Time Management

Procrastination

Howtospotprocrastination

1. "Iworkbestunderpressure,soI'mwaitinguntilIgetthatadrenalinesurgeat3amthenightbefore
itsdue."
2. "Idon'tknowhowtodostartthispset,soI'mwaitinguntilIknowhowbeforeIdoit."
3. "Relax.Theworldwontendifthisdoesn'tgetdone."
4. "Iwaiteduntilthelastminutelasttimeanditworkedoutokay,sowhynotthistime?"
5. "Ispendthefirst4hoursstaringatablankscreen.Imightaswelldosomethingelsefor4hours
andthenjuststartwritingafterthat."
6. "IfIworkonthis,I'llmissouton"
7. "Thethingthatcausedmetodelaywasafluke."
8. "Imburnedout."
NoonegetstothetopofEverestbylookingatthetop,nordotheygetthereinoneclimb.

Center for Teaching and Learning | Sweet Hall, Stanford University | (650) 723-1326 | Fax (650) 725-1436

ClimbingMt.PSET

Descent:gotoofficehours;
seeatutor;checkyourwork
FinalClimb:workmoreproblems
CampIV:workthenextproblemorgethelp
CampIII:workthefirstproblem
CampII:readorrereadtextornotes
CampI:lookoverthepset

BaseCamp:resting(hiding)
inyourwarmhappy
procrastinationplace;plan
yourascent.

ClimbingMt.Paperdue

Descent:rewrite,proofread
FinalClimb:honeyourthesis,
developideas
CampIV:reorganizeandreview
CampIII:add2sentencestoeach
cleanedupsentencethatdevelopsidea
CampII:organizeandcleanupthesentences
CampI:transcribeyournotes

BaseCamp:waitingforclarityand
inspirationinyourhappy
procrastinationplace

Center for Teaching and Learning | Sweet Hall, Stanford University | (650) 723-1326 | Fax (650) 725-1436

Procrastination:WhatsReallyGoingOn(andsomeAntidotes)
Insecurity
whatifIcantdoit
mayfeelinadequatetoperformatthelevelyouexpectof
yourself,orthatothersexpectofyou(realorimagined)
lasttimeItrieditdidntgowell
ANTIDOTE:mindset
lasttimeItrieditIdidwellbutthatwasonlyluck

IdidntunderstandthelecturesotheresnowayIcan
starttheproblemset
whatifIdontlooksmart(difficulty/effortsuggestsIm
notsmart)
taskisdifficultsoImustbedoingitwrong

Toomuchgoingon
Theressomuchonyourplateyoudontknowwhereto
begin,soyoudontbeginatall
ANTIDOTE:makeaplan
dontmanagetimewell
dontplan

underestimatehowlongthingstake
cantgetoffthemerrygoround
puttingitoffuntilyoufeelcalmer(weekend,afterfinals,
etc.)

Rebellion
Intheabsenceofparentsandteacherstellingyou
whattodo,sometimesyourebelanyway
Sometimesrebellionindicatesmotivationissues
ANTIDOTE:makeitmeaningful
(i.e.myfatherwantsmetobeanengineerbutI
wanttobeaphilosopher)andalimitedtask

balloonstoepicproportions:doingthispset
doesntmeanIhavetobeanengineer

Selfsabotage
canbeareactiontostereotypethreat
ANTIDOTE:accurateassessment
blamingafailureonthefactthatyou
procrastinatedinsteadoflackofskill

Headinthesand
ANTIDOTE:parseandsegment
amethodofcopingwithdaytodaypressures
andexperiences

LowFrustrationTolerance
perfectionismavoidingthefrustrationand
ANTIDOTE:delaygratification
energydrainofpickingapartyourownwork
writingisrewriting,notfailuretohavedoneit
rightthefirsttime

Center for Teaching and Learning | Sweet Hall, Stanford University | (650) 723-1326 | Fax (650) 725-1436