# Procrastination is Ruining My Life



## Nym

Seriously. I just can't get on with any of my assignments. It's like there's something wrong with me. I get really stressed out about all the work I've got to do that I can't sleep and worry that I can't get it done. But then when I decide to get on with it, I can't. Instead I'll spend hours surfing the net, doing small pointless tasks I'd usually not bother with if I wasn't procrastinating and generally wasting time. 

I feel like I spend all my time avoiding work, or stressing about work. So not only do I not get my essays, done, but I don't get other important things done, either (like food shopping, for example).

What usually happens is as it gets nearer the due date, I suddenly realise I need to actually work, and I'll go into overdrive and produce a crappy piece of work just before it's due in. Then I'll make a promise to myself never to do this again, because I pretty near kill myself with stress and exhaustion every time I do. Then, as soon as I get given a new assignment, the cycle starts all over again.

Is anyone else like this? Got any tips? I don't think I can take this any more. (And please don't tell me just to get on with it: I've got a feeling this avoidance goes much deeper than simple laziness)


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## nothing to fear

I'm like this, but in the past few months I'd put it off so much that I either end up not doing it, or hand in it a couple days late. I don't know, I just can't seem to get myself to work and I end up wasting my time doing pointless sh*t on the net. I spent my March Break week worrying and stressing out about all the work I had to do, but I ended up not doing any of it (well, I did a bit of work, but not a lot).
I really want to get out of these habits because if I don't my marks will for sure not be good enough for university in two years.

The only time I have ever been able to sit down and work is when I do my work somewhere else other than home, where there are just way too many distractions. I find I can work really well at the library if I get one of those secluded cubicles (although, all the libraries near me are pretty small and packed with annoying kids playing compy games, so I don't go very often).


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## F-Bomb

I'm failing college for all the reasons stated above. I just can't bring myself to do work...I don't know what's up with it...


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## RX2000

I'm the same way.

Except I always manage to do some good work in the last few hours right before its due.


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## man w/ no name

You have eerily described how I am with my school work. With assignments that I have had a week to finish, I usually do them literally hours before they are due. I have not gotten a good nights sleep, until I started my spring break. I also vow never to do my work last minute, but the cycle always repeats. I hate it. My assignments are usually ok, however, I know I probably could of turned in something 100 times better. I used to go to my colleges library to get my work done, however, I recently transfered schools and have yet to feel comfortable in there library.


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## smalltowngirl

I have major procrastination problems! I'm taking a Methods in Behavior Management course right now, and one of the big projects for this class is changing one of our own problem behaviors by the end of the semester. I decided to work on my procrastination. So far I've taken all my baseline data (what triggers my procrastination, what the consequences are for my procrastination, how often I procrastinate, etc.) Now I have to come up with a plan that will reinforce punctual behavior and start implementing that plan. I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet. If you can figure out what reinforces your procrastination, you might try and stop that from happening. For instance, if you have a problem surfing the net, find a way to make it impossible to surf the net until after you finish your assignments. Sorry, I don't really have any good suggestions right now. I am currently procrastinating my procrastination project.


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## mismac

I was watching PBS this morning (it was very early morning and there wasn't anything else on...) and the program was about time management. 

The presenter covered the subject of procrastination and she said for people like us, the best way to deal with it is to focus on the payoff/reward at the end and not the task itself. Eg. I'll get my money sooner if I file my tax early; I'll get that A if I study these chapters; etc.


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## anonymid

I'm exactly like this. I have no good answers, though, at the moment. Procrastination has derailed my PhD work, which is why I'm taking time off right now. It's one of those problems I need to find a solution to before I'll be ready to continue.


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## ShyLight

yeah i can somewaht relate to this also. I get stress with work so easily that i just worry. Sometimes i leave the work at the last minute and i get more stress out. Then i'm like, never again will i leave work at the last minute, but then the cycle begins again. :/ especially writting papers i realy don't like writing them. I worry that my paper has to be perfect and worse part is not knowinghow to start it. So yeah papers just ruins my concentration.


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## Anatomica

I have this problem too, right now I have some essays and assignments piling up and I just have no motivation to do them ugh.


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## crystallizedtear

i have motivation but no energy. ARG.
I FEEL LIKE...
patheticness.
thanx for the reminder lol
anyhow im actually tryyyying to do some work now =p


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## Swiftwind

I am the same as you.. When I know I should be working on an assignment or studying for an exam I start cleaning my room (even though it's already really clean). I leave everything to the last minute even though I know I shouldn't. I think a lot about getting started, but it's so hard to find the motivation.


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## microbe

I found this website VERY helpful...as i'm the knig of procrastination

http://www.sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/procrastination.html


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## michaelg

yeah Nym, that's exactly how I am.. with the promising not to do it again and everything.

It's getting worse now... bah, I'm failing both math courses (trig and ap statistics) and my teacher is mad because she thinks i'm too smart to fail.


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## echo4v

microbe said:


> I found this website VERY helpful...as i'm the knig of procrastination
> 
> http://www.sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/procrastination.html


that site was helpful, and from my school oddly enough. but it didnt seem to describe me very well. sometimes i think i am intentionally sabotage myself. like i dont want to succeed. maybe all the change that will happen after i graduate is scaring me subconsciously? my ability to concentrate keeps getting worse. right now i can hardly get through one sentence in a textbook without my mind wandering off. i have to reread the same sentence 6 times before i can get all the way through it. does anyone have this same problem?


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## alirox921

*I go through the exact same thing*

I know EXACTLY how you feel. This is exactly what I go through. I have been sleep deprived because of these habits. And it was worse last semester, I actually tried changing it this semester but it seems like I'm getting in the same routine again (it is like 1:14 AM and I barely have it even started.) Pretty much the whole idea of the homework I have to do gets to me and I put it off and go on the computer play games...get my mind off the stress..but in the meantime there is a little nagging voice in my head and it gets bigger and bigger and I just don't listen to it but it drives me crazy with my procrastination. So I can compare to you a lot...I am just younger, and this has to do with me and my schoolwork...
Last night I had like 2 hours of sleep staying up studying all night, and tonight I will barely get any either... I think sleep deprivation may kill me from this. 
What helped me was to get extremely extremely determined, putting into action what your words are saying. And not getting succumbed into the world of the computer or whatever, because you literally get sucked in...like I am right now.
Well, I should go and hopefully finish this and hopefully get some sleep tonight, I hope all goes well for you.


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## DCP11OC

microbe said:


> I found this website VERY helpful...as i'm the knig of procrastination
> 
> http://www.sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/procrastination.html


:idea
OMG

It's starting to make sense -- I think

I come under 'perfectionist' and 'self-downing' lol although if you asked me that 2 mins ago I woould have said pppffff

Thanks for the link


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## scout53

I feel like I posted this myself because its exactly what I'm doing now with my report due this week (I've had all month to do it and I've maybe done 5% of the work). Its a **** life.


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## cafune

Nym said:


> Seriously. I just can't get on with any of my assignments. It's like there's something wrong with me. I get really stressed out about all the work I've got to do that I can't sleep and worry that I can't get it done. But then when I decide to get on with it, I can't. Instead I'll spend hours surfing the net, doing small pointless tasks I'd usually not bother with if I wasn't procrastinating and generally wasting time.
> 
> I feel like I spend all my time avoiding work, or stressing about work. So not only do I not get my essays, done, but I don't get other important things done, either (like food shopping, for example).
> 
> What usually happens is as it gets nearer the due date, I suddenly realise I need to actually work, and I'll go into overdrive and produce a crappy piece of work just before it's due in. Then I'll make a promise to myself never to do this again, because I pretty near kill myself with stress and exhaustion every time I do. Then, as soon as I get given a new assignment, the cycle starts all over again.
> 
> Is anyone else like this? Got any tips? I don't think I can take this any more. (And please don't tell me just to get on with it: I've got a feeling this avoidance goes much deeper than simple laziness)


Definitely ruining mine too. Like I am doing the exact same thing _right now._ I have two exams tomorrow (Math & Biology) and yet I am on this site :?. Things are not looking good. I always end up stressing out, and worrying _a lot_. Usually though, I manage to pull through someway or another but it's really not doing me any favours.

I have no idea why I do it either. It's just sad really.



microbe said:


> I found this website VERY helpful...as i'm the knig of procrastination
> 
> http://www.sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/procrastination.html


And that site's pretty insightful! I know I am a perfectionist. So that's one reason, another'd be the fact that the task's difficult, causing me to tell myself that I'll do it later. And that I have time... so I get around to it at like 12:00AM or something. I always rationalize my behaviour in some odd way.


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## Chris16

http://calnewport.com/blog/category/tips-fighting-procrastination/


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## Porkchop Express

Once I got over my fear of going back to school and started taking classes at the local community college, I haven't really had a problem with the actual work. I may have an assignment here and there that I slack off on, but I always get them turned in on time. 

The only advice I can offer is to just simply do the assignment the minute you know about it. Thats what I typically try to do, even if I know it won't be turned in for over a month.


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## shynesshellasucks

I have the same exact problem. I guess the only solution is to bring yourself to do assignments no matter how much it sucks doing them.


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## PaysageDHiver

When I feel the urge to procrastinate, I remind myself how good it feels to be on top of my work. It's a contentedness that far outweighs the hollow relief that comes from putting off a pressing task. Thinking of things this way usually moves me to get on with it.


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## Event Horizon

I am the same way! I put myself through so much suffering that was totally pointless just because I can't bring myself to do the assignments. Even when I actually do get to the point of sitting down just about to get started, I always get distracted by crap I wouldn't otherwise be interested in and one things leads to another, and next thing you know, it is the end of the day. Another day down the drain, and you invested it in pointless crap... I feel like I have a lot of motivation and goals to work towards, but my will is not strong enough. I know this problem has cost me a lot of opportunities and I feel angry at myself to letting it persist. Even today I make proclamations and calendars, letting myself know what I must achieve and I never seem to fulfill the list, even if the tasks are menial. I feel like a child a lot of the times, as if I have never grown out of high school...it sucks, you don't feel like you are a responsible, self sufficient adult. Which is so vital to identify yourself with for you own sanity, but a lot of time I can't get myself to do that.


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