Post on 29-May-2020
Managing ProcrastinationWebinar
Dr Emma KerrClinical PsychologistStudent Care and EquityMay 2017
What’s the plan?• What is procrastination?
• How much do you procrastinate?
• The cycle of procrastination
• Why do I procrastinate?
• Strategies and techniques
• Resources
• Making a plan for change
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What is Procrastination?
Making a decision to delay a task and instead do something of lesser importance, despite negative consequences for not following through
Comment -What do you do when you are procrastinating?
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What do you procrastinate about?How do you procrastinate?
ActivityComplete quiz :1) “Tasks/Goals you procrastinate
about” (pg 3)2) “How do you procrastinate?”
(pg 4)3) Put up your “hand” when you
are finished4) Complete the poll while you
are waiting for others
Poll – What are your most common type of procrastination activities?1 – Pleasurable tasks2 – Lower priority tasks3 – Socialising 4 – Distractions5 – Daydreaming or Other
The cycle of procrastination
Approach a task
Unhelpful rules/assumptions
get activated
Discomfort Increases + Need to avoid
discomfort
Procrastination Excuses
Procrastination Activities
Positive and Negative Consequences that
reinforce procrastination
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What is underlying your Procrastination?UNHELPFUL RULES?
“I shouldn’t have to do things that I don’t want to”
“I must do things perfectly” “I have to get a HD”
“I can’t do it. Why bother?”
“Fun should always come first”
“I can’t start unless I know exactly what I need to do”
“I can’t do things when I feel stressed / fatigued / unmotivated/depressed”
OTHER THINGS:
Low tolerance for discomfort / anxiety
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What are my rules and assumptions?
Activity
1) Complete unhelpful rules and assumptions quiz2) Put up your hand when finished
Optional Comment –How did you find that task? Easy? Hard?What did you notice about yourself?If comfortable, you could share your examples of the “I should_____’ statement?
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Perfectionism
1.Relentless striving for extremely high standards
2.Judging your self worth largely based on your ability to achieve the high standards
3.Experiencing negative consequences of setting such demanding standards, yet continuing to go for them
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If you think perfectionism is a problem for you…
• 9 Module self help program - “Centre for Clinical Interventions, Perfectionism in Perspective”
• TED talk – Antony Martin, When Perfect Isn’t Good Enough• Book – Antony Martin, When Perfect Isn’t Good Enough• See the UON counselling service
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Adjusting Unhelpful Rules and Assumptions
Ask yourself the following questions:
• What is your unhelpful rule or assumption ?• Where did it come from?• In what ways is it unreasonable? unrealistic? unfair? unhelpful?• What are its negative consequences ?• What is an alternative more helpful rule or assumption? • What can I do to put this rule or assumption into practice?
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Adjusting Unhelpful Rules and Assumptions
Ask yourself the following questions:
What is your unhelpful rule or assumption ?Things should be done my wayWhere did it come from?Messages I received growing up from family (e.g., “it’s my way or the highway”) and past experiences of being dominated by others, and vowing never to be in that same position again.In what ways is it unreasonable? unrealistic? unfair? unhelpful?It is simply not possible to have everything my way.What are its negative consequences ?I alienate others, it creates conflict with people.What is an alternative more helpful rule or assumption? Things don’t have to always be my wayWhat can I do to put this rule or assumption into practice? Follow someone else’s orders. Do things I don’t want to for a change.
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What are my procrastination excuses?
ACTIVITY - QUIZ
1) Complete quiz titled “Do you excuse procrastination?”
2) Put up your “hand” when you are finished
3) If you like you can comment to share your most common procrastination excuse
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Dismissing Procrastination Excuses
1) RECOGNISE THE GRAIN OF TRUTH2) CHALLENGE THE UNHELPFUL CONCLUSION
(i.e., That tomorrow will be a better time to start)
Useful Questions to ask YourselfIs it really true that I can’t make even a small start right now?Can I still get some part of the task done, even thought the conditions are not ideal?If I do make a start right now, what might happen? How might I feel?How might I feel if I don’t start?
E.g., “I am really tired.”Unhelpful conclusion –“I am really tired. I am better off doing it after I have rested”Helpful conclusion –“I am really tired, but I can still make a small start right now.”
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Practice, practice, practice
I don’t want to do it now. I may feel like doing it tomorrow.
I don’t have everything I need. I will wait until I do.
I have plenty of time. So I don’t have to start it now.
I work better under pressure. So I will leave it until the last minute.
I don’t feel inspired. I will wait until I do.
I don’t want to do it now. But later won’t be any better, so I may as well try to get started.
I don’t have everything I need, but I can still try to make a start on some bits of the task.
I may work better under pressure, but it is sill worth making a start now, because if I leave things to the last minute it can backfire.
Comment: Have a go at challenging these two procrastination excuses in the comments
Challenge the excuse that you shared earlier!
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Tolerating Discomfort
Getting things done often involves sitting with boredom, frustration, fear, fatigue, low motivation etc.
What happens when we struggle with or try to avoid discomfort?
How can we increase our ability to tolerate discomfort?
Things will not always run smoothly.You don’t need motivation to get things done.
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Mindfulness
• Apps for mindfulness – “Smiling Mind”, “Headspace”, “Stop, Breathe & Think”
• Meditation group
FURTHER RESOURCES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiC8ktpev30
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Distancing yourself from unhelpful thoughts and acknowledging anxiety
1) Sit down to do the work
2) On a blank piece of paper write down the thoughts that come into your mind that distract you. Acknowledge the thought and continue with your work.
3) Graph your anxiety level out of 10 across time
(i.e. 0 = no anxiety, 10 = most anxious you have ever felt)
(it is ok if it does not look like this)
Thoughts
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Other Strategies
1) Pomodoro Technique
2) Prioritising Tasks
3) Other Things
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WHAT IS IT?
• A productivity technique invented in 1990s by Italian Francesco Cirillo
• Name “pomodoro” comes from tomato shaped timer used to track his work as a unistudent
• Involves breaking tasks down into short, timed intervals
• Trains your brain to focus for short periods, helps avoid distractions and can reduce procrastination
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HOW TO DO IT
FURTHER INFORMATIONGoogle “pomodoro technique”“Focus Booster” App
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Prioritising demands: Eisenhower’s Urgent / Important Principle
• Important = activities have an outcome that leads to us achieving our goals
• Urgent = activities demand immediate attention
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To use the tool:
1) List all tasks and activities
2) Schedule tasks based on priority
Eisenhower’s Urgent / Important Principle
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Other General Strategies
• Just 5 min• Write a ‘to do list’• Use a timetable to schedule your week• “unschedule” your week• Minimise distractions in your environment • Join a study group or study with a friend
(PASS classes)• Set SMART goals• Set reward for completion of goals
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Additional Resources
PROCRASTINATION
Info sheets and modules on procrastination and perfectionism: Centre for Clinical Interventions
www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources/infopax.cfm?Info_ID=50
TIME MANAGEMENT
Self assessment questionnaire and strategies for improving time management
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/time.htm
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Apps
“Finish” – allows you to set tasks for the short, medium and long term
“Self Control” – allows you to put a lock on your computer and mobile devices to restrict use of websites and apps that distract you
“Be Focused” – time management app that allows you to track time spent on a task
“Focus Booster” – timer for the Pomodoro technique
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TED TALK – INSIDE THE MIND OF A MASTER PROCRATINATOR BY TIM URBAN (14 min)
https://www.ted.com/talks/tim_urban_inside_the_mind_of_a_master_procrastinator?language=en
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Bring it all together ACTIVITY: 10 mins
• Identify one strategy you would most like to try
• Think about Pros and Cons of change
• Make a plan
• Review the plan
Optional Comment –Share which strategy you want to focus on trying
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Strategies discussed today
• Being aware of the cycle of procrastination • Noticing and challenging unhelpful rules
and assumptions• Dismissing procrastination excuses• Tolerating discomfort• Practice mindfulness to tolerate
uncomfortable emotions• Writing down unhelpful thoughts to create
distance from them• Charting my anxiety over time• The Pomodoro Technique• Prioritising Tasks using Eisenhower's
Urgent/Important principle• “Just 5 minutes” strategy• Write a ‘to do’ list• Use a timetable to schedule your week• Use a timetable to ‘unscheduled’ your week
• Minimise distractions in your environment• Join a study group• Set SMART goals• Use an App (Finish, Self Control, Be
Focused, Focus Booster)
Ideas for further learning• Complete the centre for clinical
interventions modules on procrastination• Complete the centre for clinical
interventions modules on perfectionism• See a counsellor • Look at the ‘Time Management’ quiz and
resources
The University of Newcastle www.newcastle.edu.au
thank you!