I am a procrastinator. That said, I do have the best of intentions to, try and be, more proactive, yet it is very easy to find excuses in not being so. When I left class for home on Friday, my intention was to get my reading and journal entry done before having to pick up my two youngest children. Well that didn't happen due to, one, me being extremely hungry, and secondly, my girlfriend wanted to play hooky with me and go eat somewhere at Santana Row.
So as you can see, I can be easily swayed by food and my woman. But, luckily for me, I am really enjoying the assigned reading and can find time throughout my day. Even with four children, who almost always, well at least one, needs my attention. I try to engage them when I have moments. But like everyone, I need time to myself, not to nurture kids, or make dinner, or do homework, or to transport someone from one place to another. At times I will go to pick up my two youngest and will sit outside the daycare in my car for about 30 minutes, and read, or do some type of homework. I also find certain moments in the day or night, when my small condo is jammed with all six of us trying to find a space to chill or do school work. So, yes, at times, I must lock myself in our only bathroom, and, yes, read and take care of business.
But the most convenient time for me to read, is when everyone else is asleep and then I can get some pages turned, but, that tends so induce sleep for yours truly. Well, can you blame me? The place is quiet. No T.V. Nobody asking me for food or to watch them play a video game, or any of the millions of things that can be required of me and any given moment. So, what usually happens, is I fall asleep with book on my chest, and that is how I wake in the morning, usually and hour or more before I really need to arise, and can get some serious reading done.
That is, only if I remembered to have my coffee ready the night before. Which if did, I usually do, I am fully vested in the novel. This seems to be the best time for me to read. If I try while the condo is active, kids home, I tend to drift from what I am doing, therefore, causing me to re-read a passage several times. This is never beneficial, almost a waste of time.
What I need to do is get in a routine during the week, before my herd of kids come home from school, and read and do homework at the library. If I can institute this strategy, soon, I should be able to catch up in my other classes, and to help ensure that I produce my best work as opposed to a rushed product that will embarrass me.
"I do have the best of intentions to, try and be, more proactive, yet it is very easy to find excuses in not being so". You have spoken a true statement up here. It seems that procrastination is the number one enemy of almost every student. Like every other student, I can actually understand and relate to the above quotation you have made because I always intend to be "more proactive" myself by reading and doing my homework way before it's even due. But most of the time, things don't go the way I planned them to be. And like you said, "it's easy to make excuses". Indeed this rang a bell in my mind.
ReplyDeleteI think procrastination kills our energy in an indirect way that is unbeknown to us. For instance, when your plan and intention is to read or do a homework for the next 15 or so minutes, you can easily be distracted by a phone call from a friend, or by an interesting show you like that airs on TV, if you're in front of it. And then, you will say to yourself, "Ah, let me answer this call, or watch this show before I miss it". And your instinct may be against that idea. Your reply will then goes, "Well, this homework is a piece of cake, I can do it as soon as I answer this phone call. Or once I watch this important show that I can miss". Then your whole plane and energy dies there. I like the idea you talk about the reality in which many students experienced during their school years.
I know exactly how you feel when you say the book puts you to sleep. I like this book but for some reason whenever I start reading anything that is not a gossip filled magazine, I end up getting sleepy (even if I was completely awake like 20 minutes before)! I've read so many passages about people being parents and taking care of their kids on top of doing their other daily activities. I have so much respect for all the students that are also parents, you guys are crazy!! I said it on Sheila's blog already, but I cannot imagine taking care of someone else as a job too! Good for you for being able to handle it all!
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean. I am not a full blown out procrastinator, but I do find myself putting things on hold till the last minute, especially if I know that it is difficult for me. I feel I need a little push at times, and procrastinating helps me at last minute push myself to finish what needs to be done.
ReplyDeleteIt seems we both have a lot on our plate to handle. I feel the stress you go through!