Academic Procrastination – the concept is all-too-familiar among university students. At least 50% of uni students will delay starting or completing an assignment or important task to the point of discomfort. If you clicked on this post, chances are, you know what I’m talking about.
Consider this scenario: You have an assignment due and intend to start it, BUT instead of taking action on what is important to your goal, you avoid the task and waste time in less important activities or pleasure. Perhaps you’ve found yourself watching an online video of a sneezing panda baby an hour after you planned to start your assignment…you’re not alone!
The deadline for your assignment submission is now one hour closer and you notice an uncomfortable feeling in your stomach and a tightness in your chest. “I still haven’t started… I don’t know where to even start… I don’t have enough time to do a good job…I’m going to get a bad mark” might just be some of thoughts running through your head. Sound familiar? This scenario is typical of students caught in the midst of the procrastination cycle.
The procrastination cycle begins with some level of discomfort about starting (or finishing) a task. Two of the most common reasons for procrastination reported by university students are:
- fear of failure, and
- task aversiveness i.e. finding the task unenjoyable, boring or frustrating.
Experiencing discomfort is followed by an urge to regulate mood (or feel better). Our brains are hardwired to avoid discomfort, and procrastination activities (such as cleaning, socialising, daydreaming…the list goes on…and on!) are an effective way of temporarily relieving the discomfort. However, avoidance of the task ultimately results in increased feelings of pressure, anxiety and guilt. Whilst some procrastinators can apply strong motivation under time pressure to complete tasks, others are overcome with feelings of guilt and depression, resulting in them being more likely to fail to complete tasks.
- What does your procrastination cycle look like?
- What thoughts are going through your head when you approach or think about the task?
- What, if any, body sensations do you notice when you approach or think about the task?
- What activities do you do to procrastinate?
- What are the positive consequences of engaging in your procrastination activities?
- What are the negative consequences of engaging in your procrastination activities?
Psychologists view academic procrastination as a complex interplay of cognitive, behavioural and affective components. Put differently, academic procrastination is not simply “laziness” or “poor time management” or “poor study habits”, rather it is a combination of unhelpful thought processes, avoidance behaviour and psychological distress. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective in helping people break the procrastination cycle and reduce severe procrastination.
If you are struggling with procrastination please do not hesitate to give us a call at our Ultimo Psychology Clinic. We offer discounted rates to university students. Foresight Psychology Ultimo: 02 8380 8855 / info@foresightpsychology.com.
