As much as I advise my friends on the ills of procrastination, I, too, fall victim to it. Even though I know I will regret the outcome of waiting until the very end, I do it later because I can. It all started in primary school when it took me little to no time to complete an assignment. It didn’t need much effort, so why bother? These assignments would require reading the assigned textbook to get the answer.
There were times when I would start earlier than expected, usually for a group project or when I had to use the library’s books. In moments when I had to use external resources, I would be more invested in starting and finishing on time, but when it was just me, I would drag it out until the very end.
The practice remained unflawed in secondary school and community college. Looking back, I can admit that the practice was somewhat flawed; I rushed through my submissions and didn’t achieve the results I wanted. However, I wasn’t fully invested in my work because I didn’t feel comfortable with the teaching structure.
I started my BSc programme in good standing, taking the time to thoughtfully complete the submissions for which I received A’s. I consistently handed in the assignments on time for the courses I enjoyed. However, I fell into the pattern of procrastination because I became cocky and bored, and developed the habit of doing the bare minimum. These were for my core courses; I always calculated the risk of handing it in close to the deadline, and if the risk were low, I would proceed. There were times when the plan backfired, and I submitted it late, but this happened closer to the end of my programme.
Now that I am completing my PhD, I often feel tempted to procrastinate until the very end. However, it is no longer feasible due to the considerable effort required to complete it. I reflected on the root causes so that I could either stop completely or find ways to stay on track with my deadlines without feeling extremely overwhelmed. The main reason I discovered was imposter syndrome; I don’t feel confident when it comes to explaining the theory. I slowly overcame this feeling by dedicating time daily to reading the literature. Before I incorporated this strategy, I waited until the last minute as I thought the panic of the deadline would outweigh the feeling of imposter syndrome. This strategy proved effective for small projects, but it also generated a significant amount of anxiety around finishing, which led to a creative block.
For larger projects, I use mantras to remind myself of my accomplishments. I would find myself repeating it hourly to keep going. My commitment to personal development will forever keep me outside my comfort zone, so I need to remind myself to keep going. I also found that working through the doubts helps; I focus on subtasks to not overwhelm myself. Finally, I realised that I work best when there is an accountability group. I often attend the writing retreats at my university.
I hope you are overcoming procrastination to become your best self. What are your strategies? You can leave them in the comments below.
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