Tips for Academic Procrastinators

Ever since God himself seemingly intervened to teach me a lesson about procrastination (full story below), I've been pretty good at avoiding putting things off--but not perfect. It's been especially tough in terms of my scholarship, which lately takes a back seat to teaching and department/university service. That's no good.

Fortunately, earlier this week, the always helpful Tomorrow's Professor Listserv delivered "Ten Reasons that lead to Writing Procrastination--and Rebuttals to Those Thoughts". These are some excellent reminders!

Of course, you might be thinking, "Hey, aren't you procrastinating right now by posting this instead of writing?" Ha!

Now as for that story: when I was in fourth grade, I had my very first research paper due. My subject was the Apache. I put it off and put it off and put it off until the night before it was due. Then I worked my tail off. My parents had gone to the theater that night and when they got home (it was almost midnight), there I was, still working on that paper with no end in sight. My mother looked at me, half-asleep and a wreck, and said, "You are not going to get it done. It's not going to happen. And you'll have to explain why to your teacher. Go to bed." I was devastated. I was not used to failing and hated myself for creating this situation for myself. Plus, I was in serious trouble with my parents. I cried myself to sleep.

The next morning--miracle of miracles--it had snowed a good six inches. No school! And a whole extra day to complete that paper. You can be sure I did--and seriously, I never procrastinated like that again.

Sounds like a made-up story complete with moral, but I promise, it's true.