Procrastination is the act of unnecessarily delaying or postponing something despite

knowing that there could be negative consequences for doing so. It is a common human
experience involving delays in everyday chores or even putting off tasks such as
attending an appointment, submitting a job report or academic assignment, or broaching
a stressful issue with a partner. It is often perceived as a negative trait due to its
hindering effect on one's productivity, associated with depression, low self-esteem, guilt,
and feelings of inadequacy.[1] However, it can also be considered a wise response to
certain demands that could present risky or negative outcomes or require waiting for
new information to arrive.[2]

From a cultural and social perspective, students from both Western and non-Western
cultures are found to exhibit academic procrastination, but for different reasons.
Students from Western cultures tend to procrastinate in order to avoid doing worse than
they have done before or failing to learn as much as they should have, whereas
students from non-Western cultures tend to procrastinate in order to avoid looking
incompetent or demonstrating a lack of ability in front of their peers.[3] Different cultural
perspectives of time management can impact procrastination. For example, in cultures
that have a multi-active view of time, people tend to place a higher value on making
sure a job is done accurately before finishing. In cultures with a linear view of time,
people tend to designate a certain amount of time on a task and stop once the allotted
time has expired.[4]

A study of the behavioral patterns of pigeons through delayed gratification suggests that
procrastination is not unique to humans but can also be observed in some other
animals.[5] There are experiments finding clear evidence for "procrastination" among
pigeons, which show that pigeons tend to choose a complex but delayed task rather
than an easy but hurry-up one.[6]

Procrastination has been studied by philosophers, psychologists and, more recently,

Why do so many people procrastinate and how do you
overcome it?
For most people procrastination, irrespective of what they say, is NOT about being lazy. In fact,
when we procrastinate we often work intensely for long stretches just before our deadlines.
Working long and hard is the opposite of lazy, so that can't be the reason we do it. So, why do we
procrastinate and, more importantly, what can we do about it?
As suggested above, some say they procrastinate because they are lazy. Others claim they "do
better" when they procrastinate and "work best" under pressure. I encourage you to be critical
and reflective of these explanations. Virtually everyone who says this habitually procrastinates
and has not completed an important academic task in which they made a plan, implemented it,
had time to review, etc. before their deadline. So, in reality, they can't make a comparison about
the circumstances they work best under. If you pretty much always procrastinate, and never
really approach your tasks systematically, then you can't accurately say that you know you "do
better" under pressure. Still other people say they like the "rush" of leaving things to the end and
meeting a deadline. But they usually say this when they are NOT working under that deadline.
They say this works before or after cramming when they have forgotten the negative
consequences of procrastinating such as feelings of anxiety and stress, fatigue, and
disappointment from falling below their own standards and having to put their life on hold for
chunks of time. Not to mention, leaving things to the end dramatically increases the chances
something will go wrong - like getting sick or a computer problem - and you not being able to
pull off the desired grade. So, procrastination can be hard on us and actually increase our chances
of failing, but we do it anyway. How come?
Procrastination is not a matter, solely, of having poor time management skills, either, but rather
can be traced to underlying and more complex psychological reasons. These dynamics are often
made worse by schools where students are constantly being evaluated, and especially in college
where the pressure for grades is high and a lot can be riding on students' performance. In reality,
procrastination is often a self-protection strategy for students. For example, if you procrastinate,
then you always have the excuse of "not having enough" time in the event that you fail, so your
sense of your ability is never threatened. When there is so much pressure on getting a good grade
on, say, a paper, it's no wonder that students want to avoid it and so put off their work. For the
most part, our reasons for delaying and avoiding are rooted in fear and anxiety-about doing
poorly, of doing too well, of losing control, of looking stupid, of having one's sense of self or
self-concept challenged. We avoid doing work to avoid our abilities being judged. And, if we
happened to succeed, we feel that much "smarter." So, what can we do to overcome our
tendencies to procrastinate?
Awareness: The First Step
First, to overcome procrastination you need to have an understanding of the REASONS WHY
you procrastinate and the function procrastination serves in your life. You can't come up with an
effective solution if you don't really understand the root of the problem. As with most problems,
awareness and self-knowledge are the keys to figuring out how to stop procrastinating. For a lot
of people acquiring this insight about how procrastination protects them from feeling like they
are not able enough, and keeping it in mind when they are tempted to fall into familiar,
unproductive, procrastinating habits goes a long way to solving the problem. For instance, two
psychologists, Jane Burka and Lenora Yuen, who have helped many people overcome
procrastination, report in their article, "Mind Games Procrastinators Play" (Psychology Today,
January, 1982), that for many students "understanding the hidden roots of procrastination often
seems to weaken them" (p.33). Just knowing our true reasons for procrastinating makes it easier
to stop.

Time Management Techniques: One Piece of the Puzzle

To overcome procrastination time management techniques and tools are indispensable, but they
are not enough by themselves. And, not all methods of managing time are equally helpful in
dealing with procrastination. There are some time management techniques that are well suited to
overcoming procrastination and others that can make it worse. Those that reduce anxiety and fear
and emphasize the satisfaction and rewards of completing tasks work best. Those that arc
inflexible, emphasize the magnitude of tasks and increase anxiety can actually increase
procrastination and are thus counter-productive. For instance, making a huge list of "things to
do" or scheduling every minute of your day may INCREASE your stress and thus
procrastination. Instead, set reasonable goals (e.g. a manageable list of things to do), break big
tasks down, and give yourself flexibility and allot time to things you enjoy as rewards for work
completed.

Motivation: Finding Productive Reasons for Engaging in Tasks

To overcome procrastination it's critical that you stay motivated for PRODUCTIVE REASONS.
By productive reasons I mean reasons for learning and achieving that lead to positive,
productive, satisfying feelings and actions. These reasons are in contrast to engaging in a task out
of fear of failing, or not making your parents angry, or not looking stupid, or doing better than
other people to "show off." While these are all reasons - often very powerful ones - for doing
something, they are not productive since they evoke maladaptive, often negative feelings and
actions. For example, if you are concerned with not looking dumb you may not ask questions,
delve into new areas, try new methods, or take the risks necessary to learn new things and reach
new heights. A good way to put positive motives in motion is to set and focus on your goals.
Identify and write down your own personal reasons for enrolling in a course and monitor your
progress toward your goals using a goal-setting chart. Remember to focus on your reasons and
your goals. Other people's goals for you are not goals at all, but obligations.

Staying Motivated: Be Active to be Engaged

Another key to overcoming procrastination is to stay actively engaged in your classes. If you are
passive in class you're probably not "getting into" the course and its topics, and that weakens
your motivation. What's more, if you are passive you are probably not making as much sense out
of the course and course materials as you could. Nonsense and confusion are not engaging; in
fact, they are boring and frustrating. We don't often want to do things that are boring or
frustrating. Prevent that by aiming to really understand course material, not memorize it or just
"get through it." Instead, try (1) seeking out what is interesting and relevant to you in the course
materials, (2) setting your own purpose for every reading and class session, and (3) asking
yourself (and others) questions about what you are learning.

Summary of Tips for Overcoming Procrastination

Awareness – Reflect on the reasons why you procrastinate, your habits and thoughts that lead to
procrastinating.
Assess – What feelings lead to procrastinating, and how does it make you feel? Are these
positive, productive feelings: do you want to change them?
Outlook – Alter your perspective. Looking at a big task in terms of smaller pieces makes it less
intimidating. Look for what's appealing about, or what you want to get out of an assignment
beyond just the grade.
Commit – If you feel stuck, start simply by committing to complete a small task, any task, and
write it down. Finish it and reward yourself. Write down on your schedule or "to do" list only
what you can completely commit to, and if you write it down, follow through no matter what. By
doing so you will slowly rebuild trust in yourself that you will really do what you say you will,
which so many procrastinators have lost.
Surroundings – When doing school work, choose wisely where and with whom you are
working. Repeatedly placing yourself in situations where you don't get much done - such as
"studying" in your bed, at a cafe or with friends - can actually be a kind of procrastination, a
method of avoiding work.
Goals – Focus on what you want to do, not what you want to avoid. Think about the productive
reasons for doing a task by setting positive, concrete, meaningful learning and achievement goals
for yourself.
Be Realistic – Achieving goals and changing habits takes time and effort; don't sabotage
yourself by having unrealistic expectations that you cannot meet.
Self-talk – Notice how you are thinking, and talking to yourself. Talk to yourself in ways that
remind you of your goals and replace old, counter-productive habits of self-talk. Instead of
saying, "I wish I hadn't... " say, "I will ..."
Un-schedule – If you feel stuck, you probably won't use a schedule that is a constant reminder of
all that you have to do and is all work and no play. So, make a largely unstructured, flexible
schedule in which you slot in only what is necessary. Keep track of any time you spend working
toward your goals and reward yourself for it. This can reduce feelings of being overwhelmed and
increase satisfaction in what you get done. For more see the book Procrastination by Yuen and
Burka.
Swiss Cheese It – Breaking down big tasks into little ones is a good approach. A variation on
this is devoting short chunks of time to a big task and doing as much as you can in that time with
few expectations about what you will get done. For example, try spending about ten minutes just
jotting down ideas that come to mind on the topic of a paper, or skimming over a long reading to
get just the main ideas. After doing this several times on a big task, you will have made some
progress on it, you'll have some momentum, you'll have less work to do to complete the task, and
it won't seem so huge because you've punched holes in it (like Swiss cheese). In short, it'll be
easier to complete the task because you've gotten started and removed some of the obstacles to
finishing.

You're right! It's helpful to think about possible answers to our research questions.
Here are some potential answers to the questions we discussed, keeping in mind that
these are just possibilities and we'll need to gather data to see what the real answers
are:
General Questions:

- To what extent does procrastination affect the academic performance of Grade

10 students at BSHS?

- Possible Answer: Procrastination has a significant negative impact on academic

performance, with students who procrastinate more frequently demonstrating lower
grades and engagement.

- What are the specific ways in which procrastination impacts the academic
performance of Grade 10 students at BSHS?

- Possible Answer: Procrastination leads to rushed work, missed deadlines,

incomplete assignments, and a decline in overall academic engagement.

- Are there any specific subjects or types of academic tasks that Grade 10
students at BSHS are more likely to procrastinate on?

- Possible Answer: Students might be more likely to procrastinate on subjects they

find difficult or unenjoyable, or on tasks that require a lot of effort or research.

Questions About Specific Variables:

- Is there a correlation between the frequency of procrastination and student

grades?

- Possible Answer: Yes, there is a strong negative correlation. Students who

procrastinate more often tend to have lower grades.

- Do students who frequently miss deadlines tend to have lower academic

performance?

- Possible Answer: Yes, students who consistently miss deadlines have significantly
lower grades and overall academic performance.

- Does the type of procrastination (e.g., putting off specific tasks versus general
procrastination) have a different impact on academic performance?
- Possible Answer: Yes, putting off specific tasks might lead to isolated issues in
specific subjects, while general procrastination might have a more widespread negative
impact on overall grades.

- Is there a relationship between attendance and the level of procrastination

among students?

- Possible Answer: Students who procrastinate more might be more likely to miss
class due to feeling overwhelmed or lacking motivation.

- Do students who procrastinate less tend to demonstrate higher levels of

engagement in class?

- Possible Answer: Yes, students who manage their time effectively and avoid
procrastination are more likely to be engaged and participate actively in class.

Questions Exploring Potential Causes:

- What factors contribute to procrastination among Grade 10 students at BSHS?

- Possible Answer: Factors like stress, anxiety, pressure to succeed, lack of time
management skills, and difficulties with specific subjects could contribute to
procrastination.

- Are there any specific academic or social pressures that contribute to

procrastination in this population?

- Possible Answer: The pressure to maintain high grades, the desire to balance
academic work with extracurricular activities, or social pressures related to social media
and peer groups could contribute to procrastination.

- Do students who report higher levels of stress or anxiety also tend to

procrastinate more?

- Possible Answer: Yes, students who experience high levels of stress or anxiety might
be more prone to procrastination as a coping mechanism.

- Are there any specific time management skills or organizational strategies that
could help students overcome procrastination?
- Possible Answer: Teaching students effective time management strategies, like
breaking down large tasks into smaller steps, using calendars and reminders, and
prioritizing tasks could help reduce procrastination.

Questions Related to Intervention:

- What types of interventions or strategies could be implemented to address

procrastination and improve academic performance in Grade 10 students at
BSHS?

- Possible Answer: Interventions might include workshops on time management and

study skills, individual counseling to address stress and anxiety, or peer support groups
to encourage accountability and motivation.

- Would providing students with time management workshops or academic

support programs be effective in reducing procrastination?

- Possible Answer: Yes, these interventions could be effective in providing students

with the skills and resources they need to manage their time, reduce procrastination,
and improve their academic performance.