Today begins National Procrastination Week, a time that encourages people to put off until tomorrow what they could easily do today — just in time for midterms week.

Evidence is on the web.

At procrastination.com there is simply a message that says “Work in progress. Coming soon!” followed by a happy face.

Procrastinators.com was similar. The pictures and links are all “back ordered” and will be “updated whenever.” The site was last updated January 1996.

One website where procrastinators can look for help is procrastinator.com — a site for people who just can not stop putting things off. There are links for last minute shopping, booking travel plans and a free reminder service for those who have trouble remembering important dates.

Procrastinators can also submit questions “for expert advice from the chief procrastinator.” The Chief, as he is referred to, looks like a kind, old grandfather, and a recent column addressed what to do if you put off buying a birthday present until it is too late. Basically, it calls for a lot of apologizing. Whether they mean to or not, procrastinators often have to apologize for their actions.

Procrastinators may have even bigger problems than apologizing to family and friends. According to a recent study by Fuschia Sirois and Timothy Pychyl of Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, procrastinators are more likely to get the flu, have digestive problems or use drugs and alcohol than students who get their work done on time.

This does not mean that all procrastinators are doomed to become drug dealers, but one bad habit can often lead to many more.

Some people think procrastination is a habit not worth celebrating. In fact, one organization at ISU actively works to put an end to procrastination permanently.

The University Center for Learning Assistance offers help to students to help them stay focused.

UCLA coordinator Bobbie Silk said the first step to beating procrastination is to determine why a person procrastinates.

“If it’s senioritis, they need to think about their long-term goals,” Silk said.

If students cannot figure out why they procrastinate, the UCLA tutors can show them tricks to uncover the cause.

“One of the tricks is to do an imaginary interview with the ‘editor’ in your head who is keeping you from getting your work done,” Silk said.

She added that many students picture this person as a former teacher who said they would never make it to college. Once they realize who or what is preventing them from succeeding, the students can move on.

Silk said students who say they procrastinate because they work better under pressure are just fooling themselves.

“Of course, it’s going to catch up with them,” Silk said. “When they do poorly, they use it as an excuse for doing a bad job.”

The UCLA sometimes gets students who need help with a 10-page paper that is due in three hours. When the student procrastinates that long, it is often too late to help them.

“The students are frustrated and they want immediate help,” Silk said. These types of situations are a reason why the UCLA tutors want students to get assistance at the first signs of trouble. Still, sometimes students need to get a bad grade to realize they should to stop procrastinating.

“If you blow a test, that was one test and you have to move on. At that point the student needs to take responsibility,” Silk added.

Not all “time wasters” like talking to friends, TV and video games are necessarily bad things.

“They want to feel competent at something and video games give an instant score,” Silk said.

She said students should feel good about their hobbies but also realize that to achieve their future goals they also need to do well in school.

The Vidette asked 100 random ISU students on campus, “What one thing makes you procrastinate more than anything else?”

TV (26)
Girlfriend/boyfriend (16)
Video games (10)
Works better under pressure  (10)
Sleeping (8)
Sports/exercising (8)
Too busy/not enough time (6)
E-mail/instant messenger (6)
Being with friends (5)
Cleaning (4)
Too lazy (1)

UCLA time management tips

1. Keep an appointment book.
2. Write a “to do” list everyday.
3. Break down tasks into 15 or 30 minute segments.
4. Get an early start on major projects.
5. Monitor or schedule your TV and computer time.
6. Control interruptions. Unplug the phone and close the door.
7. Learn to say no to others.
8. Delegate whenever possible.
9. Set goals and establish priorities.
10. Post signs and notes to remind yourself of your goals.

Article Tools