Procrastination, the Nemesis of University Life: How to Overcome It

In this article, we seek the answer!

The Deadline as the Best Muse?

We often believe that working under pressure makes us complete tasks faster and that the urgency positively affects our performance. You’ve experienced this too, right? In the days before a deadline, we binge-watch a series, clean the house thoroughly, or bake the most complicated cake on a whim, leaving the final push for the last few hours. However, more often than not, the opposite happens: the stress we've been suppressing about the task hits us all at once, leading to panic and the feeling that we won’t finish on time. This can even drive us to resort to tricks, which later lead to guilt.

Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who experiences this repeatedly. However, it’s important to address it because this is a recurring behavioral tendency known as chronic procrastination. We know the symptoms well, but what are the underlying causes?

sychological Causes

According to Dr. Seth J. Gillihan, a psychology professor, one of the leading causes of procrastination is the fear of failure. The feeling that the task at hand exceeds our competencies. Starting it and facing potential difficulties seems too complicated and effortful.

Procrastination persists because it is partially a rewarding activity: deciding to delay temporarily relieves us and removes the stress. This is why we procrastinate repeatedly, as a day spent watching TV or series seems more appealing than tackling a task that could result in failure. Be careful; if you often allow yourself to experience the positive side of procrastination, breaking the cycle will be difficult!

Chronic Procrastination: Watch for the Signs!

Possible Solutions

Although it may seem like an impossible task, a few small tricks can eliminate or at least reduce the extent of procrastination. Here are three:

Break a Large Task into Smaller Parts!

As mentioned, one of the main causes of procrastination is the fear of failure. When do we feel the possibility of failure is heightened? When tasks require a lot of time and effort, and we feel they are beyond our abilities. The solution is to break the task into smaller, more manageable parts. For example, don’t sit down to write your thesis thinking about the 80 pages you need to complete. Break it down into 20-30 smaller steps. It’s much easier to start a task labeled “creating the title page” than “writing the thesis.” As you start ticking off these small tasks, seeing your progress will motivate you further.

Corner Yourself!

Coaches often suggest that when you start a lifestyle change, post about it on social media, so it’s embarrassing to quit in front of everyone. While it would be ideal not to be driven by guilt in completing your task, you can secure yourself similarly when it comes to studying! Tell a friend that you’ll be working on your assignment all day and schedule a meeting with them the next day. It would be awkward to cancel the plan with the excuse that you didn’t finish, right?

Another good idea is to organize group study sessions: if you see others being productive, you’re less likely to resist working alongside them. If you don’t have friends who like to go out, pay attention because an online platform has been created for this purpose: Study Together.

Create an Ideal Study Environment!

If distractions aren’t in front of you, it’s easier to force yourself to work. Go to a café with no internet or find a nearby library! In these places, you won’t be able to clean as a distraction or lounge in bed… If you do, people will at least look at you strangely. 😊

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