Vitaly Gariev // Unsplash
Procrastination is a common habit among college students that can result in poor mental and physical health.
Procrastination is one of the most self-destructive habits that someone can have. It’s a never-ending cycle that won’t be fixed by a magic solution that’ll make it go away overnight.
If you’re a chronic procrastinator, chances are the main cause of the issue is something deeply rooted in your character.
In the digital age, there are more distractions than ever, with too much information being presented all at once. There is so much demand for our attention that we tend to lose sight of our goals.
The primary causes of procrastination can be traced back to poor self-image. An improper perception of self can lead to uninformed decision-making.
For example, you may think you work best under pressure brought on by deadlines, when in fact that’s simply the only motivator that you react to. It is an inaccurate assessment of yourself that has caused you to continue putting off tasks until they are unnecessarily close to a deadline.
You may think that you don’t turn in quality work, causing you to put off doing the work to avoid dissatisfaction with the finished product.
You may be a perfectionist, and knowing how painstakingly dedicated you are to perfectly performing a task, you elect to avoid doing it entirely as the expectations seem near unattainable.
Waiting until the last minute to do something once is understandable, but a record of regularly procrastinating can be a cause for concern.
In terms of physical health, sleep deprivation and an unhealthy diet are two major effects of procrastination. Staying up late or even all night to complete an assignment that was started the night before is common for college students, and a lack of discipline to cook food or to make the decision to eat healthy causes students to fall back on eating fast food too frequently.
In terms of mental health, procrastination can limit you from truly excelling in your career and in school, while you watch your peers succeed and exceed expectations. Similar consequences from procrastination can lead to feelings of self-inadequacy and depression.
The solution is to understand who you currently are, and understand what you want to be. Take an inventory of your goals, responsibilities and interests. Locate what you should be focusing on, where you’re weak and what motivates you.
You might work for money, for family or for yourself, but find exactly what you are motivated by.
One helpful method is self-manifestation, where you visualize yourself as the person you want to be and act as similar to that person as possible. In any situation ask yourself what that version of you would do.
It’s also imperative that you ask for help and a second opinion from a close friend or loved one, as they can provide valuable perspective as well as relate it to their own life.
Procrastination is wildly common and occurs to varying degrees, but it is nevertheless an impactful habit. Such a habit can be canceled out with strong discipline, honesty and a positive self-image.
Cole Jersek is a junior world cinema major from Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. Cole can be reached at [email protected].