Procrasti-Nation:TheLandofTimeline-Jumpers
ByAnaLeticiaFreitas
Everyonehasalreadyexperiencedatimeslipwhenitcomestoprojects.Threeweeks turnsintotwodays,twelvehoursturnsintothirtyminutes.Whatseemedasimpossiblyfaraway asyourgraduationsuddenlypopsupontheweeklyplanner Doesthatfeelfamiliar?Ifwe’re honest,we’veallsaid“I’lldoittomorrow”atsomepoint.Deadlinescreepuponchildren, teenagersandgrown-upsalike,andtheproblemisnotthatyourbedturnedintoatimemachine overnight;it’sprocrastination.
Procrastination,straightoutofthedictionary,referstotheactionofdelayingor postponingsomething.Forstudents,thatcanmeanhomework,schoolprojects,orapplication formsthatalmostnevergetturnedinontime.It’ssomethingIcanrelateto,hardasItry But whyisitsoeasytoputthingsoffinthefirstplace?Therearevariousreasons,themainone beingdistractions.Youknowyouhavethattwo-page-longchemistrypacket,butyoujustgot homefromschoolandyoutellyourselfyouneedtorestalittle.Soyouhaveasnack.You doomscroll.Youtakeyourdogforawalk.Youdumpthree-seasons-worthofdramaonyour sistereventhoughyouknowshe’snotreallylistening,andyoustandinfrontoftheopen refrigeratoruntilitangrilybeepsatyou(oryourdadscoldsyouforwastingenergy).Youhave dinner,andlayonthecouchforabit.Notthatthosearenecessarilybadorharmful-except maybeforsocialmediaandelectricitywaste-,buttheytaketime.Andsoyoulookatthe microwaveandit’salready9:45p.m.andyoustillhaveaLiteratureessaytowrite.You’re exhausted,soyoujusttypeinaroughdraftandgotobedhopingyou’llhaveenoughtimeto finishitbeforethatsixthperiod.Whathappenedtothetime?Itdidn’tvanish-Icantellyouthat forapenny-,youjustspentitfasterthanyoucouldwatchyourself.
Itfeelsoverwhelming.It’sstressful,tiresusout,andmakesusfeelguiltyevenforthe tiniestbreak.However,therearesolutionstothistime-stealingvillain,andtheycanbeassimple askeepingyourphoneoutofsight.Allyouhavetodoisidentifywhyyou’reputtingthingsoff. Ifthereasonislackoffocus,writingato-dolistorpracticing“brain-dumping”canhelpre-align yourthoughts.Ifit’stime-management,settingupaspecifictimetoworkonaproject-and stickingtoit-willforceyoutofacethetask.Iftheproblemseemstoobigtotackle,breakit downintosmallersteps;youcanonlyeatanelephantbytakingonebiteatatime.And remember,themostimportantthingistofigureoutwhatworksbestforyou.