Essence Sommers 

Have you ever sat down ready to complete your schoolwork and had the urge to do something more interesting that has nothing to do with the assignment? Procrastination is an obstacle we all have encountered at some point in our life. We all put off things that we know we shouldn’t, then later rush to get it done.

Source: Designing to Delight

According to dictionary.com, procrastination is the act of intentionally putting off a task that needs to be done. It becomes a problem when we let it take control and lack the discipline to get ourselves back on track.

We are taught to not procrastinate because it can allow us to fall behind. Procrastinating is a human impulse and can also be a bad habit. At times we do it intentionally and other times we may not even notice we are doing it.

Delaware State University student, Alasia Robinson says, “ I do believe procrastination affects my school work because it limits my time to do it correctly and to finish it. The same goes for studying. When procrastinating I have less time to study for quizzes and tests which only leaves enough time to cram. When cramming I can not retain all the information, which can affect my grade. When in all actuality I could’ve done better if I didn’t procrastinate.”

“Sometimes I purposely wait till the last minute to complete my assignments because I feel like I complete my work more effectively, I know it is backward but it actually helps my thought process,” another Delaware State University student said.

There are two types of procrastination — active and passive. Active procrastinators choose to procrastinate because they feel they work better under pressure. Passive procrastinators are paralyzed by their indecision to act and fail to complete tasks on time.

Procrastination can take a huge toll on productivity, putting off a task that needs to be done can affect a student’s grades, schoolwork and possible health overall. Research in Semantic Scholars “Procrastination and Anxiety” study found that procrastination can be linked to mental health problems like anxiety and stress.

Source: Huff Post

If you procrastinate too often it can stress you out when many tasks need to be completed.

Believe it or not, there are a few positives to procrastination. Working under pressure can help you work more efficiently. Waiting until the last minute to complete a task will help you focus more because you are rushing to meet a deadline.

Psychology major, Kasia Dystant says, “ I don’t have very good time management which causes me to procrastinate with everything. I always wait until the last minute to do an assignment either the night before or the day before. It’s a bad habit that I’m working on changing for my senior year.”

If you want to overcome procrastination you have to commit to the task at hand. You can go to a quiet place to minimize any distractions. You can also set up proper time management skills to help you better prepare for your task in advance.