How To Cope with Procrastination

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VIPFREAK

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This is nothing new to me but it seems lately I have been dong it a lot. So partly to help my self, I wanted to get other peoples opinions on how you avoid procrastination.

The thing is (at least for this semester) that I have been really struggling to come up with ideas for my class. The tricky part is that coming up with ideas is not time friendly, especially when you have mental and other blocks. With that said it's not all procrastination but it sure is easier to start doing it if there's little or no modivation and confidence.

What do you guys thing? What do you do to get around procrastination?

Thanks

Nick
 
Put it off. You can always deal with it later.
 
Fortunatelly, (because everyone of us is a rational and intelligent chap), there comes a time when you're confronted with your duties, so you step out of Procastination mode and start to do what you have to do.

Then, magically, everything (should) start to flow, even your ideas! What you have to do when you are in Hard Work Mode is remember WHAT things (spaces, music, food, even clothes) surround you when you finally come to terms with your obligations.

Then, try to reproduce those things when you feel you shouldn't procastinate more. For instance, I write articles for magazines, and I always listen to a kind of music when I start to work. It puts me in situation.
 
Hi, my name is Josh and I'm a chronic procrastinator.

Actually, the best thing to do is either start right away, and then 90% of the effort comes naturally. Either that, or keep in mind any reward that may come out of doing what you need to do.

I know that last line is childish, but it puts things in persepective; if the ends justify the means, then there's no reason to put things off. Of course, if there's no end towards what you're doing, you shouldn't have tried to do whatever you were intending to do. And if someone else delegated the matters onto you, because they were procrastinating, when just tell them that "An emergency on your part doesn't constitute an emergency on my part." In which you may lose your job, and thus, you'll have more time to do what you need to do, and there will be no more time for procrastination.

Sorta.
 
Been there, still doing that. I've always been a procrastinator, but about halfway through grad school in architecture, I really hit a wall for a combination of reasons. After being a star in the first couple semesters my situation changed and the school changed and I really found myself with a bad case of designer's block. Unfortunately it took me a whole year to begin to come out of it and I was just beginning to move again when I graduated.

Once work started it was not as bad, because the projects really come with so many built-in conditions and criteria that you have a lot to start with instead of a huge blank sheet of paper.

Nonetheless, that helps the block but it doesn't help the procrastination. HONESTLY, half the battle is just like quitting smoking cold turkey. Recognize the craving to waste another half hour watching TV or another 2 hours surfing GTP and make a conscious decision to turn it off and do something on your list.

Where I've made big strides is with doing little stuff I used to neglect forever. If I get a form to fill out or an appointment to schedule or something I need to order for the car or house, I do it right then instead of saying "yeah, that's easy, I'll get to it". I still need practice though - the coffee table has needed repair for more than a year!
:(
 
The problem with chronic procastinators like me is that you get so used to it that you tend to push it to the limit, and if you can "function" (in my case, my job and my relationship), it's like that you get a free ride!

Honestly, motivation and self awareness are the best weapons to combat procastination...
 
Incent yourself. If getting something done isn't in it of itself worth the effort, promise yourself a little something as a reward. If I need to do some yardwork, I'll tell myself I can eat a steak that night for all the energy I expend. If you can't come up with a reasonable pay-off for doing something, then it's probably not worth doing to begin with.


M
 
neon_duke
Been there, still doing that. I've always been a procrastinator, but about halfway through grad school in architecture, I really hit a wall for a combination of reasons. After being a star in the first couple semesters my situation changed and the school changed and I really found myself with a bad case of designer's block. Unfortunately it took me a whole year to begin to come out of it and I was just beginning to move again when I graduated.
Click to expand...

This could very well be my future. With 4 years left (counting this semester) I think its very possible I'll hit a wall.

Oh well, when the wall hits, I'll be on here twice as much.
 
Samelborp
Fortunatelly, (because everyone of us is a rational and intelligent chap), there comes a time when you're confronted with your duties, so you step out of Procastination mode and start to do what you have to do.

Then, magically, everything (should) start to flow, even your ideas! What you have to do when you are in Hard Work Mode is remember WHAT things (spaces, music, food, even clothes) surround you when you finally come to terms with your obligations.
Click to expand...

The scary part is this never happened... I saw hour after our go by untill I literally had a couple of hours left till school started. Last semster yes, it got to a point where I would just stop and do my work but for some reason it is definitly not the case.

Also, it's gotten to the point where this IS a serious problem and even though I wish I could joke about it like the first couple of posts this isn't the time. I'd really rather find solutions (for future use as well).

Samelborp
Then, try to reproduce those things when you feel you shouldn't procastinate more. For instance, I write articles for magazines, and I always listen to a kind of music when I start to work. It puts me in situation.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think I've become immune to trying to put my self in stituations where I did get work done. Music used to but now EVERYTHING becomes more of a distraction.
 
///M-Spec
Incent yourself. If getting something done isn't in it of itself worth the effort, promise yourself a little something as a reward. If I need to do some yardwork, I'll tell myself I can eat a steak that night for all the energy I expend. If you can't come up with a reasonable pay-off for doing something, then it's probably not worth doing to begin with.


M
Click to expand...

That's behavior psychology in it's essence. And it works very well.

When I'm in a period of massive studying (as now), every session is finished with some kind of small reward. Renting a new movie, going out for dinner, buying the latest automagazine or whatever. The size of the reward is not that important but the reward itself is, and the fact that you think of it as a reward.
 

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