Procrastination

[nicko18]

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It's a disease. I get all the unfinished housework done, do the shopping, go to the gym, ring long lost friends, read the news, post on the internet etc etc the day or two before an exam i should be cramming hard for.

I cannot seem to sit still, or even sleep still, when a big exam is around the corner. I have no problems putting in a couple of hours on a regular joe blow night, I quite like it infact, but if i have to cram i cannot hit the medical books without tremendous willpower.

What is wrong with me? and whats the Rx?

 

[Here2healyou]

Hi NIcko!

I have the same problem at times. I think procrastination is a defense mechanism. Tests are really anxiety-provoking! Maybe your mind is trying to divert your attention from the stress-inducing thoughts of cramming. Ultimately, I find that no matter how fun or productive the activity is that I'm using as an escape during pracrastination, I still feel this heavy, burdensome feeling weighing me down, making the experience miserable. I would rather have the feeling of being challenged during prep for an exam, even the exhaustion, than have more anxiety during procrastination activities.

Meditation definitely helps - and there are different kinds. private message me for more info if you like. I find that if meditate a little time each day, and use visualization techniques to re-focus my attention I can actually sit down and study when i need to. Like for example imagine yourself sitting at your study table, feeling really calm and focused, tackling a couple lectures a day, and feeling positive about your progress. It's important to create a really vivid mental image of yourself doing this along with actually feeling happy and calm 🙂

It's also important to create time for yourself - I think if you're spending all of your time studying, and denying yourself simple comforts like lunch out with a friend or watching a movie every now and then you'll be more apt to associate studying with anxiety, discomfort, and self-neglect -- and you'll procrastinate more.

Hope this helps. 🙂 You can contact me if you want more info about meditation or just want to vent about procrastinating. 🙂

Namaste,
Lily

 

[rmorriso]

Here2healyoy has some great points. The biggest thing in battling procrastination for me is to break down studying/big projects into smaller chunks/projects to give myself a sense of progress. I'll say on some given day "ok, if I finish covering x amount of material I'll reward myself with a 6 pack and a couple episodes of scrubs." Its easier to get motivated to cover, say, 1-2 chapters of material at a time versus 12.

 

[AnthonyNY]

I'll reward myself with a 6 pack and a couple episodes of scrubs.

good de-stressing chillax reward 👍

 

[brewmeistervi]

It is really tough to focus on pretty much any goal when all you want to do is sit and read about how health care is going to the crapper, how the Chinese know all of our military secrets, and listen to the History Channel telling me that the world will end in 2012.