Ashley Edmonds

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

I Have to get This Done!...Tomorrow


Procrastinate -to defer action; delay: to procrastinate until an opportunity is lost. As students and adults we are all at some point guilty of procrastinating. I would like to bet that while leading up to this post everyone prepped about the same way. Think about it, after class knowing about the next assignment, at some point you said I need to do my homework and get it out of the way so I do not have to worry about it later. Then either two things happened: one- you sat down that night and got your work done; or two (of the more likely) – that night you thought about your work and then said “well I will just do it tomorrow”. Well most like, tomorrow turned into today and the deadlines creped up before you noticed.

I know this happens to me all the time. I convince myself that I will, get off work and do this, this, and this/ wake up early and accomplish everything, but who I am kidding it always happens the same; I DON’T. I usually find myself creeping around on Facebook, captured my some show on TV, or my all time favorite sleep. Now of course I know the way to not procrastinate is to simply NOT to procrastinate, but that is way easier said then done. How exactly do I motivate myself to not procrastinate?

First I would say do not be around distractions. Turn off that TV show and started the work before logging in to a social network. I know this is extremely difficult when today’s culture is desperate to know what is going on. (Who is dating who, who’s prego, oh no he/she didn’t social blah blah blah) However I like to take these unbearable urges and turn them into rewards. For example, after I am done with this post I will be rewarding myself with a quick look on Facebook, coffee, and a long needed cigarette.
So to make that possible sometimes I like to think like to think about the essay “Shitty First Drafts” by Anne Lamott. I find the quote, "It's not like you don't have a choice, because you do--you can either type or kill yourself", to be very helpful when I find myself not wanting to write.

6 comments:

  1. Ashley, I also find myself doing the same thing as you do. To me we all do, but some of us just know when to tune out the stuff that can distract. It sounds like you tuned out the stuff that distracts you because there are all a few people who have even does this post. So youy did not really procracinate this time.

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    1. Dakota, I did not procrastinate this post to where I missed the deadline, but I did however put off the assignment more then I would have liked. I sat down Saturday night and said I was going to write my post for this week, but of course I started watching TLC (which will one day be the death of me) and soon forgot all about my previous engagements. It is my goal to one day be well organized and be ahead/ on top of things (assignments), that I may be a better student and writer.

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  2. I am a MASTER procrastinator, to be perfectly honest. I don't even need a distraction in order to put something off. I'm a minimalist when it comes to work, however, that's not to be confused with a lack of quality. If I'm going to do it, then BY GOD, I'M GOING TO DO IT WELL. >.<

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    1. Josh, I wish I had your talent. A lot of times I find myself procrastinating until it is almost to late. Then, when I finally get my butt in gear and do what I needed I find myself rushing to meet the deadline. I do have to say that quite often this does jeopardize the quality of the assignment. Lately this issue has caused me to not succeed and I have to fix this!

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  3. I am guilty of procrastination also.I find myself doing everything else but what I suppose to be doing.If I got a free day, which happens every so often, I try to take advantage and put my assignments off intaed of getting them over and done with. Im getting better at doing my assignments and not procrastinating. Its still a BIG work in progress.

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    1. Melonie, I really know what you mean. My goal to not procrastinate is also still a very big work in progress, but I also find myself getting a little better everyday. I believe this probably has to do with age. As I get older and more experienced with college I have figured out my priorities. Maybe this is because as we grow up it finally comes to us that "hey I have to do this because no one else is going to do this for me", unlike when we were little having our parents to fall back on.

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