Best Advice for Bad Procrastination??

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 17, 2009

What finally broke me of the habit of procrastinating was a very bad grade that I received on an assignment that I put off until the last minute and then some: I didn't have it done in time, pleaded for an extension (I think I blamed it on a computer virus--it was 15 years ago so they bought the excuse back then), then procrastinated on the extension! To add insult to injury, the kicker was that all the stress I from doing that, coupled with living on No-Doz while I was actually doing the work, made me sick for the entire winter break.

I tend to learn lessons best the hard way :) Since then, I made an effort not to put things off. Even if I do a little bit every day (or every other day or q3 days...), at least as the deadlines get closer I don't have as much to do, and I have less stress doing it.

MrazFan · Feb 17, 2009

I'm not really a procrastinator, probably the exact opposite. The only advice I can give you regarding procrastinating is to stop it. Stop it now. It will catch up to you eventually, and it will not be a pretty thing when it does. You've worked hard to get this far in NS, and you don't want to throw that away, right? Is there a specific reason or thing that makes you want to put things off? Do you put off everything, or just things you don't enjoy doing? Things you aren't comfortable doing? Maybe if you pinpoint WHY you are procrastinating, and deal with that issue, your procrastination will become a non-issue.

Good luck!

cebe385RN · Feb 17, 2009

.....

allnurses Guide · Feb 17, 2009

I am a lifelong procrastinator with things I don't want to do. What I find most helpful is as above, to literally break it up into manageable chunks. Once you get started on something (esp like a paper), it's much easier to continue. I have to have no distractions, get everything I need, and just glue my butt to the seat for the time I've agreed with myself.

On the other hand, I do better work under pressure. When I have tons of time and do stuff early, I just don't have the same motivation or inspiration.

poppalina · Feb 17, 2009

OK so I have the same problem. I work great under pressure and all the nurses I work with tell me to go into critical care. But anyway,find someone that is in your class to pair up with for studying I helps with deadlines and makes you do the senseless paper you will never apply in real life.

shorty3_31 · Feb 17, 2009

I feel like a part of Procrastinators Anonymous. :-) Ha. I think what finally broke me of the habit was getting such bad grades last semester that it scared me into being on time for assignments.

You have to find your niche. We are all hard-wired in different ways. Some people are so good at reading every chapter and watching every lecture and doing every assignment with a few days to spare it's scary. Others (like me) have the ability to get it done, but with a few hours instead of days left. The fact is that you won't ever escape that hard-wiring, but you can make good habits to counteract it.

The best thing I learned to do was to get away from distractions. Go someplace where the only thing you can do is study. Get out of the house if you have to, go to Starbucks, go to a library, even go to a park. Just make sure it keeps you focused on studying. Also, and there is no easy way to do this, force yourself to do it. It is like building up any other good habit. You have to stop procrastinating cold turkey. Look at it in the face and say, "You don't own me."

It's rough to get into the swing of studying well, but I've gotten so much better at it that sometimes I feel like I'm actually having fun. :eek: You will feel so much better about yourself after you've had a hard day of studying. You'll feel like a million bucks.

Good luck...

caliotter3 · Feb 17, 2009

Recently I did some decent study, not perfect, but decent, for a test and did well. It really made me feel good. I felt good coming to each question and having an idea what it was about and picking out the right answer. When I got that good grade I felt like my time and effort was worth it.

HyperSaurus, RN, BSN · Feb 17, 2009

I have always been a terrible procrastinator. I broke that habit when I recieved a 2.5 GPA for a year, making me ineligible for the nursing program.

I learned to do things right after class while it's still on my mind, but to also set aside 'play time'

do things I'd rather be doing.

Cilantrophobe · Feb 17, 2009

I am a reformed procrastinator! The best advice I can give you is force yourself to do your assignments at your first available opportunity. And pinpoint what is keeping you from doing your homework/studying, and force yourself to avoid those things. Procrastinators, as you know, will find any excuse not to do something. Even chores, and grocery shopping can take priority over homework! You have to get organized, and start taking up a good habit, at least once a month. For example, no TV all day for one day. Schedule a time for everything, and plan ahead.

Good luck, I know how you feel. Think good thoughts and tell yourself that you can do it. Attack your problems head on, as they come at you, before they pile up. Sometimes homework piling up is unavoidable, so you might want to try starting with the assignment that takes the longest amount of time. Experiment with it. Trust me, you will never go back to procrastination once you break the habit!

NursingIs4CoolPeople · Feb 18, 2009

Procrastination - Don't Do it.

trepinCT · Feb 18, 2009

take that bad habit and throw it out..no room for it in nursing school..a couple of close calls with papers and a couple of bad grades cured me of that!!!