Is procrastination keeping your child from meeting deadlines? Here are some tips and techniques he or she can use to help combat this all-too-human behavior. All these ideas are one hundred percent guaranteed to be more effective than your nagging, yelling, and jumping up and down.
1. See your success. Picture a big fat A at the top of your chemistry exam or imagine the free time you’ll have after you turn in your English assignment three days early. Achieving your dreams feels good, doesn’t it? Hold that feeling in your heart and mind as you follow the small steps that get you closer to your goal.
2. Stay positive. You’re in charge! Replace inner statements like “I’ve got to” and “I should” with “I’ve decided to” or “I choose to.” Try reading the statements aloud. Which ones give you energy? Then remind yourself that you’re determined and capable and have succeeded before at a similar task.
3. Tell the world. Well, maybe not the whole world. Telling just one person you trust exactly how you plan to meet your deadline will boost your confidence and give you a valuable ally. Besides, there’s nothing like a public commitment to strengthen one’s resolve.
4. Give it five. Invest five or ten minutes in the task. Anyone can stand five or ten minutes, right? Set a timer. If you’re still going strong after a few minutes (which is likely once you’ve broken the logjam) keep on working. If not, try it again later.
5. Use positive and negative reinforcement. Motivate yourself with mini-rewards like a snack after writing a page of an outline or mini-punishments like skipping a favorite TV show if you haven’t finished the page.
6. Remember that it’s not the end of the world. Don’t let one small failure become an excuse to give up entirely. If you didn’t accomplish the task you set for yourself in the way or time you expected, pick yourself up and try again.
Sources:
http://www.it-career-coach.net/2008/01/02/how-to-overcome-procrastination-in-8-easy-steps/
http://sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/procrastination.html
http://careerplanning.about.com/od/timemanagement/a/procrastinate.htm
http://www.timethoughts.com/timemanagement/overcoming-procrastination.htm