How to Self-Discipline: A

Procrastinator’s Guide
Lale Tuner
Cayla Beaton
Jessica Flewelling
Table of Contents:
Organization: Goal Setting:
Motivation:

● Procrastination Reasons
● Time Management ● ABC to do list
and Methods
● Use of an Agenda ● Priorities
○ Lack of Direction
● Environmental Factors ● SMART Goals
○ Unpleasant Tasks ● Building foundation
○ Timing ● Reflection
○ Anxiety
○ Self Confidence
● Overcoming
Procrastination
● Changes in Habits
Why do we procrastinate?
It is estimated that one-fifth of adults and half of all
students procrastinate.1

Reasons For Procrastination

● Lack of Direction
● Unpleasant Tasks
● Timing (Delaying)
● Anxiety
● Self-Confidence
Lack Of Direction
● Lack of goals and plans might lead to
increase in procrastination.

Wherever the wind takes me mindset.

● The feeling of lack of control over one’s

life.
● People with purposes in life tend to feel
more motivated; therefore, they are less
likely to procrastinate.4
Unpleasant Tasks
● Having to do unpleasant or boring
tasks is one of the most
significant predictor of
procrastination.2
● The examples can include
christmas shopping, laundry,
writing essays for that one class
you do not like, etc.
Timing
People postpone task without anticipating
that when it comes to do them in the future,
they might delay them again.

Hot and Cold Empathy Gap

● This is a state of mind that causes

people to underestimate the influences
of their instinctive drive on their
attitudes, behaviors, and preferences.5

● New Year’s Resolution

Anxiety
Evidence indicates that procrastination is
associated with high levels of stress.2

Avoidance is a well-known form of coping with

anxiety. Procrastinators may postpone getting
started because of a fear of failure.

People avoid high-priority tasks for more immediate

rewards to cope with stress.2
Self Confidence
● When difficulties arise, people with weak self-
confidence easily develop doubts about their ability
to accomplish the task at hand, while those with
strong beliefs are more likely to continue their
efforts.

● When low self-confidence causes people to avoid

activities, they miss opportunities to acquire new
knowledge and skills.3

● College student- math example.

Methods of Procrastination
● Excessive eating
● Excessive Contemplation about the future
● Gaming
● Sleeping
● Checking Social Media
● Attaching the same time value to different tasks
(Gaming-Writing an essay)
Overcoming Procrastination:
Importance Of Motivation
● Realisation of procrastination
● Focus on starting the task
● Prevent yourself from procrastinating (Block social
media)
● Break down long projects into short tasks
● Do not put too much pressure on yourself
● Perfectionism
Changes in Habits:
How to Get Motivated
● Make your tasks fun!
● Change the way you think about tasks and
responsibilities (Do not think of tasks as
something mandatory)
● Reward yourself
● Meditation
Organization:
Time Management

● How does it help people as students

● Ways to time manage
● Effects of bad time management
● How it ties into organization
● Some facts/stats
Environmental Factors
Agenda
● How it affects organization skills
● Pros of using an agenda
● How to cope with certain environments
● How to be most effective with agenda
● How it ties into organization
Time Management:
How does being able to manage your time help students?

● Getting work done on time

● Making time for other things such as:
○ Family
○ Friends
○ Yourself
● Overcoming procrastination
● Using time effectively
Time Management: Effects of bad time management:

● Miss goals
● Miss deadlines
● Frequently stressed out
● Always rushing
Ways to manage your time: ● Not knowing your deadlines
or due dates
● Making lists
● Prioritize
● Time slots
● Keep an agenda,
notebook, or even
binders
Time Management:
Stats:

● 10-15 mins to plan their day, will save almost 2 hours

● Almost 75% less stressed
● Students tend to do better in life when the manage
their time
Agenda:
Pros of using an agenda:

● Visual representation
● Due dates, tests and assignments
● Can be used for many purposes such as:
○ School work
○ Birthdays
○ Special events
○ Sports
● Used for reminders
● Organizes your time, schedule and your life
Agenda:
How to be most effective with your agenda:

● Bring your agenda everywhere

● Bring to each class
● Write all due dates for homework, tests and
assignments
● Check and write in daily
● Making checklists is also a good tool - knowing what
you need to get done
Environmental Factors:
Different environments:

● School
● Work
● Supported, Unsupported How each environment affects us:
● Controlled, uncontrolled
School: Supported:

● Stress ● Organized
● Anxiety ● self -disciplined

Work: Controlled:

● Stress ● Focused
● Exhaustion ● Organized
Goal Setting
- Priorities
- SMART goals
- Building a foundation
- Reflection
Priorities and the abc method
1. Brainstorm all of the things you
want to get done
2. Estimate how long each task will
take to finish
3. Rate each task A, B, C in order of
most to least important
4. Cross off tasks as you complete
them, add tasks when you think of them
5. Evaluate your work and consider
reordering tasks you did not complete
Building a strong foundation
Short term goals:

- Can accomplish in a year or less

- Specific achievements
- Require immediate action

Long term goals:

- Take more than a year

- Represent major targets
SPOT CHECKS: GOAL REFLECTION
- Check in with your feelings
- Check for alignment
- Check for obstacles
- Check for immediate steps
 References
1. Rozental, Alexander; Carlbring, Per (2014). Understanding and Treating Procrastination:
A Review of a Common Self-Regulatory Failure. Psychology 5.13, 1488-1502.

2. Heshmat, S. (2016, June 17). The 5 Most Common Reasons We Procrastinate. Retrieved 12 12,
2017, from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/science-choice/201606/the-
5-most-common-reasons-we-procrastinate

3. Ericsson A., Pool R. (2016) Peak: Secret from the new science of expertise. An Eamon
Dolan Book. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

4.Fryer, A. (2012, December). The Psychology of Purpose: Exploring the Role of Purpose and
Intrinsic Motivation. Retrieved from Ohio State University:
https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/1811/53206/Ashley_Fryer_Senior_Thesis.pdf?sequenc
e=2

5. 8 Causes of Procrastination (Why You Can’t Get Things Done). (n.d.). Retrieved 12 12,
2017, from Develop Good Habits: https://www.developgoodhabits.com/causes-of-procrastination/