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By Emily Buss, Bluffton University student
BLUFFTON, Ohio — You know that feeling when you have a deadline emerging, yet find yourself endlessly scrolling through social media or finding other tasks to do instead of starting the assignment or tasks? Many have been there. Procrastination, a constant battle against productivity, seems to have a hold on us all.
According to verywellhealth.com, procrastination is when a person delays a task or puts something off until the last minute or even past the deadline. Although some people claim to work better under the pressure that comes from procrastination, it is generally more effective to address tasks promptly rather than delaying them until there are no other options.
“I procrastinate just about every day with everything,” said Carter Ritchey, a communication and media major at Bluffton University. “Like if I don’t have to do it right away then it’s not going to get done right away. I feel like I’d rather take me time now and the thought of doing something now is stressful, so I put it off.”
Delaying tasks can affect academic performance and lead to physical and mental fatigue. Additionally, postponing assignments and responsibilities may increase stress levels and reduce self-esteem. However, sometimes people need a sense of motivation to complete their tasks and assignments that they may be pushing off.
“I used to be a huge procrastinator, especially in college,” said Christy Garmatter, Director of Student Success at Bluffton University. “In college, generally I needed that sense of urgency to get my fanny in gear. Now, my procrastination comes from something that I don’t like or don’t know how to do it or how to start it.”
When people procrastinate, it is common for them to have increased levels of anxiety and depression. According to Psychology Today, procrastination is often a habitual choice that provides temporary relief by lowering anxiety in the moment.
“Some call it ‘lazy,’ I call it ‘I don’t want to be stressed right now’,” said Ritchey. “I’m just a very anxious person so the thought of having to get that assignment or task done causes me to just think of a hundred thousand other things before I think about that one thing. Like I just would rather not worry about that right now because I’m an overthinker and I will overthink.”
According to verywellhealth.com, procrastination is associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression. Bluffton University graduate student Ella Zaborowski has found that through her experiences, anxiety and procrastination seem to be related.
“I think procrastination causes anxiety because they get so stressed that they don’t do their homework or so it causes them more anxiety,” said Zaborowski. “But I feel that it is more so that procrastination causes anxiety.”
Students often delay assignments until the last minute. Submitting assignments earlier, however, is generally associated with higher academic achievement. Another source of procrastination is technology. Technology can be beneficial to help prevent procrastination, but this is often not the case.
“I 100% agree that technology plays a role in my procrastination and the procrastination of others,” said Searra Hough, Bren-Dell hall director and Bluffton University graduate student. “Often times, I find myself knowing that I have assignments that are due on Monday and that I should just get it done so that I don’t have to worry about it later. But I always find myself just wasting time and scrolling through social media, specifically TikTok. Then, I don’t end up doing the assignments until Sunday night.”
So, how does one escape this cycle of procrastination? To begin with, improving time management skills can significantly alter procrastination habits. Additionally, breaking up the work into smaller tasks rather than completing everything at once can be beneficial.
“I could probably just start doing my homework earlier in the week, even just little by little,” said Hough. “I found that I make a lot of reminders on my phone and by using the calendar helps me to remember meetings and when different assignments and stuff are due. Because I know that I will probably forget or continue to push it off. But if they’re easy things or tasks, then I will try to complete them right away.”
Another way to eliminate procrastination is to try different incentives to help motivate yourself to complete the assignments or tasks.
“A new method that I actually saw through TikTok is the idea of getting some ice cubes and do homework or complete the tasks that need done until the ice is melted,” said Elizabeth Crites, a speech language pathology and audiology major at Bluffton University. “Or you could try rewarding yourself with a piece of candy or some time on your phone after completing an assignment or task.”
