Today’s Activities
Engage
Have you heard these quotes? “Never put off till tomorrow what may be done the day after tomorrow just as well.”
- “Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” …
- “You can’t just turn on creativity like a faucet. …
- “You may delay, but time will not.” …
- “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone”
Let’s watch this and learn more about procrastination:
Are you a procrastinator? Do this Survey and find out:
Explore
Can Procrastination Be a Good Thing?
Are you a procrastinator? If so, write about the last time you procrastinated on a school assignment, a chore , or another task. Why did you procrastinate? Did you complete the task? If it had a deadline, did you complete it on time? How did you feel?
If you are not a regular procrastinator, what is it about having a task to do that prompts you to complete it right away? How do you feel when you have an unfinished assignment?
Chronic procrastination is when someone constantly puts off completing tasks. One in five people is thought to fall into this category. Many psychologists suggest that chronic procrastination can lead to unhealthy levels of stress and feelings of constant shame. While few experts disagree that procrastination can lead to stress, many have recently suggested that this stress is not a bad thing. Some people need to experience that stress in order to prompt them into action.
Write:
Whether you are task-driven or deadline-driven. How does your school work fit into your daily schedule? Write about when you feel you are best able to complete assignments or other tasks–right away or right before it needs to be done? Does the added stress help you get their work done and/or do you think it negatively affects your health?
Explain
Why do we procrastinate and is procrastination always bad?
There is a biological reason as to why we procrastinate: the prefrontal cortex and limbic system of our brain. The former is responsible for planning and decision making, while the latter contains the brain’s pleasure center. The limbic system is more developed than the prefrontal cortex, so it often wins when we are faced with an unpleasant task, making humans naturally inclined to procrastinate.
Procrastination is often looked at negatively–as a bad habit. However, new research suggests that some people need to procrastinate in order to get things done. Distractions provide the mind a break during which we can creatively think through problems. Some psychologists even believe that some people do their best work when they procrastinate.
Check this web site out Why Procrastinators Procrastinate
Elaborate
But now compare the above links with this one: How to Stop Procrastinating, the 17 ways to take more action effortlessly!
Now, develop a plan, write down steps for completing schoolwork based on your determination. Would you make a list to check off items? Would you break down assignments into smaller pieces? Would you create deadlines for themselves or have a reward system? r
- What have you learned about procrastination? Do you think it is beneficial or does it affect you negatively?
- What will you tell someone the next time they tell you procrastination is bad?
Extend
Here are some fun things to keep you motivated.
- Watch this funny guy at Tim Urban: Inside the mind of a master procrastinator | TED Talk
- 80 Procrastination Quotes to Get You Focused
Create your own quotes involving procrastination and productivity.
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