam, and a research paper. You will need to have learned how to set priorities, budget your time, avoid procrastination, and do high quality learning for the long term. You also will need to self assess, metacognitively reflect, and use feedback to know when to get help from classmates and the teacher. Learning to learn and avoiding procrastination are life long challenges.
College graduates are expected to want to learn, to know how to effectively and efficiently learn, and to be able to apply the knowledge, skills, and thinking that they have learned from their college education. They become effective self-directed learners.
Our recommendation is that you start now to build the skills, flexibility, and confidence that college graduates need. For most of us, change is not easy. We are here to help you. Students before you have changed to procrastinate less and become excellent students.
II. Defining Procrastination
What can we discover about procrastination by looking at definitions, synonyms, and some quotes? The next section is to help you focus your thinking on academic procrastination.
WRITE: What is your current understanding of procrastination? Write before reading further.
Students\Procrastination12 3 Use a computer for all WRITE sections. Label as “p. 2: What is procrastination?” Once you have written your current definition, continue reading. This process is called building on what you know. You may already know many things about procrastination.
Academic procrastination involves four major types of activities: 1. Preparing for tests, more specifically preparing for quizzes, tests, exams, and final exams. 2. Writing short, medium, and long papers. 3. Preparing for class (reading, writing, thinking, and studying the homework) 4. Deciding that help from another, such as the teacher, is needed.
Researchers report that almost all college students procrastinate. In some cases, students do not do written work on time and do not take tests on time. They are less likely to pass their courses. Other students who procrastinate do pass their courses, but learn less and have lower cumulative grade point averages.
WRITE: Use the dozen questions below to help you think about your academic procrastination. Label as “p. 2 My Academic Procrastination”. Select at least four or more of the questions below and record your thinking using a computer. Label as “p. 2: My Academic Procrastination” Do you procrastinate in your college learning? Here are some questions to help you think about this broad question.
1. Do you delay starting any of the four activities of academic procrastination mentioned above (tests, papers, preparing for class, getting help)? 2. Do you put things off until the last minute? 3. Do you leave too little time to do a high quality job? 4. Do you feel stressed when meeting deadlines? 5. Do you ever turn in written work or homework late? 6. Do you omit doing some written work, preparing for class, or doing homework? 7. How often do you procrastinate? 8. Do you ask for help? As soon as you are stuck? After trying a second time to do
Students\Procrastination12 4 a learning task and not being successful? Never? 9. How long have you been procrastinating on academic learning? 10. Is procrastination a problem for you? 11. Do others think you procrastinate in studying? 12. Do you want to decrease your procrastination?
In summary, WRITE “p. 2 What is procrastination?” and WRITE “p. 2 My Academic Procrastination”.
III. Understanding Procrastination
Have you completed the two WRITE assignments so far? If yes, that is a good start. Following directions is a skill necessary for success in college and life. Here are words of wisdom from a psychologist who was a college teacher for 55 years.
A. . . the objective of a course is not to cover a certain set of topics, but rather to facilitate student learning and thinking. Ordinarily we are not concerned simply with the learning of a set of facts, but rather with learning that can be applied and used in situations outside course examinations. In fact, in most courses we are concerned about helping our students in a life long learning process: that is, we want to develop interest in further learning and provide a base of concepts and skills that will facilitate further learning and thinking.@ (McKeachie, 1991, Teaching Tips, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, p. 11) McKeachie is a former president of the American Psychological Association.)
A. What is procrastination? 1. Definitions a. Procrastination involves delaying action until some future time. b. “Procrastination is the act of putting off something until later by either not starting it, starting at the last minute, or starting but not finishing . . . Procrastination is a habit that can be broken.” (Tullier, 2000, pp.
Students\Procrastination12 5 18, 25) c. Procrastination involves avoiding tasks which need accomplishing. d. Procrastination is the gap between intention and action.
2. In other words: a. procrastination is a behavior, an action, a deed b. procrastination involves waiting, delaying, putting off, c. avoiding a task is a habit - it was learned, it can be unlearned d. time is important, deadlines are guidelines
3. Synonyms a. Webster's College Thesaurus (1976, p. 630) - delay, lag, linger, put off b. From a negative perspective - let slide, loaf, prolong, slowdown, stall, postpone, shelve, suspend, table, neglect c. From a positive perspective - defer, pause, wait, think about it
4. Quotes to consider - a more creative approach a. “Don’t put off today till tomorrow when you can put it off to the day after tomorrow.” Unknown source. b. “If you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” Will Rogers c. “Procrastination is the thief of time.” Edward Young d. “Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.” Marquis, 1927 e. “Procrastination is opportunity’s natural assassin.” Victor Kiam
5. Conclusion 1: As with many definitions, we can agree on extreme examples of procrastination and extreme examples of getting the job done quickly. But precisely defining procrastination to distinguish all those things in the middle is not easy.
Students\Procrastination12 6 However, you can better assess your procrastination with practice.
Issues in understanding procrastination: a. If delay is the crucial element, are there times when delay is useful? b. If not accomplishing the task is the key element, that lack of accomplishment can be different from delaying (we may be missing a key skill or piece of information). c. Few of us procrastinate all the time. So maybe we should consider when we procrastinate and when do we not procrastinate. What differs? d. Is procrastination a problem for you? Or is procrastination a problem because others have expectations of you?
6. Conclusion 2: Different people mean different things when they use the same word “procrastinate.” We suggest you define when it is a problem for you and not worry what others might decide. Procrastination is an important topic when you observe and assess that you procrastinate and wished you didn’t.
7. Conclusion 3: When you read, note carefully how the authors are defining procrastination and what evidence they cite. Most procrastination sources are not based on scientific evidence. “The fallout from procrastination is grossly underestimated. The consequences range from academic under performance to psychological maladjustment. Students sacrifice information quality, accuracy, and comprehensiveness to meet imminent deadlines. . . Unsurprisingly, grades suffer as a result. . . Procrastination is also associated with high levels of stress, low self-esteem.” (Steinman, Granoff, Hattis, Zerden, and Wittels, Fall 2004 in The Procrastination Elixir: Is there a Major Cure?, para. 2, Tufts University - Writing Fellows Program)(Tice and Baumister, 1997, Longitudinal study of procrastination, performance, and health. Psychological
Students\Procrastination12 7 Science, 8, 6, 454-458.)
B. Check Your Learning: WRITE and label “p. 5: What are your thoughts so far?” WRITE those thoughts. What have you learned? What is important to you? What do you agree with? What do you disagree with? List on a sheet of paper your thoughts by using a computer. Put right after your other two writings from p. 2.
IV. Thinking About Your Procrastination
A. What are the costs of your procrastination? WRITE those costs. Label as “p. 5: Costs”.
B. Are there benefits from your procrastination? WRITE Label as “p. 5: Benefits”
C. Could there be an underlying problem that causes you to procrastinate? WRITE your thinking. Use the questions below to stimulate your thinking. Label as “p. 5: Underlying Problem”. Record the number of each questions you answer. Deal with four or more of these questions. Select the ones that will help you the most.
1. Is procrastination the symptom of another problem? For example, some who are depressed procrastinate. This approach may take some thought, but may help you understand yourself better 2. Why do you procrastinate? There are many different views about the causes of procrastination. Some go back to early childhood, some go back to early schooling, some go back to high school courses, and some look at different learning styles. The important point is that procrastination is a learned behavior and it can be changed. 3. Under what circumstances do you procrastinate? List three or four
Students\Procrastination12 8 circumstances. 4. Does your procrastination have a pattern? Look carefully. 5. Do you thrive on crises? Do you tell yourself that you work better under pressure? Research says very few students work better who procrastinate. 6. Do you have difficulty saying "No?” 7. Do you have difficulty setting priorities? 8. Have you defined your goals for college? If not, try to define them. 9. Are you over committed? What might be signs of being over committed? 10. Do you have difficulty making decisions? 11. Are you disorganized? 12. Do you have difficulty keeping track of time? 13. Do you have the necessary skills and/or knowledge to perform an activity? 14. Are you afraid of failure? Do you have an unrealistic fear of failure? 15. Do you procrastinate doing things that you enjoy doing?
D. What are the consequences of your procrastination?
WRITE your thinking about any four of these questions below. Label as “p. 6: Consequences” and record the number of each question with your answers. 1. What rewards do you get when you procrastinate? 2. Are you really a skilled delayer rather than a procrastinator? Or are you kidding yourself? 3. Is procrastination a conscious strategy that you use to delay a project? 4. Is it a strategy that you use to prevent someone from giving you feedback? 5. Does procrastination lead to other problems? 6. What feedback do you get from other people when you procrastinate? 7. What rewards do you get when you do not procrastinate? 8. Does procrastination affect the quality of your performance?
E. Major research conclusions on procrastination dealing with academic procrastination.
Students\Procrastination12 9 1. Most students procrastinate. Some procrastinate often. 2. Students can learn to avoid and/or decrease their procrastination. 3. Students who procrastinate withdraw more from courses, earn lower cumulative GPAs, earn lower scores on tests, earn lower grades on written assignments, and are more likely to have unhealthy sleep, diet, and exercise patterns. 4. Procrastinators overestimate how much time they have to do tasks and underestimate how long tasks will take. 5. Procrastinators do not do their best work at the last minutes under pressure. 6. Procrastinators are mistaken when they believe they must be in the mood to do a task.
F. What do students do who do not procrastinate? Here are a dozen ideas To Try.
The answers below are not just based on scientific research, but include what students tell us, and what we have observed.
1. Reflect on your academic procrastination. Decide what areas to work on. 2. Take time to plan. Set clear and specific long term goals. Then set short term goals. 3. Review the entire project and its implications. 4. Divide big projects into smaller tasks. 5. Make a list of things needed to be accomplished with time limits. 6. Reflect on interruptions and distractions. Plan to deal with them. 7. Use waiting time, such as waiting for the doctor, dentist, professors, friends, family members. Plan how to make the time productive. 8. Consider what useful things you have learned from this handout. 9. Identify rewards to use when procrastination is avoided. 10. Maintain an appointment/calendar book. 11. Do the toughest work when freshest.
Students\Procrastination12 10 12. Self assess how well you are coming with our plan.
WRITE: What ideas might you try? Label as “p. 6: Things To Try”
G. Time management How does the topic of time management fit with procrastination? Time passes; it can’t be managed. Each of use gets 168 hours weekly. However, time can be effectively used. What are your goals? Do you have sufficient time to accomplish your goals? What distractions might you need to decrease (watching TV, playing computer games, talking on the phone, texting, other)?
WRITE: Label as “p. 7: Time Management” Explain your thinking about the time needed to be successful in this course. Do you have enough time? How might you change things around to get enough time? Do you want to? Will you?
H. Some previous students’ commented: “There is a lot of writing for this booklet.” Ideally, we would talk one on one with each of you and listen to your thinking. We would adjust our answers to better help you. Since we are not able to do that, your writing provides us with your thinking. It also provides you with a record of your thinking for self assessment. Decreasing procrastination at first will take time and effort. Having a record will be helpful in the future. Changing behavior is not easy, but changing is helped by putting things down on paper.
A good approach to creative problem solving is writing things down, which is what we are asking you to do. Solving your procrastination will involve creative problem solving.
V. Changing Your Own Behavior
Students\Procrastination12 11 (Called Self -Control of Behavior, or Self Modification of Behavior)
How do you plan to change your behaviors of procrastination? Is it a habit? Habits are not easy to change. However, once changed, the new behaviors can become a positive habit. Here is a step-by-step plan to guide you. Many ideas are presented. Focus on the ideas that might help you.
Self-control is the process of changing your behavior by selecting your own goals and selecting ways to reach those goals. We have used the ideas of behavior modification to suggest ways you can control your own behavior. Self-control is a life long challenge! Other terms used to refer to the same process: self-management; self-direction; self- regulation; self-help, self control; and willpower.
A. An 8-Step Procedure for Increasing Self-Control - Feel free to modify these step. Read for ideas to try.
STEP 1: Select a problem you wish to work on. Decide if the problem is worth working on. If it is not important, select another problem or challenge. If procrastination is not a problem, try time management or study skills or thinking skills or group discussion skills.
a. What behaviors do you wish to change? What behaviors do you want to occur more often? What behaviors would you like to do less often? In what situations does the problem occur? How often does the behavior occur? How do you feel about the problem?
b. Is this problem worth the time and effort it will take to bring
Students\Procrastination12 12 about a change? Changing behavior often is not easy and can involve both time and effort. What will you gain if you can change your behavior? What negative things happen if you don't change?
c. Example: “I need to avoid procrastination by being prepared for every class. I learn less when I am not prepared. In high school I did not have to be prepared and I wasn’t. I can see that in psychology classes being prepared is very important.” My goals: (1) Plan to have all of my homework done on time and (2) Arrive to class early.
STEP 2: Write your goals (the specific behaviors you want to change). a. State your goals as specifically as possible.
b. Divide any complex goals into smaller goals.
c. Specify how you will measure the accomplishment of your goals. 1) You might use the frequency or duration of behavior. 2) You might use the products of behavior.
Example of goals:
1. Long Term Goals - To avoid procrastination a. I will turn in all written homework on time in this course. b. Within 3 weeks, I will have homework completed at least one day in advice of the deadlines. c. By mid semester, I will have homework completed at least two
Students\Procrastination12 13 days in advance. d. I will make an additional plan for other courses after I have been able to do homework ahead of time in this course.
2. Short Term Goals - Being Prepared for Class a. I will decrease my procrastination in being prepared for class. I will be prepared for class by having read and studied all assignments, learned for quizzes, and learned for tests. b. I will decrease my procrastination in being prepared for all of my classes.
STEP 3: Learn to become a self watcher by gathering data about your problems (someone who assesses their own behaviors, self assessment)
a. Keep a written record of your behavior. 1) Develop a method which allows you to record in all situations as soon as the behavior occurs. 2) Gather baseline data to be able later to notice a change. 3) Don't try to change any behaviors at this point. 4) Set aside five to 10 minutes each day to record your behavior as it relates to the change you will be working on.
b. Make a note to myself to learn more about self assessment.
STEP 4: Analyze your observations and brainstorm possible solutions.
a. Analyze the antecedents, behaviors, and consequences.
Students\Procrastination12 14 1) Antecedents Under what circumstances does the undesired behavior occur? What happens just before the undesired behavior? What seems to be the stimulus for the behavior to occur? Are there regularities in your data? 2) Behaviors How often does the behavior occur? How long does it last? 3) Consequences What positive things (reinforcers) occur immediately after the behavior? What long term reinforcers are missed because the undesired behavior occurs? Were there any unpleasant consequences? Were you able to avoid an unpleasant consequence by doing something?
b. Brainstorm possible solutions. Produce as many ideas as possible. Don't evaluate these ideas until you have produced many ideas. Don't limit yourself to practical solutions. Brainstorm with a couple friends.
STEP 5: Create a plan to decrease your procrastination with feedback.
a. Reword your final goal into specific and measurable terms. State your goals to increase some behavior rather than decrease a behavior. Indicate how you plan to measure and get feedback.
b. Start small and start gradually. Divide your final goal into several smaller goals. Work on one goal at a time.
Students\Procrastination12 15 c. Reaffirm your commitment to the change process. Select a goal you are likely to reach. Save the more difficult goals for later.
d. Use what you have learned from your self-watching. 1) Gain control over the antecedent cues (cues that occur before the behavior). a) Avoid situations in which the undesired behavior occurs. b) Put yourself in situations in which the desired behavior occurs.
2) Learn new behaviors a) Through imitation (sometimes called modeling). b) Through shaping (dividing into smaller steps) c) Through rehearsing (practicing).
3) Change the consequences a) Build in powerful immediate reinforcers for the desired behavior. b) Provide yourself with reinforcers for continuing to make self-observation and changes. c) Arrange for others to also reinforce you. d) Decrease the reinforcers for the undesired behavior. e) Occasionally change your reinforcers to keep them powerful.
4) Make a public commitment to your plan.
Students\Procrastination12 16 a) Write out your plan (your contract with yourself). b) Post your plan so family and friends can see your contract. c) Plan to enlist the help of others in helping you carry out your plan, particularly classmates.
STEP 6: Put your plan into action. Continue to monitor with feedback and self assess your behaviors. Make minor changes to get better results.
STEP 7: Evaluate your plan to revise and improve it (adjust your plan). Add in additional practice, rewards, and decrease distractions.
STEP 8: If the plan is working, start developing a plan to maintain the changes you have produced for the long term. a. Many behaviors, once changed, will need periodic monitoring.
b. Some behaviors, once changed, may start weakening if not monitored and reinforced.
c. Plan to watch, reinforce, and support your changes.
B. Thought and Discussion Questions: WRITE: Label as “p. 10: Academic Changes” 1. What academic changes have you successfully completed in your life? 2. What academic changes have not been successful? 3. What academic changes are you currently working on?
Students\Procrastination12 17 C. D o you know how much time you spend studying? Is it quality time (are you effective)? 1. Learning and thinking take time. a. HCC’s 3 credit courses meet for 3.2 hours per week. The expectation in higher education for long term learning is that homework time (studying outside of class) will take on the average 2 hours for every hour in class. Therefore, the expectation for a 3 credit course is 6.4 hours of homework weekly. Some students spend more time and some spend less. b. Students differ greatly on how much time study time is needed. Research has found that at the start of a course some students can do a typical assignment in one hour while others will take five hours. Most will take around 3 hours. By the end of the course some students can do an assignment in one hour while others will take three. Most students (about 80%) in our courses report that they can do the equivalent homework in less time as the course progresses. That is evidence they are more effective learners.
2. Collecting data on your studying. If you would like our help, please do the following write assignments. Otherwise, they are optional.
WRITE answers to the questions below and bring them to us so we can work with you to get ideas for improving your study time and decreasing your procrastination. Label as “p. 11: My Self Assessment"
a. Do reflections. 2) When do you study? When is your best time to study for this course? Has that changed since the beginning of the course? Do you need to make any further changes?
2) Where do you study? What is your best study environment?
Students\Procrastination12 18 If you are not in your best study environment, what can you do to make it better?
3) How to you approach the assignments in this course? Some students tell us they read everything for a week and then do the homework. We suggested that they start with the first assignment: read and then write. Then go to the next. Most students tell us it takes less time and they learn better when they study and write together. However, some students take a break before writing if they have been reading for over an hour. They find they write better just after a break. Think about how you approach your studying and then describe that in writing.
b. Do some observing. Each day keep track of when you study, how long, where, any distractions.
c. Do an analysis. Look over what you have written for a and b. What do you notice? What might you do to improve your studying?
d. Get ideas. You may want to talk with classmates about their studying to get additional ideas. I can recommend books in the library dealing with becoming a more effective learner.
You may decide that you don’t need our help. That is fine. VI. What do you plan to do NOW about your procrastination?
Students\Procrastination12 19 A. Reading and thinking about your plan. This section is the most important part of this booklet.
You may have noticed that we started with your current understanding of procrastination. We then gave you a lot of directions to follow for written thinking. We divided big topics into smaller topics. We provided a variety of questions and asked you to pick the ones that would be most useful to you. We asked you to self observe, self assess, and analyze what you found. We organized information into an outline and steps to follow. We also gave you sources for additional information. This learning approach is based on research on how to help students become excellent students.
What are your specific goals for this course? (What do you want to accomplish?) Label as “p. 12 Goals”.
1. I read this booklet, but I do not have a significant problem with procrastination. WRITE your personal goals for this course. Explain how you learned not to procrastinate. Then look over the rest of this booklet.
2. I read this booklet, I procrastinate some, but I don’t have the desire to work on procrastination. WRITE your personal goals for this course.
3. I read this booklet, thought about it, and want to decrease my procrastination. If you selected 3, then continue. Omit if you selected this option since you will be writing your goals in a few pages. WRITE “Later” for p. 12 Goals
Ideas to Help with Your Plan To Deal With Procrastination
Students\Procrastination12 20 Procrastination has been identified as a very important personal course goal for many of our students. Many of our students have worked diligently to reduce their procrastination. Here are ideas from some of them.
“I am simply amazed at how things are going for me when it comes to dealing with my procrastination. Since I have changed the way I schedule my homework and added to the schedule time for my family, I seem to have a lot less stress than I did when I started this course.”
“My work on procrastination through this class is helping me to have a strong grasp on future college life so I am will prepared to deal with a lot of work. The habit of not procrastinating now is helping me to initiate it through the rest of my other classes, and even outside school aspects.”
How can we tell when someone has changed their behavior and does not procrastinate?
Dealing with procrastination is not just doing one simple behavior. For example, I will be in class at least 5 minutes before class so that I can turn in all of my completed homework. If I miss class or am late to class, my homework is not counted as in on time. By coming 5 minutes before class starts, I can double check and deal with any problems which might come up that I could not handle if I arrived just at the start of class.
Dealing with procrastination involves setting a goal that is measurable, developing the attitudes that increase learning, improving your student skills, managing your time well, improving your writing skills, self assessing, using metacognitive thinking, dealing with mistakes, creatively solving problems of interruptions and disruptions, being organized, and applying what I am learning. Learning to learn is the big concept; procrastination suggests that learning to learn is occurring at a low rate.
The first step is to decide that you want to decrease procrastination as a personal course goal or to accomplish homework always before the due date.
Students\Procrastination12 21 For example : A Course Goal - Increasing a behavior may be easier than stopping an undesired behavior. I will stop procrastinating in this course. – Stopping a negative behavior Or
I will turn in all assigned homework with high quality (homework that shows that I followed directions, read, studied, understood, and thought) at the start of each class. Starting a positive set of behaviors. I will improve my ability to learn to learn. I want to become an excellent student to have more future choice and to be more competent.
Here are the behaviors you might measure (self assess) to determine that you are not procrastinating.
Goal - For all of my courses I will decrease my procrastination. I commit myself to doing homework (studying, learning, remembering, writing) ahead of time so homework can be turned in on time with high quality learning. I will study for quizzes and tests rather than cramming.
1. I will make a schedule so that all academic tasks are studied each week so that the homework is done before it is due and I am prepared for class activities. a. My schedule will include time for sleep, meals, work, classes, study time, and other activities which take significant time. I will also include time for family and friends, exercise, and relaxation. b. I will plan study blocks of 40 to 80 minutes for at least five or six days a week. c. Some days I may have more than one study period. d. I will plan time to review what I have learned the day of class to be prepared for class. e. All homework for this course will be done 24 hours before class.
2 I will make my study environment one that I can study effectively in. I will find a study area free of distractions (at home or at school). I will turn off my cell phone (and other electronic devices), use the computer only for homework for this course, and not talk with roommates or family during study time.
Students\Procrastination12 22 3. I will put in high quality study time (before 10pm). I need to be thinking clearly and not be tired. I will not rush my homework and make little mistakes. I will self assess so that if I am not learning effectively, I will take a 10 minute break and then come back to studying.
4. I will complete all assigned homework at least 6 hours before they are due. If I am not successful (I turn in homework late.), I will write a note to my teacher describing and analyzing what happened with a plan to solve whatever hindered my learning.
5. I will review my completed homework to double check it, proofread it, reviewed it, and use one paperclip with the homework in the assigned order for this class. I will increase my metacognitive reflection and thinking.
6. I will the check over upcoming homework before class to be sure I know what to do. If not, I will check with a classmate or the teacher.
7. 90% of my assignments will be the best I can do. I will develop criteria later.
8. I will be in the classroom five minutes before class starts to turn in homework, read any notes on the board, get handouts, and get prepared to learn by the start of class.
9. I will turn in on time (at the start of class) all assigned homework. If I have a redo, it will be turned in on the top of the homework which is in the order as assigned.
10. If I have any late homework, I will speak with the instructor after class about how I will handle the setback. I will write a reflection describing what happened, analyzing what my mistakes were, and my plan to not make the same mistakes again.
11. I will stop my procrastination for written work in this course: I will turn all written assignments in on time.
12. I will stop procrastination in my everyday life. I will avoid cramming.
Students\Procrastination12 23 13. Within two weeks I will complete all of my homework at least one day in advance of class or for any due dates in this course.
14. Within four weeks I will complete all of my homework for this class at least two days in advance for all classes.
15. I will plan study blocks of 40 to 80 minutes for at least four days a week. Some days may need more than one study block. I plan not to rush homework.
16. I will work on being better organized. For example, I will keep records of all redos and late assignments. I will find ideas on being better organized and adopt some ideas.
17. I will find a study area either free of distractions of with few to help me be more effective when studying.
B. WRITE: Label as “p. 14: My Detailed Plan To Deal with My Academic Procrastination”
1. What have you observed by being a self watcher of when you procrastinate? If you wrote answers for p. 11, indicate here that is what you did. Otherwise, write answers for 2. (The next question.) next on your detailed plans.
2. What is your detailed plan? Describe your goals. Long term and short term. And what you plan to do? Use the 8 steps described earlier. Or use as many of the steps as you think will help you.
3. What do you plan to do over the next week in terms of your plan?
Students\Procrastination12 24 4. How will you know when you are successful? What are your specific goals?
5. Try out your plan. a. Try out your plan. Keep track of your study time. Note any difficulty with trying out new ideas when studying. Decrease distractions.
b. Talk to me in a week and let’s see how things are going.
c. Often making changes in studying produce results which are not satisfactory because changing behavior (your studying) is not easy. Often changes take longer than a week.
d. Revise your plan.
This handout is a start to help you plan to decrease and/or to avoid procrastination. Listed next are sources on and related to procrastination. If there is a call number, it means the book is a part of HCC’s collection.
Chickering, A., & Schlossberg, N. (1995). Getting the most out of college. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. pb.
Ellis, D. (2006). Becoming a master student. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. LB2343.3.E441994
Peterson, K. (1996). The tomorrow trap: Unlocking the secrets of the procrastination-protection syndrome. np: HCI.
Schouwenburg, H., Lay, C., Pychyl, T., & Ferrarri, J. (Eds.), (2004). Counseling the procrastinator in academic settings. Washington, DC: American Psychological
Students\Procrastination12 25 Association. LB2395.4.C68 2004
Tullier, (2000). The complete idiot’s guide to overcoming procrastination. This book is in the bookstore and is used in Logic and Critical Thinking (PHIL 202)
Watson, D., & Tharp, R. (2007). Self-directed behavior (ninth edition). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. We have found this book to be one of the most useful for those wishing to make changes!
For other kinds of procrastination, you might use The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Overcoming Procrastination by Tullier (2000) (copies are in our bookstore for PHIL-202 and one copy is in the library on reserve) or The Procrastinator’s Handbook by Emmett (2000).
Students\Procrastination12 26 VII. Ideas from students on dealing with Procrastination after using this booklet. (recent addition)
1. Set start times for various assignments.
2. Learn better ways to deal with stress.
3. Touch things only twice - 1. read about the assignment and work on it, 2. go back once to check and improve the assignment
4. Develop better posture for using my computer. Take short breaks to stretch.
5. Add in fun things to do.
6. Plan to creatively use short blocks of time - keep a book handy to read in short bursts
7. Learn more about resources available in the library and on the web.
8. Develop list of priorities. Write them down. Keep them around to view periodically.
9. Learn how to better learn from teachers. What can I do to learn more from them?
10. Switch to the view - it is half full, rather than it is half empty.
11. To complete assignments as soon as possible to avoid cramming.
12. Review how to compare and contrast. Develop approach to consistently use compare and contrast. Apply how to use compare and contrast more often.
13. Find six sources on procrastination. Scan them. Select the two best and read for ideas
Students\Procrastination12 27 to do things on time.
14. I procrastinate. I looked over my schedule. I have tried to break the habit. My conclusion: I am trying to do too much. I need to cut back on work, TV, and computer games.
15. I thought about who do I know that is very organized. I am not. My mother is the most organized person I know. I want to interview her and get some good ideas from her.
16. I turned off my phone, got out of site on the computer that suck away my time, and posted a sign that I was not to be interrupted.
Teacher Comments: 17. You might add to your Idea Notebook entries once a week a section on my dealing with procrastination.
18. You are the builder of your house. Do you want to continue to procrastinate and rush to learn? To learn less effectively.
Categories of Academic Procrastination Dealing With Homework (in a course with mastery learning) (you may use ideas below for some of your goals.)
1. Did not do the written assignment Due to deciding not to do the assignment Due to not understanding the directions Due to other priorities Due to not having enough time to learn Due to an unexpected major life event (could not predict)
2. Delayed doing the assignment, and turned it in late
Students\Procrastination12 28 Due to not starting the assignment early enough Due to not following the directions Due to needing help but not have time to get help Due to not having enough time to learn Due to an important life event (could have been predicted)
3. Delayed doing the assignment, but did turn it in on time Did not have time for complete learning Did not start in time so had to rush Did not have time for editing, revising, and improving the assignment
4. Did assignment with little quality Due to setting low standards for yourself Due to rushing
5. Did assignment with high quality Started on time Completed on time
6. Did assignment with high quality Started early Finished early
Analysis: Took the least time - #1, but might have worried about the consequences (stress). With mastery learning, assignment is still important to be completed. Some grade consequence for #2, #3, #4. #2 would earn a late. #3 and #4 might earn a redo. All other options could take the same amount of time to learn. Option #6 would produce the least worry, stress, or concern.
Students\Procrastination12 29 Procrastination is a habit which was learned. Habits can be changed, some easily while others take a lot of time and effort.
Thinking about your procrastination and setting a goal in writing is the start to decreasing procrastination.
Update on Decreasing Academic Procrastination
Where do we get ideas to decrease procrastination? I have read both books and articles on procrastination and more specifically academic procrastination for ideas. I have shared ideas that worked for me and previous students. There is also a body of research which is summarized and analyzed by Steel (2007) in the article The Nature of Procrastination in a research journal. The following ideas are from his article.
I. Procrastination has been a problem for a long time. “References to procrastination can be found in some of the earliest records available, stretching back at least 3,000 years. Some of the first written words, agrarian guides, have lamented it as a substantial problem. Mentions of procrastination have appeared in early Roman and Greek military documents and in ancient religious texts.” p. 84
II. Procrastination is a large current problem. “Estimates indicate that 80% to 95% of college students engage in procrastination, 75% consider themselves procrastinators, and almost 50% procrastinate consistently.” p. 65
III. Procrastination is a troubling behavior. ”People most strongly characterize it as being bad, harmful, and foolish, and over 95% wish to reduce it.”
Students\Procrastination12 30 IV. Procrastination problems may be growing. “Looking ahead, procrastination does not appear to be disappearing anytime soon. On the contrary, it . . . should continue to grow in frequency, particularly in the workplace. Specifically, problems associated with procrastination and lack of self-control appear to be increasing.” p. 84
V. There is a lot to learn about procrastination. “Procrastination is a prevalent and pernicious form of self-regulatory failure that is not entirely understood.” p. 65
VI. What are some of the results of research? A. If the task is seen as unimportant or unpleasant, it is often put off. p. 74 B. Short term pleasant tasks will be done before long term pleasant tasks. p. 74 C. As a deadline comes closer, more effort is expended. p. 75 D. The more a task is disliked, the more procrastination. p. 75 E. Perfectionism is not related to procrastination. p. 76 F. Procrastination is not related to intelligence. G. The more organized a person the less the procrastination. p. 78 H. Persons easily distracted tend to procrastinate more. p. 78 I.. Procrastination is associated with 1. Lower cumulative GPA 2. Lower course GPA 3. Lower final exam scores 4. Lower assignment grades p. 80 J. Procrastination decreases with age. p.80 K. Men and women procrastinate the same. p. 80
Ideas for Decreasing Procrastination A. Expect to be successful - things the teacher can do 1. Break big task into smaller tasks
Students\Procrastination12 31 2. Model how to handle smaller tasks 3. Give practice in handling smaller tasks 4. Provide quick feedback B. Expect to be successful - things students can do 1. Make a plan 2. Change attitude toward expecting to be successful 3. Set early date to start with specific actions specified C. Change own view towards boring, difficult, and/or unpleasant tasks 1. Keep clearly in mind value of long term tasks which contains the smaller tasks 2. If the task is too simple or boring, consider ways to increase challenge. 3. Change attitude making tasks into interesting and valuable challenges. D. Develop plan with specific goals, tasks, and outcomes. 1. Write the plan down. 2. Include daily goals. 3. Include weekly goals 4. Include goals for longer projects 5. Break big tasks into smaller tasks - This has been done for you by previous students recommending several small assignments due each class and the use of mastery learning. E. Decrease distractions. 1. Change study environment to fewer distractions. a. Set specific times to check emails, phone calls, contact with others. b. Do studying at the same place with equipment ready consistently. c. Remove other distractions. d. Use watching TV or playing computer games for completion of learning. 2. Plan how best to handle others in or near your study environment a. Study at a quiet place in the library. b. Decide if you will use music to decrease other distracting noises.
Students\Procrastination12 32 c. Figure out how to meet social needs from family, friends, or roommates. F. Make starting early on smaller tasks a habit. 1. Plan a routine and follow it. 2. Design a reinforcer when task is complete. 3. Design in break times when you start becoming ineffective. G. Reflect on your progress. 1. Keep a daily log on results. 2. Reflect daily on how to improve. 3. Reflect weekly on how to improve. H. Develop plan to find new ideas 1. Discuss with classmates 2. Reflect on your progress 3. Plan to read sources dealing with procrastination, time management, study skills, learning to learn.
Students\Procrastination12 33 Applying What You Have Learned - for use in class
Situation 1 - My family (roommate) left and the house was empty. Took out my psychology materials and turned to the assignment sheet. Remembered that a baseball game was on and decided to watch it a little. Tried to study between innings but game up. Studied about 5 minutes since the game went into extra innings.
Situation 2 - Too much is going on at home so went to the library. Found a good spot to be able to keep track of who was coming to study. Karen walked in and I told her I was studying. She said she was hungry so we went over to eat. She is so friendly and had so much news that it was a couple hours before I got back to study.
Situation 3 - I have tried to not procrastinate and always fail. I decided that I was a person who procrastinates until I read about Abraham Lincoln. He tried three times to be elected to the Illinois legislature and got elected once. He tried three times to get elected to the House of Representatives and got elected once. He was defeated when he tried to get elected to the U. S. Senate, defeated for Vice President, defeated a second time while trying to get elected to the U.S. Senate and then was elected President. The important thing is to learn from failures rather than to expect to never fail.
Situation 4 - I like to study with my friends. My first few days of record keeping showed that I was not studying much. I observed my friends and found that they had courses where they had to study little whereas I had courses that I had to study for. I decided to try to study in a quiet place in the library and join my friends after I had completed my studying.
Situation 5 - I had never planned a study schedule so I thought I would try that. I tried it and observed that I did not keep consistent records. I developed a weekly sheet and found it was easier to keep track of study time. I learned to write down right after studying how much I had studied.
Students\Procrastination12 34 Situation 6 - I was hitting the books enough hours but did not feel I was learning as much as I should. I read on the web about concentration. I decided to start by asking myself what I wanted to learn from the reading. I then used the KSQ3RO system. When I found my mind wandering, I got up for 5 minutes and then came back. I kept more careful records and found I could study longer as I kept clear on why I was studying and how I was studying.
Situation 7 - I found the concept of reinforcement useful to add to my study schedule. I brainstormed what were reinforcers to me, such as listening to music, going for a walk, spending time with a friend, playing sports, seeing a movie. I started putting in small reinforcers when studying and then larger ones when I did not procrastinate.
Situation 8 - I could see that students who did the homework were prepared for class and knew what they were talking about. I just listened in group discussions. I wanted to change and knew I could since I did well in classes I liked. I went to the library and got a copy of Self-Directed Behavior by Watson and Tharp. It has all kinds of ideas for changing myself and I decided to look for things I could do to stop procrastinating.
Double Check Your Written Work
Did you WRITE answers TO TURN IN for these pages? Do you have the correct names of the assignments? If not, please do so now. Proofread your answers. (Add word counts)
p. 2 What is procrastination? p. 2 My Academic Procrastination
Students\Procrastination12 35 p. 5 What are your thoughts so far? p. 5 Costs p. 5 Benefits p. 5 Underlying Problems p. 6 Consequences p. 6 Things To Try p. 7 Time Management p. 10 Academic Changes p. 11 My Self Assessment p. 12 Goals p. 14 My Detailed Plan to Deal with My Academic Procrastination
Also be sure to fill out p. 29 TO TURN IN at the end of the above assignments and paperclip all of the assignments in order.
The first 15 pages were an organized and systematic approach to procrastination. Pages 16-19 and 20-26 are other approaches. There is nothing specific to write but you can include ideas from these pages in your detailed plan.
Bring your booklet to class this week. Page 28 is for a class activity. Do not do p. 28 now.
Students\Procrastination12 36