Advice on how to beat procrastination.

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Hi guys!

I can't help it...I procrastinate all the time. This is something that has been happening to me since I was a kid. I remember I would study for the test 2, or just a day before it happened. It's like there is something inside of me that won't allow me to study for anything.

Now I'm about to start my nursing Pre requisites and even though I've been advised to start learning the majority of the bones and other stuffs in advance, I just can't. I also know how important study is for nursing students....but for me procrastination is like a illness. I have no control over it.

I know this is a bad habit and no an illness, but I was wondering, It's there anyone out there having the same problem? Can any one give some advice or solution to beat procrastination?

Thanks for your answers..They'll be highly appreciated. :uhoh3:

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Procrastination is a classic sign of adult ADHD. I would suggest getting evaluated and possibly get good advice in response to your inquiries.

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Well you got me thinking...so I went to check about it.. and No, I don't think I have ADHD. The symptoms do not fit my profile at all. Thanks god :)

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I procrastinate. But not as much as I used to. I'm doing it right now! lol

I actually procrastinate because I learn better under pressure. I have found that when I have a close deadline, I learn better. If I have all the time in the world, it seems like I just don't learn as much. That's how I've always been.

What really gets me started on my assignments is caring about my GPA. I need to keep a high one if I want to ever be an NP, so that alone is my motivation.

I think if you find a goal or a reason why learning such and such is important, it will help you not procrastinate.

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Specializes in Infusion.

Procrastination isn't a problem if you actually do the work at some point before it's due. If you find that you have a test and a paper due on Monday and you haven't finished studying/writing by Sunday night, it will become a problem. As much as you can, try to do the reading and homework right after class. Maybe that means staying in the library or study area at school so you have few distractions. If you are writing a 15 page research paper, give yourself one-week goals to get certain part completed. Lots of students wait until the last few weeks of school to even come up with a topic for a paper or presentation. Don't let that be you.

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Get off of the computer and, more importantly, get off of the internet. These are my two biggest procrastination enablers.

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Get off of the computer and, more importantly, get off of the internet. These are my two biggest procrastination enablers.

I know this might sound weird, but when I start procrastinating, it is generally a sign of bad nutrition, dehydration, and lack of exercise. Maybe evaluating what types of food you eat on most days, how much fluid you consume daily, and how much movement you are doing each day. If you find that these things clearly need improvement, perhaps by taking the steps to change that, you may find improvement in the amount and intensity of the procrastination you experience; and you may find that you spend less time on the computer, too.

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Get off of the computer and, more importantly, get off of the internet. These are my two biggest procrastination enablers.

Word!

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Specializes in EMT-P.

I have some thoughts on this topic, but will get back to you later... :)

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Sorry, I don't have any advice for you, but I can completely relate. I get so mad at myself for being a procrastinator. I always think of the spongebob episode where he has to write a paper and he feels he must do all these other insignificant things first. That is exactly how I get.:lol2:

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I'm a horrible procrastinator. Last semester I was taking 5 classes and a lab and procrastinated the work on every one. (Got it all done on time) My sociology instructor (online class) gave us until the end of the semester to turn in all our exams/written assignments. NOOOO- you can't do that to me or I will wait until the last minute to do it. lol It worked out for me though as I made an A in his class. I also had a motion picture class that required lots and lots of papers on assigned movies. I'd usually start them around 7pm when they were due at midnight. Made 98s and 100s on all of them. I do word well under the pressure of a looming deadline!

I know that with these nursing classes the whole last minute thing isn't going to work. The next two semesters I'm going to work hard at changing my study habits. I know this is necessary for success.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I've been a major procrastinator all my life -- hence, my active participation here at allnurses.

I used to rationalize that I "work best under pressure" etc. -- and to some extent that is true - because when I'm not under pressure, I don't get much done. So, that's a self-fulfilling statement. Maybe I'd work best without pressure if I learned how to actually work when not under pressure.

As I have aged, I have explored some of the reasons for my procrastination. While they vary in different circumstances, by most significant reason is my fear of failure. I fear the struggle, the possibility of not succeeding, etc. and I put off facing that fear for as long as possible. Understanding my reasons have helped me to cope with the problem a little.

My main strategy (that got me through school and through projects at work) is to break a task up into smaller tasks and set deadlines for each one. For example, if I have to write a paper ... my first task may be to browse the literature to help me narrow down my topic. My second task (and my second deadline) may be to write a first draft of the literature review. My third task may be to jot down an outline of the paper and a few of the key points I want to make. etc. I set deadlines for each task to keep me on track and moving forward. Meeting all the little deadlines isn't such a big deal, and are not so scary as thinking of the big project as a while. By the time the deadline nears to submit the finished product, I have all my preliminary work done -- and done well -- and I just need to "finish it off" to submit it on time. Most of the work has been done in preparation for that last-minute push. So, the push doesn't have to be as big.

It's an old-fashioned strategy ... recommended by many experts ... but it works. I guess that's why experts recommend it so much.

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