2. Procrastination
A College Student’s Worst
Enemy!!!

3. Procrastination is the thief of time.—
Edward Young (1683-1765)
Procrastination is roughly defined by dictionary.com as the act of
postponing or delaying an act needlessly.
Although all of us are affected by procrastination to some degree, this
behavior may be a habitual state for others.
Why, you ask is this the case? Well the simple answer to this is that
procrastinators are often rewarded with a decent or respectable grade
for work that was completed under tight time restraints and thus
their behavior is seemingly reinforced.

4. Reinforcement
Procrastination is a perpetual cycle of reinforcement, which is
what makes it difficult to recognize this behavior. Every time one
chooses to delay a required task, they are reinforcing their
negative attitude towards said task. In other words, every time
one fails to deal with a responsibility they are less than ecstatic
about doing, they:
3.Strengthen the habit of not doing
4.Practice avoidance instead of participation
5.Avoid acquiring training and skills
6.Indoctrinate themselves with fear
Procrastination (2007, ). Retrieved February 8, 2009, from
http://sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/procrastination.html

5. The art of writing is the art of
applying the seat of the pants to the
seat of the chair.—Mary Heaton
Vorse
Some Characteristics of the Procrastinator
 Low Self-Confidence
 I’m Too Busy Attitude
 Stubbornness
 Source of Control/Manipulation
 Pressure Coping Mechanism
 Plays the Role of Frustrated Victim

6. Common Excuses From
Procrastinators
 I’ll do it tomorrow
 I’ll do it tomorrow, if . . .
 I deserve a little fun first!
 I need a little time to relax and clear my
mind before I start.
 Maybe I am not on the right track in
school.
Procrastination (2007, ). Retrieved February 8, 2009, from http://sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/procrastination.html

7. Common Reasons Behind
Procrastination
 The task appears too difficult
 The task requires a lot of time
 Lack of knowledge or skill in the subject
 Fear

8. Common Rationalizations for
Procrastinating
 I work better under pressure.
 I need to get some more information before I can deal with this
assignment.
 I am not in the mood to deal with this right now.
 I waited until the last minute before and I did great!
 My family needs to come first and right now they need me.
 I had others things that needed my attention and this just seemed less
of a priority.
 If I work on this now, I will miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime
experience.
Procrastination (2007, ). Retrieved February 8, 2009, from http://sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/procrastination.html

9. Can One Ov rco e the Pre io s Pro
e m ir vu crastinating Ways???

10. Tips and Tricks To Help Avoid Procrastination:
Break the task up into small, more manageable parts.
Complete one of each of these smaller bits per session.
Let Peer Pressure Work For You, i.e. tell others your plan so that you feel obligated to
complete it.
Choose a Work Conducive Environment
Make a Plan Ahead of Time
Try the Five Minute Plan (Work for five minutes on a task and, after the five minutes are up, if
you don’t feel inspired, move on to something else. However, chances are you will be hooked
and want to keep working.
Don’t Expect Miracles; there will always be bumps in the road so just remember to stay
focused and remain flexible with your plans.
Procrastination (2007, ). Retrieved February 8, 2009, from http://sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/procrastination.html

11. Benefits to Overcoming
Procrastinating Habits
 Peace of Mind
 A feeling of Strength
 Healthy Feeling of Being in Charge of One’s self
 A feeling of Competency
 A feeling of Capability
 Decreased Stress and Anxiety

12. Other Helpful Websites
Try visiting these websites for other helpful
background information, insights, and tips
and tricks on how to avoid procrastination.
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/p
http://www.psychologytoday.com/rss/pto-2003