I can't stop procrastinating, please help!?

Well, now I've been mentioned, I feel I must say something...

I was just going to wait and see if this person chose a best answer or procrastinated, truly, and left it to the vote of others.

The people here have said a bit of what I'm going to say, but there's more to it, so...

I'll explain... Without going into Neurology or BioPharmacology, which is pretty heavy for someone studying Classics, Maths, Basic Science and US Current Events...

Sounds like an high-school student, GCSE or A level, to me.

I think A Doctorate level explanation will be a bit overwhelming.

Mizzy T's provided you with the Neuro / BioPharm info of procrastination, as understood by Americans.

The English have another idea about the whole thing - we call it being a Lazy Sod.

Or Bone Idleness.

Not that you're either - I think you're this:

Or hating homework that you're not interested in cos it's BORING & I'M TIRED!

Which is, I think, your case...

(btw...

Have you ever hear of the Procrastinator's support groups?

They're always put off til tomorrow... )

Isn't the Odyssey a lovely story?

Maybe you don't like it. I think it's quite interesting...

Who at school likes Maths? Except for the ones who get it straight away?

At school, I wasn't so good - but I passed because they didn't want me to fail, knowing I was capable BUT A PROCRASTINATOR AND BORED AND TIRED!...

Building a Science Project sounds like fun - I used to always make explosives & chemical reactions that resulted lots of mess & teachers getting angry.

I loved Science at school...

As for Current events - They're not really useful to you right now, are they? But they will be one day.

Current events for you are Procrastination & not getting your homework done.

The Presidential Debate?

From what I hear, there isn't one - there are posters of Obama, smiling & waving, outside Number 10 Downing St. everywhere here in London.

Most have been graffiti'd with the #10 to say 10U 4 the War...

(A little bit of info for ya)

-------------------

Here's some help for you that will ensure you can get over all of this and stop procrastinating & getting stressed - that is if you get over the procrastinating, read this answer & actually do it!

The Exhaustion first...

Tired a lot, hmm?

Sounds like you're either out too late with your mates (possibly doing things that don't help your brain - "There's a time and place for everthin' children and that's College!" says Chef. In my experience, it's whenever you do it and decide you want to stop. And you will be tempted and you will want to stop...), not getting enough sleep, being dragged out of bed or have a bad diet.

Fixes for this mean a routine (as do all of the fixes, I'm afraid) - and with a GOOD routine comes rewards and satisfaction. Satisfaction being it's own reward and it's absolutely priceless, I can assure you.

First off, getting out of bed a little earlier - force yourself.

If you're really tired - scratch your scalp and rub your face, get up and start moving to the bathroom & wash.

That'll wake you up enough to get dressed and go and get some breakfast (for which you'll have plenty of time, since you got up a bit earlier than normal...).

Maybe a cup of tea - try to avoid coffee...

It's not good for you. There's a myth that tea contains more caffeine than coffee. That's weight for weight...

A cup of tea will warm you when cold, cool you when hot, calm you when anxious and wake you when tired.

So - you've got up early and had breakfast...

That's the first part of your routine:

A wake up & a good breakfast.

You know, hot chocolate (low cal if you want) is one of the best drinks you could have? Chocolate based stuff will help with energy & appetite & if it's made with milk and / or is a malty type - it'll help you relax and sleep too...

Don't overdo it though! Too much of a good thing can be bad for you!

Reward yourself for it by staying in bed all day on Sunday (unless you've got something special planned or want to finish off some homework or something...).

Next, you need some kind of Time-Table to organise all this homework - in order of priority.

I always found it best to do the homework on the day it was given, as soon as I got home, after eating, so that I had the rest of the evening to play games & programme my Commodore 64 or go out with my mates & smoke weed.

Not that I'm suggesting you do that. But weed does make you a terrible, lethargic, lazy procrastinator... Try to stay away from it or, if you must take it, only at weekends.

Take that from a guy who has done every drug you can think of and twice as many you can't...

I think you yanks have something called DARE - Try to avoid them too.

"It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all..."

That's my stance on drugs, including alcohol, caffeine and nicotine, etc... - someone who can GIVE SOMETHING UP can do something all the others cannot. They have strength of will & are NOT a procrastinator (in the same way... Sometimes I say "meh, I'll just get drunk tomorrow..." every day).

When I grow up, I'm gonna be an ATF Agent and shoot guns, drink Jack Daniels and smoke Marlboro's!

But seriously - "Drugs're bad, mmkay, Mr Mackay?"

By getting yourself into a good Circadian Rhythm - that's a sleeping cycle - by going to bed a bit earlier (read a book or listen to music, going to bed doesn't mean going to sleep - just resting until sleep. I used to do my *ahem* sleeping exercises at this time [whacker], plus the morning, plus the daytime, several times a day...) & getting up a little earlier each day than you are at the moment, eating the right foods at the right times - you'll probably find your energy levels increase somewhat...

Remember to reward yourself (or ask your folks to help you and reward you whenever you stick to your self imposed time-table / routine) so that you have a really good incentive to actually improve your life AND get something cool out of it too!

One thing I found helpful if ever I had too much homework to do in a night AND spend time on doing what *I* wanted to do, was to do some of it at school during breaks or after school. NOT during class at the last minute.

Perhaps start some homework when the recess bell goes so that it's already on the go for when you get home.

Make a dedicated homework area - make it nice and neat and tidy and comfy.

A little den that's only for study and homework.

Play some music that's calming & will help you think better.

Something that doesn't distract.

Trying to solve maths problems to System of a Down is pretty hard.

Solving them to Portishead or Mozart (Mozart being proven to improve a student's performance if they listen to it a lot - google it) or something is MUCH easier...

Since you asked this question, I'd doubt that you're what we'd call a TRUE Procrastinator - someone with a condition.

If you were, you'd never've asked this question, having not got round to it.

It seems more that you just don't like doing your homework...

Which none of us did / do.

But we must if we want to achieve &, atm, achievement's everything right?

Making the grade & the cut - all that...

Just to summarise (cos this is a long answer - sorry if I've bored you to death):

Routine - resting, sleeping and waking at better hours, eating and diet at the right times, reward, repeat. Get help from teachers and parents - make them aware that you are experiencing this problem.

That the homework's bottom of your list of priorities and you have NO enthusiasm about it...

Dedication - Study area, Time-table for homework, Asking for help & / or leniency if you feel you are overloaded.

After explaining the reasons why - be honest... Say you keep procrastinating cos you're tired when you get home, but you're working on that tiredness, & you find it hard to get motivated enough to find the work interesting enough to be enthusiastic about...

These two seemingly simple-sounding things (that will take a bit of effort and possible help from folks & teachers AND getting off your A$$ & doing it.), I can absolutely assure you - as I've helped many other people in your situation - will solve these issues; change your life so much that you will be confident, attractive, smart & funny wherever you go & whatever you do.

You'll be the person that people envy, cos they're cool AND they're smart.

As for athletics - I practice Martial Art.

I'd choose that over ANY other sport or physical hobby. It'll increase your energy levels, concentration, DISCIPLINE and improve your physical appearance and charisma and mental celerity.

Keep it a secret...

Doing all of the above means that you'll have all this:

Respect for yourself: Becoming a better person by preparing yourself NOW for what comes LATER. (Life sometimes gets rough - the skills you learn now will help you deal with them. They also help you appreciate the GOOD times more, too!)

The respect of your parents and teachers & their help cos of your willingness to improve yourself & yr honesty in admitting your problems (to the right people...).

The respect / envy of your peers & fellow students for being the cool & smart person.

And you will get the rewards!

Plus, you'll be happier and less tired and frustrated than you are now.

But that couldn't be too hard, could it?

You sound pretty tired and stressed to me.

You're lucky that you're getting advice from these people...

It's good advice. Some of it, anyway...

As Nike says:

Just Do It.

[insert swoosh & ©]

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/axyUp

The first step to stop procrastinating is to be aware of why people procrastinate. From an economic point of view, the further into the future something is, the less value it has. The closer it comes to the present, the more intense it feels. Here's two situations that I'll use to illustrate: Having a book report due and watching movies on dvd. So, when you have two months to do a book report, most likely you will not do it on the first few days because the value of doing it decreases a lot. You say to yourself, "I'll do it next week. I'll watch my movie on dvd instead." If you examine this situation, you'll see that since the homework is due two months away, it just isn't that important at that moment, and since the dvd is right there in your hands, it's value is really high. Therefore, you will watch the dvd, rather than do your book report. That is, as things get closer to the present (from the future), they become reinforcers and punishers. As any psychology major can tell you, reinforcers and punishers are really powerful. So by this logic, the closer the book report due date comes, the more intense it feels. How do you stop procrastinating? Be aware that even though two months is a lot of time to do a book report, most people end up doing other things (such as watching dvds, talking on the phone) in the meantime, because the value of those things are higher than the homework that is due in two months. The second step is to decide that you will do your homework now. You must make that decision. Finally, once you've decide you want to do it now, you plan. Come up with a plan as to where and when you will study. Saying specifically the place and time you will study makes it easier to take action. Hope this helps you.

The payoff you receive for procrastinating is most likely the reason why you find yourself repeating the pattern.

Procrastinators put off tasks until the very last possible moment because, at that l a s t moment, there is a burst of energy from adrenaline and neurotransmitters released in response to the extreme stress the brain is under.

Procrastinators get a natural high, a natural euphoria, by waiting until there is no more time to wait for completing the task, if he/she wants to succeed.

Many procrastinators are known for saying, "I do my best work under pressure." That is actually not the truth, but it justifies the waiting as a worthy cause.

The fact that you are feeling so tired and would rather not do the work right away is another factor. If you are tired all of the time, it may be that you unknowingly look forward to the rush at the last minute because you need a lift out of the typical daily fatigue.

I've learned the hard way that early and steady preparation actually prevents the daily fatigue to some extent....I get a "second wind," a new burst of energy because I'm tackling something that is hard and I know I will conquer the task. Now THAT brings a REALLY good feeling....and it is MUCH better than the last-minute stressed-out energy lift and subsequent energy crash. (Okay, Saccade, be nice!)

Consistency is what your body needs, what your brain needs, and what you as an individual need to find escape from the ever-present mental fatigue.

Procrastination is the thief of time. We have heard this quote so many times that it almost seems like a cliché now. Nevertheless it still is one of the truest lines for sure. How do we ensure that this doesn’t happen on a regular basis? Here are some thoughts that might help

Can T Stop Procrastinating

This Site Might Help You.

RE:

I can't stop procrastinating, please help!?

IT's getting so out of hand! Basically, i always sit down at school and tell myself i'm going to go home and do my homework. but once i get in through the door i'm too exhausted to pick up my homework and work.

it has gotten so bad since i'm always piled high and teachers are busting me for doing...

It doesn't sound like you are procrastinating, it sounds like - as you said - you are exhausted.

If you don't do these things already, it might help to make sure you are getting enough sleep (8 hours or so, depending on your age), eating properly, and allowing yourself enough breaks to aid your concentration.

I always used to come home, have a snack, sleep for an hour, and then try to do some homework.

It can also help to learn to do what you have to in the smallest space of time, using minimum energy. I found it helps to do things like read using a pencil/pen moving across the page to guide my eyes - eyes are made for following things that move, not words still on a page), and read as fast as possible - it's amazing how much you take in! Also, worrying less about what I should write before I write it, just hurl something down as fast as possible, and then edit it. Suddenly homework seems to be done already.

Well, your already wasting time by being on the computer. The sooner you begin your assignments, the sooner you'll have them done. I know it's easier said than done, but you have to be more disciplined. Don't allow yourself to drift from the task at hand. Tell yourself, your going to do your assignments before you allow yourself to do any leisure activities.

Knock out all the tough stuff first, like the math home work and science project (which you probably should have already started on). Writing the essay on the presidential debate, should be fun. This is the most interesting, presidential debate ever. Just write you take on it, everybody has an opinion on it. The current event worksheet, you can probably catch some ideas from the evening news or reading the news paper. That's an easy one. Then, allow yourself a little bit of you time and do your reading right before bed.

Important things is, you have to but your school work first. Think about how beneficial it will be in the long run. Plus, impress your teachers and peers by having your assignments done. You'll feel really good about yourself, knowing that you did the work a head of time.

So, get off the computer and get crackin! Lol

Good luck

It is the wish of every person to be successful in all his aims. Everybody wants to have a good life without any concerns and stress.

Go to your classmates and teachers for help. Do what you can and then show them that you need more time on other stuff. Also convince them, and make sure that, these do not happen again.

do you have a study hall during school? do things then if you do. if not, then when you come home, eat a snack or whatever and then just get started. take breaks every so often, thats what i do. i also listen to music to keep out distrating background noise.