12
Lifestyles
PR
October 2O21
CRASTINAT
ON:
The ultimate form of self-sabotage
Article by Sarah Zehnder Graphic by Sarah Lin
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Summer break is two and a half months crastination by completing different, although decision-making. long. Summer assignments, although they productive tasks. 9.3% of 216 upper schoolers “At the core of it, everybody procrastinates require work and diligence, are very achiev- reported that they complete productive tasks, for different reasons and if you can identify able to complete in that time frame. However, like cleaning their room or running errands, why you procrastinate, you can solve your prostudents still find themselves putting off the while they are procrastinating on school work. crastination problem,” Walker said. impending assignments as the new school While 22.2% say they procrastinate by purAn important differentiation to make is that year grows closer. Many students wait until suing a hobby like reading or art. there is a difference between occasionally proright before school to do their assignments. Whichever way procrastination presents it- crastinating and being a procrastinator. But why? Why not finish the assignments at self, researchers agree that the majority of pro“It really has nothing to do with time-manthe beginning of summer and have the rest of crastinators do so as a form of self-sabotage. If agement,” Ferrari said. “As I tell people, to tell summer to relax and not think about school a student wastes their time procrastinating and the chronic procrastinator to just do it would work? The answer is procrastination. the assignment grade or comprehension of the be like saying to a clinically depressed person, Especially at Trinity, assignments can pile material is poor, they have an excuse. The stu- cheer up.” up quickly, and brushing aside or putting off dents can claim that they ran out of time and On the surface, the practice of procrastinawork can be damaging considering Trinity’s that they are actually capable of much more. tion and time management is something that academic vigor. “The chronic procrastinator, the person who can be taught and be approved upon. How“A lot of them are over-scheduled, over- does this as a lifestyle, would rather have other ever, procrastination can also be a symptom booked, they are not getting home until late, people think that they lack effort than lacking of larger emotional issues and may require a they are exhausted, and it creates this apathetic ability,” Joseph Ferrari, a professor of psychol- deeper-dive to solve other problems. approach because you are tired,” Fine Arts and ogy at Depaul University said in an article by Chronic procrastination has been linked Psychology teacher Donna Walker said. the Association for Psychological Science. “It’s to conditions such as depression, ADHD(AtIn a 2000 study by Pychyl, Lee, Thibodeau a maladaptive lifestyle.” tention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), OCD( and Blunt, students reported that they “spend Other perspectives claim that procrastina- Obsessive compulsive disorder), and others. In about one-third of their daily activities pro- tion is due to the mismanagement of emo- a depressed state, it can be challenging to be crastinating.” Typical activities, and those re- tions. Working on a stressful assignment productive, and putting off tasks is common. ported in the study, included going on social yields an emotional response which could take Those who suffer from depression might feel media, watching TV, napping. the form of sadness, anger, anxiety etc. These like they are frozen or unable to complete necTrinity students share a similar statistic. In emotions can cloud practical judgment and essary tasks. a poll of 216 upper schoolers, 63.4% reportFor students with underlying or undiaged that they go on social media or watch TV nosed learning disabilities, a majority of the while procrastinating. time, Walker says, it is difficult for teachers to Reasons for and types of procrastination can identify actual issues with the students’ study take many forms. behaviors. “Some people procrastinate because they “To a teacher, the end result is the same: have magical thinking that the task will just did not complete the assignment, or it’s clear eventually go away,” Walker said. that it was done in a hurry.” Although this fantasized reWalker said. “Did the student T ality is an adequate, temporary put in enough effort? Or is this TES D N 3 E distraction, it is exactly that: because they actually struggle PRE IO 2 SSIO ESS 0 1 3 T R ir N temporary. The workload bewith staying focused or on task e 2 P d? TEST 1 3 DE d? 0 Sad 0 2 ? 1 e comes heavier and heavier as and eventually completing the r 2 1 Ti 3 3 0 Dist 0 ? 2 ract 1 ? Sad deadlines get closer. Although assignment.” e 1 d 2 d? 3 cte 3 0 0 Deta tra 2 1 ched Dis 1 d? 2 this is not a productive use Although it can be difficult, e ? h 3 0 Loss 0 tac 1 De ape of 2 f o � of anyone’s time, this kind of learning to overcome procrasti3 te? s 0 Los �te? 1 e 2 ap procrastination is extremely nation is a crucial skill for suc3 common. cess in school and in life. On the other hand, many find themselves masking their pro2
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