The Duality of Procrastination
5 Ways Procrastinating Can Help You Succeed in College
–By Elizabeth Weiland, Rajan Varma, and Saintphanie Porcenat
What is succeeding? Well, for college students like us, we arrive in the fall with high hopes of straight A’s and dreams of fast–tracking our way to graduation. However, it means passing all your classes and avoiding malnutrition by the time the term ends. Matthew Greaves, a senior in college, puts it simply: “Hey man, as long as I’m not dead, I’m good.” And if you are like me and my fellow co-writers, you have probably met our old frenemy: procrastination.
So, why “frenemy,” you ask? Procrastination is a seductive thing, and it can be lethal. Almost like a Venus flytrap and a hammock had a baby. So how do you safely navigate dealing with it? And what are the best ways to do it? Should you use protective measures? Here are our top five reasons why procrastination can’t wait.
1. Re-Aligning Your Chakras
Have you ever had a homework block? It’s like writer’s block, but applies to all your assignments. It’s pretty terrible; however, a surefire way to cure the block is by not forcing it. Watching Netflix or taking a nap can allow you to replenish your energy and be refreshed and ready to focus on your work later. Take your time and relax! Be warned, though: there is a line where “useful” turns into a waste of time. Don’t fall down the binge rabbit hole! Our personal recommendation is to avoid movies (too long), and instead opt for one or two episodes of a TV show. If you decide to nap, 30 minutes to one hour is the perfect power nap duration. According to Dr. Roy F. Baumeister, a social psychologist known for his research on self-control, exerting the self-control that you need to resist those fun breaks and start your essay can actually deplete your strength and energy. Giving into that need to kick back will help you improve your ability to function.
2. When You Freak Out, You Go Faster.
If you think about it, procrastination actually makes the most sense as a work strategy. Why worry now when you could do it later? It’s essentially paying off a zero-interest loan early. If anything, putting it off will add a sense of urgency, and you will probably spend less time on it in the first place! According to Junior Torisa Johnson, she started all of her essays at least a week in advance during her freshman year at U of M. However, it would take her days to actually complete it. “I was really nervous about time management when I first got here and most of my professors suggested we start as soon as we got the assignment.” Now, Torisa has learned that the work doesn’t actually require that much time. “In the end I handed them in at the same time it was just the amount of time and energy I spent stressing over it was shorter. Instead of working on something for over a week, I’d bang it out in a night.” So, if you’re not already a procrastinator, join the ranks! After all, time is money.
3. Treat Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself
Take time to connect with your hedonistic side! Shopping for food, clothes, or even a concert ticket can be therapeutic. We all have many different coping mechanisms to ease our anxiety about upcoming deadlines, and everyone deserves time to relieve themselves. Find your niche and make sure you visit it every once in a while! Regardless of what you decide to do in your niche of fun, the end result will be the same: you are relaxed! And when you give yourself a chance to recharge, you’ll be able to better focus on your impending work. Besides, it makes you nicer to be around.
4. Imagination
Turning to other things can help you find inspiration for your work if you’ve hit a roadblock. When that thinking process slows and turns into a dead-end wall, frustration levels can reach an all–time high. But it’s okay to scrap your original plan! Psychology Today says that “[k]nowing what doesn’t work to get you to your goal allows you to think of alternatives that might work.” Sitting at your desk and devoting a block of time to chugging out a paper may not be the way for you. By changing your environment, reading, listening to music, spending time with friends, or simply just showering, you can find new inspiration in your leisure activities. Look at Isaac Newton! The guy was just sitting there, when, *BONK*, an apple hits him and he discovers gravity. He was (once) living proof that taking those much–needed breaks can help your imagination do incredible things! Next time, turn your to-do list into a to-chill list and wait for inspiration to strike.
5. Everyone’s Doing It
If you accept that procrastinating is a part of college, hopefully that will remove the anxiety around completing assignments. As a Michigan student, there is a heavy expectation for excellence day in and day out. The U of M mission statement literally explains that the goal of this University is to develop the leaders that will “enrich the future.” But enriching the future doesn’t mean that you should depreciate the now. Despite all efforts, no one here is perfect. At some point, most of us are going to trade that three–hour study session at the library for a night snuggled under the covers with some TV and feta bread. Taking the time to do other things shouldn’t weigh so heavy on your conscience. That’s what can help turn your procrastination into restoration.
Your parents may say: “Get. It. Done. The earlier, the better.” But your fellow students (and your lower back) are imploring you to relax! Take a step back and think about what works best for you. After all, we are the “leaders and best.” That means we don’t need to follow the socially acceptable methods of success when it comes to homework or studying. So, next time you want to binge some anime or nap into tomorrow, do it. Or put it off until tomorrow.
Photo Caption: Stressed Student Studying in a Coffee Shop by Elizabeth Weiland