Help with procrastination (1 Viewer)

[countryboy97]

I am seriously in need of help, I am in yr 11 and all throughout the term I have been putting off any assignments or homework until the last weekend possible for me to do them and this is reflecting in my assessment scores.
I just find it nearly impossible to get motivation to start any work early and to do it well
Anyone have any ideas that could help me quit procrastinating with regards to schoolwork?

 

[justem]

I find it best to visualize a goal I have, whether a short term one about succeeding in a test or a long term one aimed at achieving the best ATAR I can and getting into a uni course. When you have something to work for that's when you're more likely to get down to business.

 

[buriza]

Use negative reinforcement. For example, when you do assignments/homework late, I would imagine you would be confronted with a feeling of stress and anxiety. One of the motivators that keeps me from doing things late these days is fearing that experience of stress and anxiety. You really do not want to have that in Year 12 because it can maximise everything into seeming worse than what it is. Doing assessments/homework early really makes things a whole lot easier in terms of both academics and well-being. Not to mention being organised is a skill that is appreciated both in high school and after.

But as justem said, having a goal is also a good thing to do. Wanting to do well, in itself, can be a motivator. You have recognised putting work off has lead to worse marks, so if you want to do well, it is going to be a habit you will have to quit. Once more, the idea of something negative occurring like not getting an ATAR you desire or not gaining entry to a course you want can be a motivator too. On the other hand, the idea of something positive occurring like getting an ATAR you desire or gaining entry to a course you want can be just as successful.

 

[strawberrye]

I have one simple tip I can give you-whenever you are not doing work, consider all the other people who are studying hard and who are striving to achieve their dreams and consider how your lack of consistency is going to prevent you from achieving your dream... consider what you want to do very carefully and focus on achieving that goal

 

[enoilgam]

Here is a copy of a post I made a while back:

With procrastination, you will procrastinate no matter what - it is a part of human behaviour. The key with procrastination is to manage it so that it doesnt become harmful. In order to do this, focus on the setting up your work in such a way that it encourages you to work harder. As mirakon has said before, the HSC is all about attitude. Break the work down into small achievable goals. If you achieve these small goals you will feel much more confident with work and this will increase your morale and motivation. Remember, the best way to defeat an enemy is to cut off their strategy - the worst way is to take them on head-on. Procrastination's strategy is like a snowball, the more you put off doing the work, the larger your workload becomes, thereby further crippling your desire to do the work. To beat it, you attack it's strategy and prevent the snowball from getting bigger by chipping away at the work.

There is an old saying which goes "it's easy to commit to an idea, but it's hard to commit to a process". To commit to the process of doing well, you need to focus on the work itself - having long term ATAR goals is all well and good, but they often fail to motivate people in the day to day process of studying.

I know it seems like I am talking shit, but I actually used this strategy and I found it to be highly effective.

I know I post this up a lot, but I really think that procrastination has more to do with how you manage your work as opposed to stuff like goals and aspirations etc. The latter is usually what gets you to sit down at the table to study, the former is what keeps you there.

 

[countryboy97]

Here is a copy of a post I made a while back:



I know I post this up a lot, but I really think that procrastination has more to do with how you manage your work as opposed to stuff like goals and aspirations etc. The latter is usually what gets you to sit down at the table to study, the former is what keeps you there.

That is actually some very wise words mate. Thanks for the help guys