Procrastination (exercise)

Exercise: Procrastination

Procrastination is a behavior habit where assignments are put on hold. Procrastination is the avoidance of doing a task that needs to be accomplished. In this exercise, the facilitator introduces the concept of procrastination and encourages discussion about why we procrastinate and how to avoid procrastination.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the exercise participants will:

Understand the concept of procrastination
Have learned that they can be in control of their lives and can eliminate procrastination
Have learned that mistakes are a “fact of life” and can be an eye- opener for success.

About the exercise

Procrastination can lead to feelings of guilt, inadequacy, depression and self-doubt. Procrastination has a high potential for painful consequences. It interferes with the academic and personal success of individuals and those who procrastinate often lack a positive self-image. Lack of self – discipline is the largest predictor of procrastination. It is a challenge to overcome procrastination and it takes both courage and resilience. The reason why resilience is necessary to avoid procrastination is because resilience is the ability to cope with difficulties and to bounce back from worries and pain.

Instructions

Step 1

The facilitator introduces the topic of the day: Procrastination. He/she begins the discussion by asking if participants are familiar with this concept. Then he/she explains by saying: “Procrastination is a behavior habit where assignments are put on hold. Procrastination is the avoidance of doing a task that needs to be accomplished. This can lead to feelings of guilt, inadequacy, depression and self-doubt. Procrastination has a high potential for painful consequences.” The facilitator discusses the difference between procrastination and overloads of work, perfectionism and making mistakes. Procrastination is a complex problem affecting many perfectionists. The fear of not being perfect can cause overwhelming feelings leading to profound procrastination. Putting off tasks until the absolute last second is a painful avoidance tactic employed by perfectionists. The facilitator reminds group members that making mistakes is a part of living. Failure can be the source of much personal growth.

Step 2

The following handouts are given to the participants: Why do Students Procrastinate? and How to Overcome Procrastination (the content of the handouts can be adjusted to the context of the workplace) and the facilitator goes over the points and encourages discussion by asking them questions such as: “Have you experienced poor time management? Do you know a person who is anxious? Do you sometimes get anxious?” There are some ways to overcome procrastination explained on the second handout, How to Overcome Procrastination. The facilitator asks participants first to discuss one of these ways and then to set goals in pairs and afterwards discuss in the whole group. It is important to discuss goals and ask them to set one goal for the near future. The facilitator can ask participants to find some more points that can be useful.

Hand-out: Procrastination

Step 3

The facilitator asks participants to tell other group members the goal they set for the nearest future. Then the facilitator summarizes and ends the session.

Tips

If working with a small group, it is good to sit in a circle because that can enhance interaction and discussion.

Teaching Methods

Group work: Introduction from the facilitator and group discussion

Preparation

The facilitator prepares by reading the summary, learning outcomes and the steps and prepares the material.

Preparation time: 30 min

Sources / Contributors: Birgisdóttir, B., Jónsdóttir, S.H., &Sigurðardóttir, A. (2004). WATCH Handbook for Facilitators when Assisting Learners in Groups. Reykjavík: Svansprent Listahaskoli Islands.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. www.resilience-project.eu