Feature
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Cadre
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ¢
      26
      January
      1999
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Procrastination
      exposed
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Continued
      from
      page
      9
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ten
      and
      when
      your
      final
      copy
      is
     
     
      due.”
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Procrastination
      U
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Asides
      from
      addition
      to
      pres-
     
     
      sure,
      one
      of
      the
      most
      impor-
     
     
      tant
      causes
      of
      procrastination
     
     
      among
      students
      is
      the
      univer-
     
     
      sity
      environment,
      which
     
     
      Walker
      terms
      “a
      procrastina-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      tion
      system.”
      Many
      profes-
     
     
      sors
      try
      to
      be
      responsive
      to
     
     
      student
      needs
      by
      being
      flexible
     
     
      with
      deadlines,
      but
      this
      often
     
     
      rewards
      procrastination,
      thus
     
     
      allowing
      the
      student
      to
      count
     
     
      on
      soft
      deadlines.
      Moreover,
     
     
      Walker
      says
      that
      the
      lack
      of
     
     
      structure
      caters
      to
      those
      who
     
     
      want
      to
      put
      things
      off
      instead
     
     
      of
      learning
      unfamiliar
      --
      but
     
     
      ultimately
      valuable
      --
      time-
     
     
      management
      skills.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Kolbus
      agrees
      that
      his
     
     
      procrastination
      thrives
      when
     
     
      there
      is
      no
      structure.
     
    

    
     
      “If
      P've
      got
      a
      plane
      to
     
     
      catch
      at
      8:30
      I
      know
      that
      it
     
     
      leaves
      at
      8:30
      so
      I’m
      there
      on
     
     
      time
      to
      catch
      it
      --
      there’s
      no
     
     
      flexibility
      in
      those
      sorts
      of
     
     
      things.
      But
      if
      you
      give
      me
      flex-
     
     
      ibility
      on
      something
      then
      I’m
     
     
      going
      to
      take
      advantage
      of
      it.”
     
    

    
     
      For
      many
      students
      uni-
     
     
      versity
      marks
      the
      first
      time
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      What
      kind
      of
      Procrastinator
      are
      you?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      There
      are
      no
      quick
      fixes
      for
      the
      practiced
      procrastinator.
      Conquring
      procrastination
      begins
      with
     
     
      understanding
      what
      type
      of
      procrastinator
      you
      are.
      Dr.
      Lilly
      Walker
      of
      the
      University
      of
      Manitoba
     
     
      Counseling
      service
      has
      developed
      ofa
      list
      of
      the
      four
      procrastinator
      patterns.
      Which
      one
      fits
      you
      best?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      PERFECTIONIST:
      Perfectionists
      set
      high
      goals
      for
      themselves.
      Their
      dreams
      and
      lofty
      aspirations
     
     
      excite
      and
      stimulate
      them.
      They
      have
      great
      expectations
      of
      what
      they
      canbe.
      They
      are
      good
      visualizers
     
     
      so
      when
      the
      reality
      of
      their
      day-to-day
      behaviour
      does
      not
      meet
      their
      expectations,
      they
      retreat
      into
      their
     
     
      fantasy
      world.
      Perfectionists
      are
      demanding,
      insightful,
      and
     
    

    
     
      astute.
      They
      are
      well-aware
      of
      their
      inadequacies.
     
    

    
     
      They
      frequently
      attempt
      to
      motivate
      themselves
      with
      a
      series
      of
      I
      should
      admonitions.
      However,
     
     
      they
      have
      difficulty
      translating
      their
      good
      intentions
      into
      concrete
      actions.
      Perfectionists
      utilize
      their
     
     
      fantasies
      as
      a
      way
      to
      avoid
      their
      fears.
      They
      fear
      not
      measuring
      up,
      being
      mediocre
      and
      never
      being
     
     
      successful.
      They
      fear
      failure.
      Their
      challenge
      isto
      translate
      their
      dreams
      into
      action,
      and
      to
      change
      their
     
     
      demanding
      expectations
      into
      more
      realistic
      alternatives.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      POSTPONER:
      Postponers
      live
      for
      the
      moment.
      They
      are
      motivated
      by
      savouring
      pleasure
      and
     
     
      avoiding
      pain.
      Postponers
      have
      a
      low
      tolerance
      for
      frustration
      and
      boredom.
      For
      the
      postponer,
      life
      is
     
     
      intended
      to
      be
      fun.
      They
      find
      routine
      and
      self-discipline
      monotonous,
      thus
      they
      yearn
      for
      stimulation
     
     
      and
      excitement.
      The
      postponer
      views
      tomorrow
      as
      an
      exention
      of
      today,
      consequently
      there
      is
      no
      need
     
     
      to
      plan
      or
      priorize.
     
    

    
     
      Postponers
      thrive
      on
      the
      stimulation
      of
      surprise
      and
      the
      creative
      tension
      of
      difficult
      deadlines.
     
     
      Handling
      the
      pressure,
      working
      feverishly
      at
      the
      last
      minute
      and
      squeezing
      in
      under
      the
      wire
      add
      to
      the
     
     
      excitement
      that
      energizes
      them.
      Postponers
      put
      off
      responsibilities
      as
      long
      as
      they
      can,
      then
      complain
     
     
      when
      they
      feel
      pressured
      by
      deadlines
      and
      incapable
      of
      performing
      as
      well
      as
      they
      could
      if
      they
      had
     
     
      more
      time.
      The
      postponer’s
      procrastination
      type
      protects
      them
      from
      feeling
      responsible
      for
      their
      own
     
     
      destiny
      and
      facing
      the
      reality
      of
      creating
      their
      own
      future.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      POLITICIAN:
      Politician’s
      invest
      energy
      and
      effort
      into
      pleasing
      others.
      They
      are
      attracted
      to
     
     
      provocative
      ideas
      and
      fascinating
      people.
      They
      often
      choose
      activities
      because
      their
      friends,
      parents,
     
     
      co-workers,
      or
      significant
      others
      want
      them
      to
      be
      involved
      in
      that
      activity.
      Easily
      swayed
      by
      the
      opinions
     
     
      or
      requests
      of
      others,
      they
      have
      difficulty
      setting
      limits
      and
      making
      decisions.
      Easily
      distracted,
      they
     
     
      have
      trouble
      staying
      with
      a
      task
      and
      are
      confused
      about
      their
      personal
      goals.
     
    

    
     
      Because
      they
      need
      other’s
      approval
      as
      the
      basis
      of
      their
      feelings
      of
      self-confidence
      they
      allow
     
    

    
     
      others
      to
      direct
      their
      lives.
      They
      fear
      others
      will
      not
      like
      them
      and
      will
      go
      to
      any
      effort
      to
      ensure
      that
      others
     
     
      value
      and
      appreciate
      them.
      Politicians
      may
      be
      unaware
      of
      their
      procrastination
      pattern,
      feeling
      instead
     
     
      overwhelmed
      and
      overextended.
     
     
      Because
      they
      are
      overly
      invested
      in
      other’s
      expectations,
      they
      easily
      over
      commit
      themselves
      and
      have
     
     
      difficulty
      defining
      their
      own
      preferences
      or
      determining
      their
      own
      priorities.
      Politicians
      worry
      about
     
     
      disappointing
      others,
      thus
      procrastination
      is
      a
      way
      to
      handle
      the
      demands
      and
      expectations
      they
      feel.
     
     
      Procrastination
      is
      the
      politician’s
      means
      of
      gaining
      acceptance
      and
      approval.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      PUNISHER:
      Punishers
      perceives
      themselves
      as
      inefficient,
      i
      ible,
      undisciplined
      and
      lazy.
     
    

    
     
      feel
      trapped
      in
      their
      procrastination
      patterns
      perceiving
      their
      deficiencies
      as
      their
      destiny.
      Self
      critical,
     
     
      fatalistic
      and
      hypersensitive
      to
      mistakes
      and
      inadequacies,
      they
      feel
      defeated
      and
      unable
      to
      see
      any
     
     
      possibility
      for
      personal
      change.
     
    

    
     
      Their
      tendency
      to
      over-generalize
      or
      perceive
      situations
      in
      extremes
      traps
      them
      into
      feelings
      of
     
     
      powerlessness
      and
      self-doubt.
      They
      overestimate
      other’s
      abilities
      and
      underestimate
      their
      own
      thus
     
     
      producing
      feelings
      of
      worthlessness
      and
      fears
      of
      never
      succeeding.
      Their
      judgmental
      attitude
      and
     
     
      irrational
      thinking
      blocks
      them
      from
      discovering
      alternatives
      for
      productively
      managing
      their
      life.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      they
      have
      not
      had
      any
      formal
     
     
      structure
      to
      work
      under,
      es-
     
     
      sentially
      meaning
      that
      this
      is
     
     
      the
      first
      time
      when
      they
      have
     
     
      the
      chance
      to
      take
      charge
      of
     
     
      their
      own
      future.
      For
      some,
     
     
      this
      can
      meant
      that
      they
      learn
     
     
      to
      take
      control
      over
      their
      time
     
     
      and
      gain
      a
      sense
      of
      empower-
     
     
      ment
      from
      that
      control.
      Other
     
     
      students,
      however,
      learn
      how
     
     
      to
      work
      within
      the
      procrasti-
     
     
      nation
      system,
      and
      while
      many
     
     
      of
      them
      can
      get
      away
      with
      it
     
     
      for
      quite
      some
      time,
      Walker
     
     
      says
      that
      is
      ultimately
      catches
     
     
      up
      to
      them
      one
      way
      or
      an-
     
     
      other.
     
    

    
     
      “The
      only
      reason
      we
     
     
      change
      anything
      is
      when
      we
     
     
      meet
      a
      crisis,”
      she
      explains.
     
     
      “Tt
      could
      be
      a
      small
      crisis
      or
      a
     
     
      big
      one,
      but
      it
      is
      always
      some-
     
     
      thing.
      As
      long
      as
      procrastina-
     
     
      tion
      is
      costing
      less
      than
      the
     
     
      benefits,
      then
      procrastinators
     
     
      will
      keep
      putting
      off
      their
      re-
     
     
      sponsibilities.”
     
    

    
     
      Jeanna
      Struntinsky,
      the
     
     
      coordinator
      of
      the
      Peer
      Advi-
     
     
      sors
      centre
      at
      U
      of
      M
      agrees,
     
     
      saying
      that
      many
      students
     
     
      make
      the
      mistake
      of
      dismiss-
     
     
      ing
      minor
      crises
      instead
      of
      deal-
     
     
      ing
      with
      them
      before
      major
     
     
      problems
      hit.
     
    

    
     
      “Around
      exams
      and
     
     
      mid-terms
      a
      lot
      more
      people
     
     
      come
      to
      the
      Peer
      Advisors
     
     
      offices
      [with
      procrastination
     
     
      problems],”
      she
      said.
      “A
      lot
     
     
      the
      time
      all
      we
      need
      to
      do
      is
     
     
      take
      people
      back
      to
      the
      basics
     
     
      and
      tell
      them
      that
      they
      really
     
     
      need
      to
      schedule
      their
      time
     
     
      better
      instead
      of
      cramming
      it
     
     
      in
      at
      the
      last
      minute
      --
      common
     
     
      sense
      stuff
      that
      people
      need
     
     
      gentle
      reminders
      about.”
     
    

    
     
      For
      Kolbus,
      the
      crisis
     
     
      came
      last
      year
      when
      he
      nearly
     
     
      failed
      a-
      several
      courses
      be-
     
     
      cause
      he
      let
      his
      work
      pile
      up
     
     
      too
      much.
      It
      got
      so
      bad
      that
      at
     
     
      one
      point
      Kolbus
      wrote
      a
      draft
     
     
      6,000
      word
      essay
      two
      nights
     
     
      before
      his
      final,
      picked
      up
      the
     
     
      corrected
      version
      of
      the
      essay
     
     
      the
      next
      day,
      stayed
      up
      all
     
     
      night
      rewriting
      the
      essay
      and
     
     
      then
      handed
      in
      the
      final
      draft
     
     
      the
      day
      of
      the
      exam.
     
    

    
     
      “Tn
      university
      you
      don’t
     
    
   
   
    
     
      get
      nailed
      right
      away
      because
     
     
      the
      first
      years
      can
      be
      so
      easy,”
     
     
      he
      explained.
      “Then
      all
      of
      a
     
     
      sudden
      you
      get
      to
      a
      point
      where
     
     
      you
      realize
      you
      can’t
      get
      away
     
     
      with
      it
      anymore.
      I
      think
      the
     
     
      assignments
      and
      essays
      get
      to
     
     
      a
      certain
      point
      where
      you
      can’t
     
     
      do
      it
      all
      it
      one
      night,
      you
      have
      to
     
     
      learn
      to
      spread
      it
      out.”
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Conquering
      Procrastina-
     
     
      tion
     
    

    
     
      When
      procrastination
      stops
     
     
      working
      for
      someone,
      as
      it
     
     
      usually
      will
      at
      some
      point,
     
     
      Walker
      says
      it
      is
      crucial
      to
      deal
     
     
      with
      the
      procrastination
      the
     
     
      right
      way.
      Instead
      of
      feeling
     
     
      guilty
      about
      missed
      opportuni-
     
     
      ties
      or
      feeling
      completely
      out
     
     
      of
      control,
      students
      must
      real-
     
     
      ize
      that
      they
      have
      simply
      de-
     
     
      veloped
      a
      bad
      habit
      that
      can
     
     
      usually
      be
      dealt
      with
      relatively
     
     
      easily.
     
    

    
     
      “You
      have
      to
      face
      your-
     
     
      self,”
      Walker
      said.
      “Admit
      you
     
     
      are
      a
      procrastinator
      and
      real-
     
     
      ize
      what
      areas
      are
      causing
     
     
      your
      problems.
      Then,
      consult
     
     
      with
      either
      a
      counsellor
      or
      a
     
     
      book
      to
      understand
      the
      par-
     
     
      ticular
      roots
      of
      your
      procrasti-
     
     
      nation
      and
      what
      you
      can
      do
      to
     
     
      correct
      it.”
     
    

    
     
      Most
      student
      procrasti-
     
     
      nators
      simply
      have
      never
     
     
      learned
      proper
      time
      manage-
      .
     
     
      ment
      skills
      and
      once
      they
      de-
     
     
      velop
      even
      basic
      abilities
      they
     
     
      procrastination.
     
    

    
     
      “Start
      small,”
      Walker
     
     
      advises.
      “Make
      a
      list
      of
      three
     
     
      things
      you
      are
      avoiding
      doing
     
     
      and
      then
      do
      them
      for
      at
      least
     
     
      10
      minutes
      first
      thing
      in
      the
     
     
      morning.
      If
      you
      get
      in
      the
      habit
     
     
      of
      getting
      them
      out
      of
      the
      wa’
     
     
      first
      thing
      in
      the
      morning,
      you’
     
     
      find
      the
      remainder
      of
      your
      day
     
     
      will
      be
      much
      more
      enjoyable.”
     
    

    
     
      Another
      useful
      exercise
     
     
      is
      to
      establish
      what
      Walker
     
     
      calls
      a
      baseline
      --
      a
      list
      of
     
     
      time
      doing
      on
      any
      given
      week.
     
    

    
     
      “A
      baseline
      is
      one
      of
      the
     
     
      most
      significant
      exercises
      any-
     
     
      one
      can
      do
      because
      most
      stu-
     
     
      dents
      never
      realize
      how
      they
     
    

    
     
      Continued
      on
      page
      11