Does anyone else suffer from long term procrastination? (1 Viewer)

[HazzRat]

Many a night I spend in my room with sole intention of doing one task but leave the room without a single word written or a single question answered. At the start of the term I decided I would keep up with all my subjects and write consistent study notes but I am yet to write any. And lots of subjects I have fallen behind. Same thing with homework. I had four questions on Animal Farm due yesterday for English but I was only to motivate myself to start them after 12:00 am. For homework due in a specific lesson, I usually get small talking to or am able to scurry something together as the teacher is checking.

This is a problem.

Thankfully I have been able to do well in tests and assignments in the past through a short burst of effort the night before however I am worried I won't be able to get the same results doing this in year 11.

So how can I fix this problem? If you know the author Tim Urban, I am like him in that I'm only able to get something done with the time pressure of it (Why Procrastinators Procrastinate - Tim Urban). I have noticed better results when I move all my technology out of the room and rely on pen and paper. Nevertheless, this is still an inefficient method for getting work done. How does everyone else on the forum motivate (or discipline) themselves to get work done and study?

 

[synthesisFR]

Many a night I spend in my room with sole intention of doing one task but leave the room without a single word written or a single question answered. At the start of the term I decided I would keep up with all my subjects and write consistent study notes but I am yet to write any. And lots of subjects I have fallen behind. Same thing with homework. I had four questions on Animal Farm due yesterday for English but I was only to motivate myself to start them after 12:00 am. For homework due in a specific lesson, I usually get small talking to or am able to scurry something together as the teacher is checking.

This is a problem.

Thankfully I have been able to do well in tests and assignments in the past through a short burst of effort the night before however I am worried I won't be able to get the same results doing this in year 11.

So how can I fix this problem? If you know the author Tim Urban, I am like him in that I'm only able to get something done with the time pressure of it (Why Procrastinators Procrastinate - Tim Urban). I have noticed better results when I move all my technology out of the room and rely on pen and paper. Nevertheless, this is still an inefficient method for getting work done. How does everyone else on the forum motivate (or discipline) themselves to get work done and study?

i would suggest go library after school preferably alone or with a friend who will actually study
iv'e also been thinking of doing this and most ppl say it works rlly well

 

[moonsuyoung]

You could always try to gaslight yourself into thinking an assignment is due a week before or get an English essay due by a week before to allow you to have time to check it with your teacher and edit it well! It might be helpful if you made a deal with your friends, such as whoever doesn't get their English essay done by a week before has to treat everybody to some ice cream.

 

[...xD]

Many a night I spend in my room with sole intention of doing one task but leave the room without a single word written or a single question answered. At the start of the term I decided I would keep up with all my subjects and write consistent study notes but I am yet to write any. And lots of subjects I have fallen behind. Same thing with homework. I had four questions on Animal Farm due yesterday for English but I was only to motivate myself to start them after 12:00 am. For homework due in a specific lesson, I usually get small talking to or am able to scurry something together as the teacher is checking.

This is a problem.

Thankfully I have been able to do well in tests and assignments in the past through a short burst of effort the night before however I am worried I won't be able to get the same results doing this in year 11.

So how can I fix this problem? If you know the author Tim Urban, I am like him in that I'm only able to get something done with the time pressure of it (Why Procrastinators Procrastinate - Tim Urban). I have noticed better results when I move all my technology out of the room and rely on pen and paper. Nevertheless, this is still an inefficient method for getting work done. How does everyone else on the forum motivate (or discipline) themselves to get work done and study?

Eliminate everything that could get you to not study. If you still dont feel like doing any work, just sit there and believe me the boredom will get to you.

Also, please don't open youtube, telling yourself that 'I'll get back to studying after this video/ after this page'. Once you start, most of the time you can't get out. I'm saying this to myself too lol

 

[HazzRat]

You could always try to gaslight yourself into thinking an assignment is due a week before or get an English essay due by a week before to allow you to have time to check it with your teacher and edit it well! It might be helpful if you made a deal with your friends, such as whoever doesn't get their English essay done by a week before has to treat everybody to some ice cream.

That is good. I like the idea of money as a motivating factor too as I have tried moving the deadlines back before however nothing gets done. It's not so good though when it's a charitable cause because then I'll be more likely to miss the deadline. If I was forced to donate $20 to Scientology if I didn't meet the deadline, it'd be much more motivating.

 

[HazzRat]

Eliminate everything that could get you to not study. If you still dont feel like doing any work, just sit there and believe me the boredom will get to you.

Also, please don't open youtube, telling yourself that 'I'll get back to studying after this video/ after this page'. Once you start, most of the time you can't get out. I'm saying this to myself too lol

Dopamine detox?

 

[moonsuyoung]

That is good. I like the idea of money as a motivating factor too as I have tried moving the deadlines back before however nothing gets done. It's not so good though when it's a charitable cause because then I'll be more likely to miss the deadline. If I was forced to donate $20 to Scientology if I didn't meet the deadline, it'd be much more motivating.

Hmmm, or maybe instead of icecream, may it be something else! I can't think of something on top of my head right now but something simple! You could also try a study group with your friends or listen to some white noise while you study. It helps me to concentrate.

 

[gamja]

Many a night I spend in my room with sole intention of doing one task but leave the room without a single word written or a single question answered. At the start of the term I decided I would keep up with all my subjects and write consistent study notes but I am yet to write any. And lots of subjects I have fallen behind. Same thing with homework. I had four questions on Animal Farm due yesterday for English but I was only to motivate myself to start them after 12:00 am. For homework due in a specific lesson, I usually get small talking to or am able to scurry something together as the teacher is checking.

This is a problem.

Thankfully I have been able to do well in tests and assignments in the past through a short burst of effort the night before however I am worried I won't be able to get the same results doing this in year 11.

So how can I fix this problem? If you know the author Tim Urban, I am like him in that I'm only able to get something done with the time pressure of it (Why Procrastinators Procrastinate - Tim Urban). I have noticed better results when I move all my technology out of the room and rely on pen and paper. Nevertheless, this is still an inefficient method for getting work done. How does everyone else on the forum motivate (or discipline) themselves to get work done and study?

I empathise with you completely, I had (and am still battling) terrible procrastination from the start of high school, and was especially a problem as I had extremely high goals and expectations for myself and my family.

I tried to limit computer procrastination with the carrot approach, with rewards and stuff - didn't work. My current stick method is locking down yt, insta, reddit etc through extensions and chrome registry edits. Do some research if you want to apply these!

Generally limit computer usage as well, although you are missing out on a lot of efficiency gains (these days every single y12 I see works with a laptop and iPad) pen and paper will help speed, handwriting etc, and think about it... how many net hours have you lost or saved when 'doing study' on your laptop?

library works well with other studying people, etc, etc, etc.



The main takeaway for me after several years of struggling with procrastination and after countless lost hours that made me regret every year is unfortunately there is no trick that helps get rid of that persistent monster that is myself. All those productive hacks and motivational videos online? Didn't help. Books are hard to replicate into action as well. And so on.

The main solution that I believe is honestly building discipline. Doing work and stopping yourself every time you are tempted to give in. This is excruciatingly hard in y12 because I have not been brought up a year or two ago practising being disciplined - by having me completely released to my own devices and letting myself learn how to control myself instead of being controlled by my computer limits or parental supervision. There's not enough time for that crap now.

So the best tip I have is setting visible reminders (post-it notes, etc) around your study space that remind you to be disciplined (doing the good things that you don't want to do). This isn't really a tip, because it relies on you actually putting in the effort, there are no shortcuts.

sorry for making you read so much.

Hmm. I definitely procrastinated again by writing this - My 4U exam is tomorrow. Gotta get back on task.

 

[Eagle Mum]

I suspect that when there’s something major, we subconsciously fear failing or doing it poorly, so we try to avoid doing it at all. If you’re going to procrastinate, try to do a smaller task first (as a procrastinating strategy), then complete more smaller tasks. The positive feeling of completing several small tasks may be sufficient to psyche you up to tackle the bigger task.

 

[fourteenninetwo]

Dopamine detox?

this is interesting - might try this but will require some research...

does anyone know anything about doing a dopamine detox during year 12???

 

[carrotsss]

this is interesting - might try this but will require some research...

does anyone know anything about doing a dopamine detox during year 12???

Idk if it’s a dopamine detox but I delete YouTube and have an extension to block recommendations on my laptop during the school term so I don’t get distracted, and I find it helps a lot

 

[hscgirl]

Idk if it’s a dopamine detox but I delete YouTube and have an extension to block recommendations on my laptop during the school term so I don’t get distracted, and I find it helps a lot

a google extension to block yt recommendations? omgg i need that fr, i didnt know that exists

 

[HazzRat]

I wrote this three days ago and I’m still procrastinating on my English. This time a new homework assignment. There is just something about that subject.

 

[raspberriesandpears]

ironic that i'm using this to procrastinate! i need to do my chem!
dopamine detox sounds interesting ... i sort of want to delete instagram but it's the only way my friends and i communicate! sucks up time though

 

[HazzRat]

ironic that i'm using this to procrastinate! i need to do my chem!
dopamine detox sounds interesting ... i sort of want to delete instagram but it's the only way my friends and i communicate! sucks up time though

My biggest time sucks have been Googling random shit, Reddit, and most recently the BOS. I really didn't need to make that atheist thread yesterday cause that wrote off half a day of study.

 

[hscgirl]

ironic that i'm using this to procrastinate! i need to do my chem!
dopamine detox sounds interesting ... i sort of want to delete instagram but it's the only way my friends and i communicate! sucks up time though

i deleted insta last year bc i was spending wayyyy too much unecessary time on it, and at first it was a bit weird but after a while u realise it was worth it and that insta is honestly like overrated (i text my friends on like imessages and whatnot instead and its the same thing tbh). ofc i'll redownload insta by the time i finish the hsc to stay in contact with all my friends when i move to uni, but rn deleting social media is a rlly smart decision to make

 

[carrotsss]

a google extension to block yt recommendations? omgg i need that fr, i didnt know that exists

“Unhook”, it’s really good because you can still look up videos when you need to, but you don’t get stuck in time wasting rabbitholes

 

[ZakaryJayNicholls]

Many a night I spend in my room with sole intention of doing one task but leave the room without a single word written or a single question answered. At the start of the term I decided I would keep up with all my subjects and write consistent study notes but I am yet to write any. And lots of subjects I have fallen behind. Same thing with homework. I had four questions on Animal Farm due yesterday for English but I was only to motivate myself to start them after 12:00 am. For homework due in a specific lesson, I usually get small talking to or am able to scurry something together as the teacher is checking.

This is a problem.

Thankfully I have been able to do well in tests and assignments in the past through a short burst of effort the night before however I am worried I won't be able to get the same results doing this in year 11.

So how can I fix this problem? If you know the author Tim Urban, I am like him in that I'm only able to get something done with the time pressure of it (Why Procrastinators Procrastinate - Tim Urban). I have noticed better results when I move all my technology out of the room and rely on pen and paper. Nevertheless, this is still an inefficient method for getting work done. How does everyone else on the forum motivate (or discipline) themselves to get work done and study?

HazzRat - I'm a MSc/MEd graduate student and academic instructor with 13 years-experience in the industry.
I'm here on boredofstudies writing comments as a form of procrastination for my own study.
I've always struggled with procrastination, and still do, I find that if I leave deadlines for work quite close then I become motivated to get stuff done at last minute (this has always worked for me).
I also find when I go and study at my local university library, I can actually get stuff done, but getting study done at home is a bit of a challenge.
You might want to try going to you local library for a bit, or if you have a university campus nearby see if you are allowed to use their library study space in public hours.
This really helps me.

 

[ZakaryJayNicholls]

What you studying

My MSc [which is almost finished 13/16 units including 2/2 masters' papers done] is in Astrophysics (specializing in theoretical astrophysics).
My MEd [which I am at the start of 2/16 units done] is in integrated STEM and Mathematics education.

 

[ZakaryJayNicholls]

oh cool, what jobs are you looking for with the degree?

So, I could work at an observatory but that would be a bit ehhh, but I'm an expert secondary/tertiary educator which is what I enjoy.