Sunday, September 15, 2013

Power of Procrastination


Procrastination undoubtedly gets the best of some of us, but is procrastination always bad?  Should you choose to complete this post for course credit, please do the following:

  • Read this article.
  • Summarize what you read.
  • What are some benefits of procrastination?
  • What does your textbook (chapter 4) have to say about the positive effects of procrastination?
  • For some of us, procrastination isn't a bad thing - but for many of us, it is.  What are some ways to beat procrastination and use time more effectively?  Please use both your textbook and personal experiences to complete this question.

35 comments:

  1. The article Can Procrastination Be a Good Thing discusses how procrastination is seen as a bad thing, but isn't necessarily so. Some people work better under the pressure of the time that procrastination gives. Whether the benefits look like they're your kind of thing or not, procrastination shouldn't be deemed as such an awful thing.
    The benefits of procrastination include putting off unpleasant tasks in favor of more enjoyable things, avoiding the possibility of failure-or-success, avoiding the anxiety felt about the task, and demands placed on you get lifted because you dragged your feet.
    Chapter 4 in the textbook says nothing about positive effects about procrastination. The textbook says that procrastination tends to have a negative effect on the quality of task performance. Time management is key. Elevated anxiety and increased health problems tend to be an effect of procrastination when it comes time to do the work.
    Some ways to use time more effectively are increasing efficiency, planning using a schedule, clarifying goals, and tackling one task at a time. These things can, altogether, help one manage time more efficiently. Some personal tips I have for time management are organization, so you know where to find things in a short amount of time for more productive time, as well as making use of my downtime as it comes to a minimum so I can get tasks done.

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  2. This article discusses procrastination and how, while usually negatively looked upon, can be a positive thing. Some people personally work better under pressure, and I have to agree with that. Procrastination shouldn't be looked down upon to the extent that it is because honestly some people do much better work while procrastinating than when they try to turn things in in a timely fashion.
    An avid procrastinator myself (usually), I can identify with the positive parts of procrastination. According to the article, a benefit includes putting off unpleasant or undesirable tasks to do more enjoyable things and putting off the anxiety. If someone works well in a time crunch, then it might be fine for them to procrastinate. If it causes the person high anxiety, it would be more beneficial for that person to finish before the deadline. It's all about how a person handles time management and stress.
    Some of my most productive time is the time when I am procrastinating--it allows me to tune everything out and really work hard to get an assignment done. All of the best papers I've written in college have been papers I've submitted last-minute because I don't have time to second-guess myself. It helps me manage my time more efficiently and focus on what I'm doing.

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    1. I see you didn't procrastinate this assignment :)

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  3. This article discusses the positive and negative effects of procrastination and the misconceptions of procrastination. Active and passive procrastinators are two different types of people when it comes to getting things done. Some people, such as active procrastinators, like to leave things until the last minute because they like the feeling they get when they are under pressure and tend to work better under pressure. Passive procrastinators worry about things until they get them done while active procrastinators do not.

    Some benefits of procrastination are that some people tend to work better under pressure. Another benefit is that you don't have to worry about that task until the last minute so you have more time to do the other things that you need or want to do. A benefit that I find about procrastinating for something such as an assignment that you'll be discussing in the next class period is that you will have the assignment more fresh in your brain and it will be easier to talk about.

    Some of the positive effects that the book discusses are that it can causes the person to focus all of their time into one subject rather than skipping around and working on multiple things. The book also says that by waiting to do something, the other people who have done the task will be able to give them feedback on their assignment. I think some ways to beat procrastination would be to set aside a time each day to work on just one or two assignments rather than being overwhelmed and not knowing what to work on during that time. By not being overwhelmed and plan out your time, it will be easier to get specific assignments done all at once rather than over a longer period of time or waiting until the last minute. I personally try to work ahead so that I finish assignments really far in advance so I don't have to worry about doing them when I have to focus on my other work.

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  4. This article discusses all sides and parts of procrastination. There are many misconceptions and effects from procrastination. The article also showed the positive and negative sides of procrastination. Also, types of procrastinators and types of procrastinators were discussed in this article.

    Most people would not think there would be a positive side to procrastination. One positive to procrastination is for people who work well under pressure. People who excel at working under pressure will do well with procrastination. Also, people that are used to procrastination will have it thoroughly figured out how to get everything done at the last second. In the text book it is stated that people that procrastinate their work will focus all of their thought and effort on that one task. Putting it off and getting everything else done will only leave that last thing to worry about. These are some of the positive sides of procrastination.

    For college students it is very common for them to procrastinate because of the large work load given them. I would like to consider myself a good and successful student; yet, I do procrastinate. Sometimes it is very difficult for me to find motivation to do an assignment for a class I do not enjoy or care about. Procrastination has still given me good grades. The book even states how procrastination can help people by getting them to focus on that single task. I very much am a part of this statistics. Procrastination is something everyone does. Time management is very important for adults and college students. Being about to balance family, friends, sports and academics is a lot of work; but is easy obtainable.

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  5. In the article “Can Procrastination Ever Be a Good Thing,” the author discusses why procrastination behaviors are so hard to change. Some of the reasons that people are reluctant to change their behavior are that by procrastinating tasks the person is able to put off doing something that he/she does not enjoy, and if he/she waits long enough someone else may just do the task for him/her. This article also discusses how there are two types of procrastinators: the active procrastinator and the passive procrastinator. The active procrastinator is one who puts off tasks until last minute because he/she works better under pressure, but does not get bogged down by the stress of working up until the last minute. A passive procrastinator is one who puts off tasks to avoid activities of no enjoyment to them. Passive procrastinators are the ones that get stressed out because they have put off tasks until the last minute and then for example they have an entire paper to write in five hours and do not feel like that is manageable.

    According to the article, some of the benefits of procrastinating are that you are able to put off unpleasant tasks and if you put off the tasks long enough, someone else may do the task for you. Another benefit listed in the article was that the “demands placed on the person may be lifted because the person drug his feet,” people are more likely to lessen the amount of work they assign to someone if the person is always the last one to finish his/her part. The final benefit of procrastinating is that people get to avoid the “possibility of failure-or-success” because if they do not complete the project there is no way that they could possibly fail.

    One positive benefit of procrastination that the book discusses is that procrastination does not allow for “busywork or boredom.” Because students are pressed for time when they procrastinate, they are going to focus solely on the current task and get less distracted by outside factors such as other homework or social media. The other benefit of procrastination that the book discusses is that students who procrastinate see the reward faster. Students who wait to complete assignments have less wait time to see their grades, and they are able to ask classmates for feedback on the assignments.

    The most important way to beat procrastination is to “plan your activities using a schedule.” Not only is this one of the suggestions in the book, it is also a way that I use to avoid procrastinating. I create a schedule of everything that is due that week on Monday and I focus on what tasks are due soonest, and which I have a few days still to complete. Another way to avoid procrastination is to “tackle one task at a time.” It is difficult to complete any task if you are always bouncing from one assignment to another. The final way to avoid procrastination is to “make use of your downtime.” Everybody had downtime when they are waiting for their supper to cook or waiting for an appointment, instead of just sitting staring off into space, make use of the time, and finish simple tasks. I use this method frequently when I am at work. After all of the individuals I support are in bed, I usually have an hour or two until I am off, I make use of that time by reading assigned readings for the week.

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  6. This article discussed how procrastination can be both positive and negative. There are two different forms of procrastination, active and passive. Active procrastination is when people leave things till the last minute because they work well under pressure. A passive procrastinator, however, puts off work because they want to avoid an activity. They are usually the ones who will become stressed at that last minute. There are some benefits to procrastinating. One obvious benefit is having someone do it for you because you waited too long. Also people who do not complete a goal won’t have that sense of failure…because they never did it! The book says that with procreation, you spend less time on one subject rather than working on multiple projects. This is because when students are on a time crunch, they don’t have time to spend on social media. Keeping track of all assignments, meetings and social events really helps with procrastination. This is because you will know exactly how much time you have for homework. By keeping track of assignments and meetings, you can decide if you really have time to attend a social event. Another great way to t6ackle procrastination is to stick to one task at a time. This helps because it’s less overwhelming.

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  7. The article talks about how procrastination can be both positive and negative. The positive side of procrastination is if you are an active procrastinator. The negative side of procrastination is if you are a passive procrastinator. A active procrastinator is someone who leave things until the last minute because they work well under pressure. A passive procrastinator is someone who leaves things until the last minute because they want to avoid doing something that they don't want to do.

    There are some benefits of procrastination. One benefit of procrastination is that you get to put off unpleasant tasks in favor of more enjoyable things. A second benefit of procrastination is that you get to avoid the discomfort of doing something you dread. A third benefit of procrastination is that you can avoid the anxiety you feel about the task.

    Chapter 4 in the book does not say many positive things about procrastination. The book explains that time management is key. If you use your time wisely then your tasks overall will turn out better.

    For me, procrastination is a bad thing. I hate it and I do everything that I can to avoid it. Some ways to beat procrastination and to use your time wisely is to do your tasks little by little at a time so that you don't get behind. This way you are being productive and you get things done, but at the same time you don't have to do all of your tasks all at once. The key to procrastination is to use your time wisely.

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    1. Yes, the book is anti-procrastination, but I like to provide a balanced view when possible. And as always, it's important to do what makes you comfortable and works for you. In your case, that's not procrastinating...I'm with you there!

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  8. This article talks about how procrastination can actually be a good thing while most people look at it as a horrible habit. It really depends on the person for procrastination to be a good thing, which is why it's not for everyone. Some people like to work under pressure and just put things off until they are almost due or before they run out of time to do them. Some benefits of procrastinating can be the adrenaline rush to get things done before a dead line, a problem can be solved before you even try to get it done, or someone can help you out and solve your problem for you while you were worrying about getting it done. Procrastination isn't for everyone because people often get anxiety and don't like the pressure of having to get things done right away because they waited too long. In the textbook it says a positive benefit of procrastination is the stress relieving moment when you finish a task right at the last minute. A person will feel like there is a bigger reward because of all the stress while trying to get something done at the last minute. The textbook says this is what most college students like about procrastination. Some ways to beat procrastination are simple things that can be done. You can monitor your time, use a schedule for your tasks that need to be done, and increase your efficiency. Whenever I feel like I am procrastinating too much, I use the schedule time for your tasks and increase efficiency options. I usually schedule time to do homework throughout the week to make sure I get assignments done on time but I leave extra time just in case I don't get things done or if I end up procrastinating a little bit. This works best for me because I know what I have to get done and I know what I need to make time for during the days.

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  9. This article talks about how procrastination can have positive and negative affects. There are two types of procrastinators, active and passive. Active procrastinators like put things off until the last minute because they like the feeling of being under pressure and work better. Passive procrastinators will worry about things until they get them done. Putting off the anxiety of doing things to do more enjoyable things is one benefit of procrastination. The textbook says that a benefit of procrastination is the relief you get from getting something done the last minute. To stop procrastination you can make a plan on when you can get everything done. Getting things done right away stops you from worrying about it and the risk of not getting it done.

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  10. This article states that some procrastinators do it on purpose because they enjoy the feeling of working under pressure or going against a challenge. They feel in charge of their time still and are less avoidant, have lower stress levels and higher self-efficacy than passive procrastinators. They are still putting things off to last minute, but active procrastinators do it for the adrenaline rush and the challenge of completing tasks on time. However, a passive procrastinator results in missed opportunities, damaged relationships, and constant stress, anxiety, and guilt. People normally think of procrastination as a negative habit, but there are many benefits hidden inside. Some include avoiding the discomfort of doing something you dread, avoiding anxiety, and someone may do it for you or help you. Procrastination is a hard habit to break but it is helpful to conduct a cost-benefit analysis. This will also help to see if your procrastination is working for you or against you.

    Some benefits of procrastination the article states are avoiding possibility of failure or success, putting off unpleasant tasks for more enjoyable things, and the problems may end up getting resolved without you. The text also explains the benefits of procrastination. Some of these include the desire to minimize time on a task, desire to optimize efficiency, and a close proximity to reward.

    Some ways to help beat procrastination is to monitor your use of time more efficiently. If you aren’t good at remembering what you have to do that day, write lists or a schedule and follow it. Making sure you clarify your goals helps you have a clear understanding of what needs to be done and how long it may take you to complete it. I have learned that checklists have helped me put off some procrastination because I love the feeling of crossing an item off of the list. It makes me more determined to get the project done, it is also nice to see it in writing as a reminder that it has to get done. Multitasking is a big trend nowadays, but it puts us at a bigger risk of procrastination because we are starting more than one activity at a time and then being in danger of not getting either one done. I also have a hard time using my downtime wisely. I usually watch movies or check social media in that time when I could be doing tasks that would be more productive and get me ahead in classes.

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  11. In this article, "Can Procrastination Ever Be a Good thing," it discusses the differences between a passive and active procrastinator. An active procrastinator likes to put off simple tasks for the adrenaline rush and control that they feel when they finally get the task completed at the last second. Passive procrastinators allow the deadlines to get the best of them while they are disturbed by the guilt, anxiety, and constant stress that procrastination allows there mindset to evolve to. While procrastination may be looked upon with a negative meaning, it has been found to have many positive benefits. It enables you to put off an unpleasant task in order to do something enjoyable, problems may get solved without any effort on your part, you can avoid anxiety, and the demands placed on you get lifted because you dragged your feet.
    Chapter 4 discusses the positive ways that procrastination can lead to strong time management skills. While procrastinating on a homework assignment until the night before, this allows your brain to focus directly on that assignment without jumping around to various activities. Many people enjoy the rush of excitement they get when working against the clock and say they perform best when they are under pressure.
    I think the best way to beat procrastination is to keep yourself motivated and take one day at a time. I try to make to do lists everyday so I know what needs to get done today and what I can hold off until tomorrow. I love the feeling when I get everything done on my to do list. I feel accomplished and ready for the next day. I try to prioritize my homework and work schedule to have the most time to effectively get tasks done. I am definitely a go getter and do not prefer to work under pressure. I like to have my assignments done in a timely manner so then I have more time to relax and not worry about the deadline. While that goal may sometimes not get accomplished, I am able to stay on track and beat the procrastination habits that I have embedded in my everyday routine.

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  12. This article basically says that some choose to be procrastinators because that's how they work best, and others feel super stressed when they procrastinate. Some benefits of procrastination are:
    -You can spend the time you are procrastinating to do other enjoyable things.
    -Some people like the adrenaline rush they get with urgent deadlines.
    -Some people focus better when they have an urgent deadline.
    -You can avoid the anxiety of the task until you absolutely have to do it, making you experience anxiety for a shorter amount of time, rather than stretching it out over the extra time you spend on it ahead of time.

    Some of the "positive effects" talked about in Chapter 4 of our textbook are: minimizing time on a task, optimizing efficiency, and a closer proximity to reward. Most people procrastinate because delaying gives them more time to do things they want to do, so they can "have a life." Others work more efficiently when they don't have time for false starts, boredom, or busywork and they HAVE to focus on what needs to be done. Also, waiting to work on something and getting it done last minute only makes you think about it right before you receive your reward, rather than getting it done way ahead of time and constantly thinking about or stressing over how you did.

    I personally think I do better at my work when I procrastinate, especially if it's a paper. But, if I wanted to improve my time use skills, I could schedule my activities in a planner or on a calendar. I also could monitor the use of my time. I actually kind of started doing this for an assignment in Mass Comm class, we have to record the amount of time spent on our cell phones, social media, watching tv, etc. It was surprising to see how much time I "waste" on my devices. I've noticed a decrease in my use since I started monitoring it. When I have felt that procrastinating isn't working for me, I have taken the time to sit down and actually write down my goals and what it will take to achieve them, and also to list them in order of importance to me, so I know where to start. I think this is the base of improving procrastination, is knowing the long-term goals you want to result out of what you're doing and come to terms with how important those are to you and whether or not putting it off to watch your favorite show or to paint your nails with your friends instead is worth possible disappointment in the future.

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  13. In this article it talks about the pros and cons of procrastination; or what, if any, benefits come from being a procrastinator. They first break down the two categories of procrastinators into active and passive procrastinators. Active procrastinators choose to let things sit until the last second and then quickly get them done. These people usually have lower stress levels then the passive procrastinators who do not choose to procrastinate but it just happens. This is just saying passive procrastinators worry about getting things done in the last minute; while active procrastinators know they are putting it off and will work on it right before. Active procrastinators put off things because they like the rush of getting it done, waiting until the last minute gives them motivation that they didn’t have before. Some benefits of procrastinating are; putting unpleasant tasks off to do more enjoyable things, avoiding the discomfort of doing something you don’t want to do, and also things like someone may just do it for you if you put it off for long enough. When someone is make a decision to become an active procrastinator; a person should make a pro and cons list and see if it is worth it to wait until the last minute to finish everything.
    The book also gives examples of some benefits of procrastination; such as minimizing the time spent on a task, it makes a person more efficient, and when you are done it is done and you don’t have to think about it again. I think that in general waiting for the last minute is a bad idea. Studies have shown that in college students GPA suffers in procrastinators. I have a struggle with procrastination, I have been working on it this year but I usually don’t do something until it is due. The book talks about 5 steps a person could take to better your self and not put things off. 1. Monitor your use of time. 2. Clarify your goals. 3. Plan your activities using a schedule. 4. Protect your prime time 5. Increase your efficiency. These are all good steps, the biggest one for me is protect your time. I have a hard time with this because I hate going to the library and when I work in my room, there is a tv and friends around to easily distract me from what I was doing.

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    1. Maybe you can apply some behavior modification from last chapter to help your procrastination :)

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  14. This article was about how procrastination is in just about everyone’s life, in one way or another. Though, some people find procrastination as a positive thing, because they work better under pressure, while others may see if very negative. Some see it as negative, since it causes them stress, anxiety, and causes them to not accomplish the tasks they needed to. If a person is an active procrastinator, they see procrastinating as a positive thing. Some of the other positive aspects the article talked about are a person can do more things they enjoy, while putting off the things they don’t. It can also help you avoid the possibility or failure and can avoid the anxiety felt about whatever the person had to get done.

    In Chapter 4, the book lists several positives about procrastination. One of the main ones is strong time management. By procrastinating, usually there is little time to finish many things, so a person has to have good time management to be able to finish all the things they need to. Also, once a person finishes everything after they have procrastinated, it is a very rewarding feeling and a feeling of great accomplishment. Lastly, is the desire of optimize efficiency.

    Beating procrastination can be a very important yet difficult task to accomplish. One way is to make lists or write out what needs to be done for the week. With the help of a checklist, it will be less likely that you will forget to accomplish something. Also, monitoring the way a person uses their time. If having the internet browser up all the time, causes you to check Facebook every five minutes, close the internet browser. Try not to multi-task, because it is actually proven a person cannot multitask. They are instead not fully paying attention to one thing while doing another, so both tasks do not have the person’s full attention. Being in college can just be a huge distraction all on its own. Since most students live with other people, it is very easy to get distracted or off task with things roommates are doing or events going on, on campus. Instead of making these just another thing to do, make them a reward for accomplishing tasks.

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  15. This article talks about how procrastination can be a good thing for other but also how it can be a bad thing too. It talked about how some people procrastinate on purpose because they like l=to work under pressure and do better when under pressure. The article had some benefits for procrastination, a couple of the benefits were you get to avoid the discomfort of doing something you dread of doing or you can avoid the anxiety you feel about the task.

    The book was not a fan of procrastination. It said that people who tend to procrastinate tend to experience elevated anxiety and increased health problems. The book said that about 70-90% of college students procrastinate before beginning a homework assignment. It also talked about how some people have to set deadlines for themselves, which could be helpful but giving yourself deadlines is not always effective.

    I personally do like working under pressure all the time. I try my hardest to get my homework done right away or as soon as I can. I don’t like having to try to beat the clock when turning something in. Like what if I’m trying to turn in a paper and my computer all of a sudden dies and I don’t get it in on time, I would freak out. I try to have a plan on what I am going to do for the day and try to set time aside for my work, but its nice when I do use my time right because then I get that extra time to do what I want and not have to worry about getting something done or turned in at the last minute.

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  16. The article "Can Procrastination Be a Good Thing?" discusses procrastination benefits and if it is good for a person or if it is taking control of the person. It talks about how the active procrastinators like the rush and feel in control compared to passive procrastinators who feel guilt or stressed. Benefits are also discussed in the article of being an procrastinators. Some examples a procrastinator may feel is less discomfort and stress. It then goes on to say not all benefit from being a procrastinator it depends on the person. Benefits of being a procrastinator is that the person has less discomfort and stress while problems could be solved by others.
    Benefits the book says is that students do less busywork and get feedback on assignments sooner which allows students to stress less. Some ways to prevent procrastination is to set times for to get work done, focus on homework no music or television on in the background, set a schedule, and monitor the use of your time. A person get a reward after they finish the project, feel less stressed, and can spend time doing what they want to do without worrying about the project or assignment that needs to get done.

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  17. The article "Can Proscatinating Ever be a good thing?" describes two types of proscatinating, active proscatinating and passive proscatinating. Active proscatinating is a better type of proscatination because rather than putting away responsibilities because you dont want to do it, you proscatinate because you enjoy the thrill of being under pressure. Passive proscatination is worse because you are just putting away responsibilities because you just dont want to do it. Some of the benefits of proscatinating include having more time to do the things that you actually want to do, there are people who can help you out at the last minute, and pressures and demands are easier to handle.

    The book describes some of the positives of proscatination such as having time to do other things and being efficient at the task you have to do. You also get the pleasure of being relieved from the pressures of stress once a task is done.

    One way I use to overcome proscatination is doing tasks with other people that are more responsible than me, this way I can be mindful of their time and get on task myself. This is why I study with others, plan events with others, and have somebody check up on me with the tasks that I have.

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  18. This article discusses the good and bad things that come with being a procrastinator. There are some people who procrastinate because they love the adrenaline rush it gives them, whereas, others procrastinate simply because they do not know how to get things done right away. Procrastination is not always a bad thing; it just depends on who does it and why they do it.

    Some benefits of procrastination include getting to put off unpleasant tasks, avoiding the anxiety of doing something you do not want to do, and you can avoid the possibility of failure. Another good thing is that you might even get out of doing the task because someone else might do it instead. Also, the problem might end up getting solved without needing any effort from you.

    Chapter 4 talks about the opposite effects of procrastination. It does not say anything about procrastination being a positive thing. Instead, it discusses that time management is very important, and procrastination can affect the task at hand. It also discusses the harmful effects procrastination can have on your stress levels and your health.

    I am one of those people who are an active procrastinator so it is hard for me to bring forth ideas to stop procrastination. For example, every paper that I have written in college has been done the night before it was due. I think better under pressure and, I always think of the best ideas right before I turn something in. I am sure, though, that those who struggle with it could try managing their time better. Time management is the main reason some have trouble with procrastination. Getting a planner, or making a set schedule can really help with this.

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  19. This article discusses the different benefits and drawbacks of procrastination. This article describes why people procrastinate. It defines two types of procrastinators. The first is an active procrastinator, this is a person that puts things off as they like the adrenaline rush of having to rush to get things done. Another type of procrastinator is the passive procrastinator, this is a person that just sits back and lets things fly by, before they know it the deadline is near and they do not know what to do.
    Some benefits of procrastination include: you do not have to do something that you do not want to do, you have time for other things, you can avoid the anxiety of the task you must do. These are just some of the benefits, I do not really believe that these are benefits as the person these are just defining a lazy person, but according to the article these are benefits.
    The book does not mention any ideas of positive procrastination (at least I could not find any). They discussed why one should not procrastinate, and that if one does not waste time, the project will be overall better.
    I found that a good way to beat procrastination is to force yourself to get the task at hand done. I set a personal schedule of when it is supposed to be done by, on average it is the day before for smaller assignments and for semester long assignments I prefer to have things done about a week before the due date. I feel that I am not being rushed when I do this. Also this has saved me a couple times as I forget something is due, and I come to find out I already have it done.

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    1. I think you've gotten this blog thing down now :)

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  20. This article discusses ways in which procrastination may have positive effects on some people. There are two types of procrastination, passive and active procrastination. When one practices active procrastination, they are more likely to have positive effects from it. Active procrastinators are those whom delay tasks deliberately so they can feel the challenge of the deadline and feel like they have more control of the situation. They also have lower stress and more self-efficacy than passive procrastinators. Passive procrastinators are full of worry, indecision, guilt, and stress. The reasons that procrastination continues are change can be difficult and many lack the motivation to do what needs to be done for change. One just needs to weigh the costs and benefits of their procrastinating ways, and if there are more costs, then a change may be necessary.

    According to the article, benefits of procrastination are putting off unpleasant tasks for more enjoyable things, possibly avoiding success or failure, avoiding the anxiety of the task, avoiding the discomfort of doing something you dread, etc. According to the book, benefits of procrastination are minimizing the time you spend on tasks and increased time management skills. Time management being the more beneficial of the two, because when a person has good time management they are able to get all the things the need to do done, as well as allotting time to do all the things they want to do.

    I am personally a massive procrastinator, I cannot get anything done unless it is almost due. I need to feel the pressure of the deadline to be able to work. This does increase my focus and I feel more accomplished when I turn in the required end right before it is done. It can be a bad thing when I underestimate the time I need to spend on the task. When I wait to study the night before an exam, I sometimes don’t have the adequate time to cover everything. That does, however, increase my stress and decrease my sleep. A way to remedy this would be to look ahead and figure out that I need two days instead of one. I do also think I have acquired great time management skills. That was one of the things my dad always told me, time management is key, and always in moderation. These two ideas are why I have made it through college.

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  21. There are two types of procrastinators: Active procrastinators wait until the last minute to complete tasks because they seek the added challenge of finishing things last minute. Passive procrastinators often experience missed opportunities, damaged relationships, and constant stress, anxiety, and guilt. Changing is hard, finding motivation is hard, mostly because of the benefits of procrastination: you get to put off unpleasant tasks, problems may solve themselves, avoidance of the anxiety the task creates, etc… So even though procrastination has it benefits, they are short term and do not help you in the long run. The article suggests creating a pro/con list next time you feel like procrastinating. It finishes by encouraging readers to drop their lazy habits and become more motivated.
    Some benefits:
    • You get to put off unpleasant tasks in favor of more enjoyable things.
    • Problems may end up getting solved without any effort from you.
    • You can avoid the possibility of failure-or success.
    • You get to avoid the discomfort of doing something you dread.
    One positive benefit of procrastination that the book discusses is that procrastination does not allow for “busywork or boredom.” Procrastination may help focus you on the required task because it takes away the time you have to spend on busywork or boredom. Also people who procrastinate are rewarded sooner. If you finish a paper two weeks before it’s due, it’s a longer wait to see the results than for the person who finished it the night before.
    I find the best way to beat procrastination is to stay organized. I make lists, set reminders, and keep a calendar of events, whatever I can do to remind myself what I need to do. Also, I try to break tasks up into smaller chunks. Instead of cramming, I prefer to study a little every day, and then refresh my memory when the exam comes around. The book suggests filling down time with little tasks, so when making dinner or doing laundry try and find little chores you can complete to help reduce your to do list.

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  22. This article discusses the difference between active and passive procrastinators. It states that active procrastinators are those who choose to put things off because they like to work under pressure. These people enjoy the challenge and actually see benefits from procrastination. Active procrastinators are described as less avoidant, have lower stress levels, and higher self-efficacy. Passive procrastinators tend to worry more often and realize how it interferes with their lives. This article states that passive procrastinators must have the motivation to change into an active procrastinator in order to reap in the many benefits. Several of the benefits of procrastination are as follows: (1) You get to put off unpleasant tasks in favor of more enjoyable things, (2) Problems may end up getting solved without any effort from you, (3) You can avoid the possibility of failure, (4) You get to avoid the discomfort of doing something you dread, (5) You can avoid anxiety you feel about the task, (6) Some may come to your rescue and do it for you, and (7) The demands placed on you get lifted because you dragged your feet.

    The textbook also lists a few positive effects of procrastination as well. It says that wanting to minimize time on a task could be a positive thing because it allows you to devote time to personal things, which could in turn reduce stress. It also states concentrating in focused time frames increases your desire to optimize efficiency. Finally, when you procrastinate you have less time to wait prior to receiving feedback or results. The textbook lists some time-management techniques that can help improve poor procrastination. They are as follows: (1) Monitor use of time, (2) Clarify goals, (3) Use a schedule, (4) Protect premium time, (5) Increase efficiency. I find myself to be very good at managing my time. I’m extremely organized and create a to-do list daily, updating it as things arise and/or tasks are completed. This seems to work very well for me. To each their own!

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  23. The article talks about the negative outlook on procrastination that isn’t necessarily true. Some individuals perform better under the pressure that procrastination provides. Despite your personal performance under such pressure, procrastination shouldn’t be considered such an awful thing. Some examples of the positive side of procrastination include avoiding the possibility of failure or stress, avoiding anxiety when dealing with an issue, and putting off unpleasant jobs with a more enjoyable replacement.
    Chapter 4 in the textbook looks exclusively at the negatives of procrastination such as the negative effect on your work quality, elevated anxiety, and increased health issues. The textbook stresses that time management is the solution. Some examples of proper time management include using a schedule to plan your duties/activities, working on one task at a time, and increasing efficiency. I, personally, have a detailed schedule of when I need to do what assignments for school because I have a lot of time conflicts between classes and work. Though I do not always follow this schedule, when I do I am much more efficient in completing my work. Also, planning for personal time, such as a TV show or time dedicated to exercising is a very important part of scheduling so you don’t get so burnt out.

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  24. The article discussed the difference between active and passive procrastinators. Active procrastinators wait to complete things until the very last minute because they find the challenge exciting. Passive procrastinators have constant stress and tend to worry a lot which affects their relationships and everything else in their life. The benefits of procrastinating include pushing off the chance of failure, setting back unpleasant tasks to do more enjoyable things, and more. The textbook doesn't say much of anything positive about procrastination but is stresses that time management is very important. It states that if time is managed wisely tasks will overall be completed better. Procrastination is a bad thing for me because I am a passive procrastinator and sometimes it gets bad enough that I am so stressed that I physically can't complete the task on time because I am extremely overwhelmed. To beat procrastination you should complete tasks as soon as they come about...easier said than done.

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  25. The article discusses the pros and cons of procrastination, mostly stress versus situational control. It goes into depth about the negative connotations of procrastination: shame, disappointment, and anxiety which can all lead to lots of pent up stress. The article also discusses positive aspects of procrastination: the rush of getting work done, the challenge of time constraint, and added motivation.

    Benefits of procrastination are feelings of control, lower stress levels, have less avoidance in their lives, and higher self-efficiency. The book doesn't really have any good side effects of procrastination. Some ways to beat procrastination would be to make a schedule for work and to set goals on work that needs to be done so that when it comes to crunch time, there isn't a pile of work to be done, only a little bit.

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  26. This article discusses the benefits of procrastination. It poses the question if you an active procrastinator, one who excels at it, or if you are a passive procrastinator. It lists benefits of procrastination and tells how to decide if you should continue to procrastinate or try and change. Some of these benefits are; you can avoid tasks you’d rather not do, you can put away the thought of failure or success, and if you’re lucky someone might come do the task for you. Chapter 4 of our textbook does not say anything about there being positive aspects to procrastination. To avoid procrastination you need to manage your time better. If you are just sitting around watching TV then you have time to get your work done. Even doing it while your sitting around will make it easier to on you then waiting till the last second. Creating a schedule of your day and writing down what you have to do whether its school, work, or plans with friends, will help you realize when you have time to get your work done. Seeing what is scheduled where could help you to better realize what parts of your day you are wasting. Write down exactly what you want to accomplish that day. This way you can cross the tasks off as you accomplish them and you can see what still needs to be done.

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  27. The article covers both active and passive procrastinators, along with the benefits that come with procrastination that make it a desirable process which is why it is so hard to overcome. Active procrastinators purposefully delay there tasks and feel they have control over there time and feel invigorated by deadlines, while passive procrastinators are stricken with indecision, anxiety and guilt over the pending task. the benefits of procrastination it covers are the ability to put off unpleasant tasks for more enjoyable ones, problems might get solved without any effort from you,or someone may come along to help you. Also the rush that one receives when finishing there task just in the nick of time. The book doesn't have anything positive to say however it does speak of the benefits of time management as a way to effectively rid the problem. by managing your time properly and delaying gratification you can effectively take your assignments one step at a time giving it the proper attention it deserves, rather then having to battle through a lot of work in little time having to just wing it if any obstacles are encountered.

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  28. The article discusses how most individuals see procrastination as a bad thing, but that's not necessarily the case. There are two different types of procrastinations, active procrastinators, which are individuals who like to do things last minute (they get a excitement/do their best work) and passive procrastinators, which are individuals who starts to stress out as a deadline nears. Active procrastinators purposely delay given tasks, as opposed to passive procrastinators. There are many benefits to procrastinating, such as putting something off and doing something more enjoyable with your time and avoiding the discomfort of a task that you are not looking forward to completing.
    Chapter 4 mainly discussed how procrastination is a bad thing, but how time management is the answer. Creating a schedule would be one way to help individuals whom procrastinate. A schedule would give individuals allotted times to get things done and potentially keep them more on track. Composing a schedule would also allow an individual to see what times would be best spend doing various tasks and times where work isn't getting done when it could be. Personally, I am a huge procrastinator. I always, always find myself doing things last minute. It doesn't usually stress me out too much, but I feel like I might try and make myself a schedule to see if I would be able to follow it and cut back of my continuous procrastination of various tasks.

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  29. As I sit here writing my blog at 11:52 on Monday night, I realize that I have become a professional procrastinator. According to the article, there are two different types. Active procrastinators do their best work at the very last minute while passive people just get anxious and stressed when the deadline nears. It discusses how active procrastinators despise deadlines and would rather do something else more enjoyable with their time, so they purposely delay themselves from completing the task early.
    In the book in Chapter 4, procrastination is said to be detrimental. Instead, procrastinators simply need to manage their time better. By creating schedules and clarifying your goals, this could happen.
    As for me, I have not always been a procrastinator. In high school, I got assignments done before they were due. But, since coming to college, I always find something more interesting to do than homework. Such as rearranging my sock drawer or doing the dishes.

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    1. Some of my friends and I joke about how amazing it is that grad school students' apartments/houses are so clean around the time they are writing their thesis or dissertation. Cleaning trumps homework :)

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  30. Procrastination has its pro's and con's. For a lot of people it is more of con then a pro. The article talks about the extra stress that is caused by procrastination. When people get stressed out it is harder for them to concentrate. So putting off homework or meaningful task till the last minute can cause problems and the task doesn't receive your full 100% effort. The article also talks that for some people waiting till the last minute to do things is a benefit. They are able to zone everything out and they are able to focus 100% on the subject at hand. Some people tend to do better work while under pressure. The disadvantage to that is that some people don't give themselves enough time to finish a project. They put it off till the last minute and once they get into the project it turns out that they didn't give enough time to do the work so they have to cut some corners.
    Chapter 4 talks about how with the proper time management people won't have to procrastinate. Simple scheduling can help out a lot. For me I have a dry erase board in 2 locations in my house with homework assignments on it and when they need to be done. I usually put the date 2 days before it is actually due so it gives me plenty of time to get it done (i.e. I have all blog assignments due dates Friday night). Chapter 4 also talks that for some people that putting things off doesn't give people time to review their work before it is turned in. Procrastination causes a lot of anxiety and stress.
    Time management is the best way to beat procrastination, for me I have a lot on my plate, parent, full-time student and work 40+ hours a week at work. I have every day laid out on what is going to be done at what time and the schedule is a good way to plan things out. I understand that there are things people would rather do than do homework, but when it comes to some classes getting things done early are a very big help. When it comes to writing papers write them early so you can have them revised by someone else and you can go back and make corrections. Although in the real world sometimes you get jobs assigned to you and even not being a procrastinator you have a very short deadline to get it done and if you are going to go make a big proposal for work you can't wait till the last minute to do it, you will be in a room with a lot of educated people and if you wait till the last minute you are going to look like a fool in front of them.

    Key terms: procrastination, anxiety, stress

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