MSWA Bulletin Magazine Autumn 17

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ARE YOU A PROCRASTINATOR? JAYNE MAIR, MSWA COUNSELLOR “Never put off till tomorrow, what you can do the day after tomorrow.” Mark Twain Do you, like me and twenty percent of the population, tend to leave important tasks to the last minute? I have had many months (ten in fact!), to write this article, but as the deadline rapidly approached, so did my avoidance of the task required. It seems I would rather clean my car, tidy the pantry and perform countless other minor tasks to avoid doing the important deed all the while increasing my own stress levels whilst the deadline approached. So why do we do this to ourselves? The word procrastination comes from the Latin pro which means ‘forward, forth or in favour of’ and crastinus which means ‘of tomorrow’. Procrastination is considered an irrational delay – meaning that when we choose to put off or avoid doing a particular task, we do so knowing that we will be worse off and acting against our best interests. Typically, people who procrastinate don’t pay bills on time, leave Christmas shopping until Christmas Eve, miss opportunities to buy concert tickets, and leave their tax returns to the very last minute. If it’s not Facebook notifications, it’s birthday reminders, the Candy Crush Saga, a WhatsApp thread or any other source of distraction. The opportunities for procrastinating are endless. (Heyden 2014). A UK based survey identified that smartphone users check their phone on average 221 times a day which includes emails, and social media! Below are some common procrastination thoughts (Maybe you’ll recognise some!): “I’ve got to organise my desk/kitchen/laundry etc…. first.” “I don’t have enough time to do it all, so I will wait until I do.” “It’s too late to start it now.” “It’s better to do it when I am in the mood or feeling inspired.” “It might not be good enough, so why bother doing it.” “I work better when I am stressed, so I will leave it to the last minute.” “Working on it today won’t make any difference.” “I will miss out on the fun happening now, I can do it another time.” “It’s too nice a day to spend on this.” (Centre for Clinical Interventions, WA) Of course, they are the things that help us procrastinate but let’s look at some of the possible reasons why we do it. • Fear of failure – the person may be very concerned about how others see them. They may fear being judged. Will it be good enough? What if I get it wrong? • Perfectionism – Never being happy with what you produce, setting yourself very high expectations. • Fear of success – What if I do such a good job, they will expect more of me, and they may judge me as more capable than I see myself. • Rebellion – One response to having a very strict authoritarian upbringing, taking back control over what you do. • Thrill seeking – Waiting until the last minute to experience a euphoric rush. • Decision avoidance – Not making a decision absolves procrastinators of responsibility for the outcome of events. However, there are costs to procrastinating. A study of college students in a single academic term identified evidence of compromised immune systems such as more cold and flu symptoms, gastrointestinal disorders and increased insomnia in the students who reported procrastination. (Marano, 2003). 12 | MSWA BULLETIN AUTUMN 2017
If this all sounds too familiar and procrastination is an issue that is affecting your health and wellbeing, there are numerous avenues of support available. On the internet you will find many apps such as Procrastor, Procrastination Hack, Stop Procrastinating, Finish and even Yelling Mom, which attempts to regain your attention through various alert noises. Others focus on more efficient goal setting. Some apps let you block individual websites, particularly social media, but all aim to cut off the main avenues of your distraction. StayFocusd is a productivity extension for Google Chrome that helps you stay focused on work by restricting the amount of time you can spend on time-wasting websites. Once your allotted time has been used up, the sites you have blocked will be inaccessible for the rest of the day. Anti-procrastination apps are limited in what support they can provide and are only an option for individuals distracted by computers/phones. Some suggest that apps themselves are a distraction from self-discipline. (Heyden, 2014). An alternative approach is a self-directed online course through WA’s Centre for Clinical Interventions – ‘Putting Off Procrastination’. The seven modules include information, worksheets, and suggested exercises or activities. This can be found at cci.health.wa.gov.au/resources. Or, you may choose to talk to one of our MSWA counsellors regarding your health and wellbeing strategies including stress management, attend one of our workshops on Mindfulness or other psychoeducational topics. Don’t put it off! Help is available. References: www.theprocratinationequation.com www.cci.health.wa.gov.au Heyden, T. (2014) The Much Delayed War on Procrastination. BBC News Magazine. Published online 11/10/2014 Marano, H.E. (2003) Procrastination: Ten Things to Know. Psychology Today; Published online 23/08/2003 Une baguette. S’il vous plait, mate. Fold, Pack, Travel 1300 622 633 www.scootersAus.com.au SCA20535 MSWA BULLETIN AUTUMN 2017 | 13
Page 1 and 2: BULLETIN THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF M
Page 3 and 4: Letter from the Editor DR GREG BROT
Page 5 and 6: A message from the General Manager
Page 7 and 8: From MS Research Australia (MSWA co
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MSWA Bulletin Magazine Autumn 17

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