How To Kick Procrastinator’s Remorse | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

How To Kick Procrastinator’s Remorse

You Suck At Time Management (For Now), But Don’t Dwell On It

35
How To Kick Procrastinator’s Remorse

These are my confessions. I have a to-do list of about ten things to do, including writing this article. This is the first task I’m initiating any progress on and I’m reaching word count thirty-two at 3:16 AM Friday morning. After all this idle time, I gained miscellaneous knowledge from YouTube videos about Solange’s writing process, listened to a diverse array of music, scrolled through Facebook, and wrote a lackluster (though heartfelt) poem.

What I like to call “procrastinator’s remorse” set in gradually, starting around midnight. At that point, it was a very subtle voice, gnawing at my consciousness, saying, “Danari, close that YouTube tab.” Around 3 AM, however, my procrastinator’s remorse closed in on my fragile, sleep-deprived mental state with wrecking ball force. I thought, "Oh, crap." Suddenly, the countless minutes I lost flashed before my eyes in high definition. I felt awful.

I looked up and, in my melodrama, asked God what I thought was a rhetorical question: What is my problem?

In response, I felt like He was saying, “Danari, you’re going to drop the ball sometimes. We’ll working on your discipline. But your automatic response can’t be to put yourself down. That’s not productive. Let’s move forward.” So I got to thinking, I’m definitely down to go on this anti-procrastinating journey, but there are some ways that I can spare myself the self-inflicted emotional backlash that comes from guilt. Here’s what I came up with:

1. Compartmentalize

Yes, I suck at time management. But no, I don’t suck at everything. If someone you love is easily distracted, you’re not likely to devalue their entire being, even for a moment. Not mentally, not verbally. So be careful with the way you talk yourself. Affirm your good qualities and be realistic about the ways you can improve.

2. Move Forward From The Moment

There is a moment where you realize it’s late, your pupils dilate, and a sense of urgency regarding your studies finally kicks in. Don’t bother wondering where that urgency was two hours prior. Now is the time to get it. Don’t linger on the time wasted. Just abruptly close your Netflix tab, rip your earphones out, go to the library, and assume #grindmode. You’ll be tired when you’re done, but you’ll have the satisfaction of being able to say you were productive despite a rough start.

3. Plan For The Future

After your initial efforts to compensate for all the time spent procrastinating, get some rest. After that, however, it’s time to reflect. What’s hindering your productivity? Whatever it is, remove it from your study environment. Be it a person, the internet, or proximity to your bed, do what you have to do. Do you need to make a schedule? No? Make one anyway. For me, it helps to be accountable for every minute, to estimate in advance how much time a task will take and try to stick to that limit. Given, I don’t really do that. But I’m going to start.

4. Adopt An Accountability Buddy

Not someone who makes you laugh or always has a story to tell. Find a super type-A, task-oriented, linear-thinking person who possesses an agenda that could make a Pinterest-lover cry. Make that person your study buddy. They’ll kick your butt when they see you distracted. Tell them in advance that you’re weak for social media and that you’ll come up with any excuse to go get a snack, so they can call you out.

5. Go To Sleep

Sometimes, when the damage is done, you need to just call it a night. After a certain point, your brain is no good, depending of the amount of sleep you’re working with. At that point, you may want to see if you can rest a bit and wake up in time to make progress on your assignments. Forging new habits is good, but we’re not in the business of depriving our bodies of sleep as punishment for procrastinating.


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
friends
Photo by Elizeu Dias on Unsplash

If I have learned one thing in my lifetime, it is that friends are a privilege. No one is required to give you their company and yet there is some sort of shared connection that keeps you together. And from that friendship, you may even find yourself lucky enough to have a few more friends, thus forming a group. Here are just a few signs that prove your current friend group is the ultimate friend group.

Keep Reading...Show less
ross and monica
FanPop

When it comes to television, there’s very few sets of on-screen siblings that a lot of us can relate to. Only those who have grown up with siblings knows what it feels like to fight, prank, and love a sibling. Ross and Monica Geller were definitely overbearing and overshared some things through the series of "Friends," but they captured perfectly what real siblings feel in real life. Some of their antics were funny, some were a little weird but all of them are completely relatable to brothers and sisters everywhere.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Types Of Sorority Girls

Who really makes up your chapter...

1567
Sorority Girls
Owl Eyes Magazine

College is a great place to meet people, especially through Greek life. If you look closely at sororities, you'll quickly see there are many different types of girls you will meet.

1. The Legacy.

Her sister was a member, her mom was a member, all of her aunts were members, and her grandma was a member. She has been waiting her whole life to wear these letters and cried hysterically on bid day. Although she can act entitled at times, you can bet she is one of the most enthusiastic sisters.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

10 Reasons Why Life Is Better In The Summertime

Winter blues got you down? Summer is just around the corner!

1368
coconut tree near shore within mountain range
Photo by Elizeu Dias on Unsplash

Every kid in college and/or high school dreams of summer the moment they walk through the door on the first day back in September. It becomes harder and harder to focus in classes and while doing assignments as the days get closer. The winter has been lagging, the days are short and dark, and no one is quite themselves due to lack of energy and sunlight. Let's face it: life is ten times better in the summertime.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Things That Describe You and Your College Friends

The craziest, funniest, and most unforgettable college memories are impossible to create without an amazing group of friends.

1052
College Friends
Marina Lombardi

1. You'll never run out of clothes when you have at least four closets to choose from.

2. You embrace and encourage each other’s horrible, yet remarkable dance moves.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments