As stated in Chapter 4 of Thriving at Trident, in some cases, procrastination isn’t the result of poor time-management habits, but has deeper psychological roots. Procrastination can be used as a psychological strategy to protect one’s self-image and self-esteem. Some procrastinators engage in a strategy called self-handicapping—they intentionally (or unconsciously) “handicap” themselves by limiting the amount of time they have to prepare for and complete tasks. So, if their performance turns out to be less than spectacular, they can always conclude (or rationalize) that it was because they were performing under a handicap—lack of time.
Delayla has a major paper due at the end of the term. It’s now past midterm and she still hasn’t started to work on it. She keeps telling herself, “I should have started sooner,” but she continues to postpone her work and is becoming increasingly anxious and guilty. To relieve her growing anxiety and guilt, Delayla starts doing other tasks instead, such as cleaning her house and returning e-mails. This makes her feel a little better because these tasks keep her busy, take her mind off the term paper, and give her the feeling that at least she’s getting something accomplished. Time continues to pass; the deadline for the paper grows dangerously close. Delayla now finds herself in the position of having lots of work to do and little time in which to do it.
Adapted from Procrastination: Why You Do It, and What to Do About It (Burka & Yuen, 2008).
- What do you expect Delayla will do at this point? Why?
- What grade do you think she’ll end up receiving on her paper?
- Other than simply starting sooner, what else could Delayla (and other procrastinators like her) do to break the cycle of procrastination? Share your advice on fighting procrastination.
- When and where do YOU plan to complete your assignments?
- Have YOU blocked out a set time to complete your coursework? Why is this important?
Discussion Expectations:
First, review the GE Discussion Rubric before posting to maximize credit.
- A substantial initial post is at least 150 words.
