Procrastination

Procrastination, is a major part in some of our lives. It can hinder us from long projects like writing an essay or daily tasks like folding laundry. I certainly have an issue with procrastination as evident from the time stamp of this post. As Jane B. Burka, PhD and Lenora M. Yuen, PhD put it, procrastination is, "to postpone, putting off, defer, prolong. Forward it tomorrow, otherwise known has "I'll do it later" (5). People who procrastinate fit into two categories:

1. It's a problem and it hinders me from completing task/projects i want to get done. An example of someone who is like this could be a lawyer who was disbarred becasue she missed too many court deadlines or a man whose wife left him becasue she got fed up with his procrastination at work interfering with family activities. They procrastinate until they have no time to save themselves.
2. It's not a problem and i don't suffer from my procrastination. Someone who denies or doesn't believe that he/she procrastinated fits in this category. They may consistently underestimating how much time they need to complete a project. They may use distraction of social activities to procrastinate. They are about postponing now and being successful later. They don't suffer because they are enjoying the distractions. 

The difference between these two categories is that category two doesn't wait  until there's no time to complete the task/project. That is also why people who fit into category two don't suffer from their procrastination.

Some people don't realize or won't accept that they procrastinate. Then next you have a project and these thoughts run through your head, you're probably a procrastinator.

The Cycle of Procrastination

1. "I'll start early this time"
2. "Ive got to start soon"
3. "What if i don't start"
4. "There's still time"
5. "There's something wrong with me"
6. "The Final Choice: To Do or Not to Do"

 Cycle list pages (9-12)

Every time a project comes up for school, i find some of these thoughts going through my head. I realize I'm a procrastinator, not what do i do about it. I have to find out why i procrastinate. To find the root of the problem Jane B. Burka, PhD and Lenora M. Yuen, PhD say you have to think of the first time you remember procrastinating. "Perhaps procrastination gave you some special protection ins the classroom. Your teacher could say, 'I wish you'd try harder,' but could never say, 'You just don't have what it takes,' because the teacher never saw what you had" (15-16). I don't remember, specifically, the first time I procrastinated, but i understand why I do. Personally, I'm afraid of not succeeding, the fear of failure, the fear of disappointment. If I succeed then the bar of success is raised higher. In a sense, I fear success as much as I fear failure. I have to read more into the book to learn how to stop procrastinating.
Do you procrastinate? Is it an issue for you? Why do you do it?