Procrastination in Ploughshares: Turning a Deficit into an Asset

Procrastination isn’t always bad for essay writing. It is a tool and a process. Like a hammer that is meant to pound in nails but used wrong will flatten a finger, sometimes it gets twisted and rather than helping you, it’s hurting you. This article will, hopefully, help you identify some of why you procrastinate and improve your experiences with writing essays and meeting deadlines.

A little extra stress goes a long way and procrastination has its benefits. It can help you stay awake and even write faster. It can also provide an emotional lift when you finish because you feel like you conquered something (yes, we see you bragging on Tumblr and Twitter!)

For many people who have used procrastination for a little boost to their writing process, there is usually a point during their college years when it stops working. The demands are too high, the work hours too many, and procrastination shifts from being a helpful tool to being the thing that ruins your day, even week.

For a few people, procrastination contributed to the end of their educations or the collapse of their careers. Some people adjust and go on to do very others. Others people double down on the worst of the procrastination habit. You might be someone who has been trying to adjust, but you just can’t quite figure out how. This guide should help.

Step One:

Stop making Procrastinator who you are. It’s not your secret superhero identity. Divorce procrastination. It’s not the love of your life, it is a thing you do sometimes. This might mean that like an ex-, you have to put some effort into not being emotional about procrastination. When you finish at the last minute and start that whole “I should have”, shut it down with “I did; If I don’t like the results, I can do it different next time.”

Step Two:

Plan your procrastination. Procrastination can sometimes become your friend, even after the love is gone. You may not have to give it up entirely. Schedule your writing time with two or three breaks per hour, for a total of 10 to 20 minutes. For no more than two hours at a time. Instead of “wasting” time on Netflix, waste time with good sleep habits, taking time for good nutrition, and other habits that will make you more prepared to write your essay.

Step Three:

Accept that there are elements of procrastination that are working for you. What are they? Do you like the extra pressure? If so, move all your deadlines up and then pretend that they are the most serious and important things ever.

If you like the stress, learn to fake it a little bit and change it a little bit. This means that if you need to complete something 48 hours, tell yourself that you only have 24 (if you have 8 hours, pretend you have 6). Pretend so hard that you wonder if you should become a theater major. Do not change your deadline. If you miss the fake deadline, pretend your essay is late rather than change it. Changing the deadline can become a habit, too, and you won’t make the progress you need to make.

The fake deadline helps because if you’re a little late, you aren’t completely behind and you can you skip the part of the routine where you berate yourself (always skip this; take responsibility for your mistakes, not revenge on yourself for being human). With longer projects, a day won’t be enough. However, if you aren’t really good at faking it, a week is probably too long. You will have too much time to think about changing the deadline. Instead, go for three or four days.

Step Four:

If you are stuck and can’t get yourself to make the change for the better, ask yourself what happens when you finish your essay early or on time. Some people say that if they finish early, they still just obsess about their writing. Others are disappointed that they finished early, but their grades are not better.

If finishing early leads to you obsessing about the assignment, then make plans for yourself when you finish. Make a plan to dive into another piece of writing or to do something you love to do. Many people tell us that they procrastinate by doing things that they do not particularly like. Trade procrastination with things you don’t like for the reward of something you do like.

“I stopped procrastinating but the only thing that improved was my life”

When students complain that finishing early doesn’t improve their grades, we usually ask whether it improved their mood or their day. Most admit that yes, finishing earlier improved their lives. If your grades don’t get better, but your life does, that is more than enough.

Step five: Starting a new routine is often easier than sticking with a new routine. When you slip up, when things go imperfectly, accept it, and move on to coordinating the next goal or deadline.

Continue to think specifically about what you truly dislike or hate about finishing late. Remind yourself that it’s not worth it. Some people like to feel like their life is always CAP LOCKED. If that’s what you want then enjoy it. If you do it but don’t like it, then it’s back to the beginning. Ask yourself sincerely what you get out of doing something you don’t like?

Most importantly: do something. You don’t have to do everything now. Avoid the absolutes of DO IT ALL NOW and DO IT ALL LATER. Do something now. Not ready to start your paper? Cut up some fruit for snacks and make a sandwich for later, so that once you are working you will have snacks ready. You can also clean up your work area, so that it’s ready when you are. Collect the books and supplies you’ll need for the work or any other little thing. Then do another little thing until you are ready to start.

Don’t make your life worse just because you feel uncomfortable doing things in a new way. Choose a replacement thought for the anxious or uncomfortable thoughts. Try thinking, “I’ll be happier if I do it this way”, if you start thinking that you should wait until later to try something new. Choose a skill or quality that you possess, like the willingness to try new things.