How To Overcome Procrastination Essay

Contents

Managing Procrastination

S.M.A.R.T. Goal Setting

Managing a heavy workload

Managing Stress

Managing Perfectionism

Maintaining wellbeing and equanimity

Study Techniques

BibliographyManaging Procrastination

As identified in the structured interview, like many adolescents, Anna struggles with procrastination.

To overcome procrastination it is important to understand its impacts on work standards as well as health.

-Lack of time working means lack of knowledge

-Work completed with minimal time and effort leads to substandard work

-Leaving large tasks to the last minute results in increased stress

Strategies for Overcoming Procrastination

1. Identify Procrastination

Without recognising procrastination behaviours it is difficult

Examples of Perfectionist behaviour include the following:

Repeatedly checking work for mistakes

Avoiding “failure” by avoiding attempting tasks - Procrastination

Making over-elaborate to-do lists (e.g. when to wash hair, make bed…)

Overly thorough when completing small tasks

2. Set Realistic Standards

3. Make intentional mistakes.

This is an exposure technique used to improve tolerance and acceptance of imperfection. To be completed over a week long period, each day the participant must plan three intentional mistakes for the next day. These mistakes should not harm yourself or others and should only be recognised by the participant. Some examples of intentional mistakes could be:

-Wearing your watch on the opposite arm to usual.

-Writing in a different colour pen to usual.

-Wearing your socks inside out.

Each night the participant must rank the mistakes for the next day out of ten for perceived difficulty, and after their completion, rerank the mistakes for their practical difficulty. This exercise aims to challenge perfectionist behaviours and thoughts and feelings associated with