Problems with procrastination
Ask a Fifth Year
Drew Baumgartner
Issue date: 3/5/10 Section: Opinions & Editorials
Dear Drew,
After pulling three all-nighters in as many weeks, I'm starting to think my approach of putting everything off until the last minute isn't working, but I just can't motivate myself to do anything ahead of time. Any tips or tricks for getting work done in a timely manner?
-Procrastinating in Plantz
Your question is quite timely, Procrastinating, as I've been having similar troubles myself. While I generally like to think of myself as reasonably motivated, I've found myself wasting more time this term than at any other point in my college career. I'd written it off as a flare-up of senioritis, but your question has got me thinking about the nature of motivation, and I'm pretty sure both of our problems are goals that don't quite line up with our work.
Sure, seniors have the general goal of graduating, but most of us have more pressing issues: getting into grad school, writing a killer honors project or nailing that senior recital. The problem is that these are all largely over - grad school applications were due months ago, honors projects are moving into their final stages and most connies with brains got their recitals out of the way before spring term - so we feel accomplished rather than motivated.
Add to this the fact that mostseniors completed their major requirements ages ago and so are free to S/U creative writing classes and you've got the perfect recipe for thumb twiddling. While we only need to put forth the minimum effort at this point, the problem is that it's more than zero effort. Also, senior nights at the Viking Room are on Wednesdays - whose bright idea was that?
Freshmen, on the other hand, tend to struggle with motivation largely because their goals don't line up with required courses. Freshman studies? Writing skills are for suckers. Music theory? Don't waste my time with petty abstractions. Overcoming this tendency can be a long-term goal, but I think there are some quicker fixes that might save your sleep schedule.
After pulling three all-nighters in as many weeks, I'm starting to think my approach of putting everything off until the last minute isn't working, but I just can't motivate myself to do anything ahead of time. Any tips or tricks for getting work done in a timely manner?
-Procrastinating in Plantz
Your question is quite timely, Procrastinating, as I've been having similar troubles myself. While I generally like to think of myself as reasonably motivated, I've found myself wasting more time this term than at any other point in my college career. I'd written it off as a flare-up of senioritis, but your question has got me thinking about the nature of motivation, and I'm pretty sure both of our problems are goals that don't quite line up with our work.
Sure, seniors have the general goal of graduating, but most of us have more pressing issues: getting into grad school, writing a killer honors project or nailing that senior recital. The problem is that these are all largely over - grad school applications were due months ago, honors projects are moving into their final stages and most connies with brains got their recitals out of the way before spring term - so we feel accomplished rather than motivated.
Add to this the fact that mostseniors completed their major requirements ages ago and so are free to S/U creative writing classes and you've got the perfect recipe for thumb twiddling. While we only need to put forth the minimum effort at this point, the problem is that it's more than zero effort. Also, senior nights at the Viking Room are on Wednesdays - whose bright idea was that?
Freshmen, on the other hand, tend to struggle with motivation largely because their goals don't line up with required courses. Freshman studies? Writing skills are for suckers. Music theory? Don't waste my time with petty abstractions. Overcoming this tendency can be a long-term goal, but I think there are some quicker fixes that might save your sleep schedule.
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