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Disclaimer: The entries contained within the Staff Blog should not be construed as advice; it is merely for information purposes and reflects the opinions, approaches, research, and experiences of individual staff members. Students are encouraged to attend Drop-in Advising to discuss their situation with a career advisor.
What kind of procrastinator are you?
April 22 2009
Posted by Elaine Johnson, Assistant Director
Procrastination. The very word conjures up all kinds anxious feelings inside me. As I’m writing this, trying not to procrastinate, it seems impossible to stay focused on the task at hand. According to dictionary.com, the definition of procrastination is to put off till another day or time; defer; delay. At some point in our lives, we all procrastinate…especially in college. I can remember pulling all-nighters writing papers and studying for tests, or putting off doing research because there always seemed to be something more interesting to do, even if it was only laundry.
I always thought procrastination was another unhealthy, bad habit I possessed until I recently came across an article that wonders if procrastination is, in fact, healthy. This article opened my eyes to a new way of looking at this nasty habit. It explained that there are different types of procrastinators. Different types include perfectionists who set unrealistic expectations, dreamers who think “it will all work out,” worriers whose fear of failure prevents any real work from getting done, crisis makers who do their best work under pressure, defiers who resent the assignment in the first place, and over doers who just can’t seem to say “no.” The article suggests that procrastination is completely normal, especially for college students. However, the key to successful procrastination is to be aware that you’re doing it and why you’re putting that task off.
According to another article I found, procrastination is actually a time management tool (but only when it is not a destructive force). It allows one to get meet a deadline in a shorter block of time. I have experienced personally that by putting something off long enough, there comes an optimal time shortly before the deadline when all of the sudden I get organized, complete my research, ideas start flowing, and before I know it, the assignment is done. I may wait until closer to a deadline because I tend to be a “crisis maker,” but I always manage to get my work done. Awareness of your procrastination type and why it is you are engaging in this behavior helps you to better know yourself and what your work style is like.
While procrastination can be a useful tool in some instances (like school), don’t let inhibit your career development. It seems overwhelming to make a decision about what to do with your life when the time to find an internship or graduation is looming ahead. One way to handle this is to break the “big decision” down into smaller, more manageable steps. Begin thinking about a job you’d like to do or career you’d like to have. If you don’t know much about it, research it. Look at company websites; find out industry trends and the outlook for the career field. Contact the company and conduct an informational interview to see what you can learn about a company. Come to Drop-in Advising and let us can assist you in researching careers, critiquing your resume, working abroad, and more. There are many (free!) resources available to you on IU’s campus. Knowing where to start can prevent you from procrastinating about deciding what to do after college. Besides, isn’t it more interesting to research your career than to write that paper?
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