Page 77 - Keys to College Success

thinking ahead about risks—both the risk of being unproductive, as well as the risk of
prioritizing work over your social life—and what rewards may or may not come from
them. It can be risky to put out the high level of attention and focus that your work
may demand, but the reward is an education that can help you fulfill your life’s most
significant goals. Make your best choices by confronting procrastination, taking charge
of technology, and minimizing multitasking.

Avoid Paying the Price
of Procrastination
PROCRASTINATION
The act of putting off a task It’s human, and common for busy students, to leave difficult or undesirable tasks until
later. However, if taken to the extreme, procrastination can develop into a habit that
until another time.
causes serious problems. For example, procrastinators who don’t get things done in the
workplace may prevent others from doing their work, sabotage a project, or even lose
a promotion or a job because of it.
If procrastination can cause such major issues, why do it? One reason people procras-
tinate is to avoid the truth about what they can achieve. “As long as you procrastinate, you
never have to confront the real limits of your ability, whatever those limits are,” say pro-
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crastination experts Jane B. Burka and Lenora Yuen, authors of Procrastination: Why You
Do It and What to Do About It. A fixed mindset also naturally leads to procrastination.
A person with a fixed mindset thinks, “I can’t do it, so what’s the point of trying?”
Here are some strategies that can help you avoid procrastination and its negative effects:
■ Analyze the effects. What reward will remain out of reach if you continue to put
off a task? Chances are you will benefit more in the long term by facing the task
head-on.
■ Set reasonable goals. Because unreasonable goals can immobilize, take manageable
risks. If you concentrate on one small step at a time, the task doesn’t loom so large.
■ Get started whether you “feel like it” or not. Break the paralysis of doing nothing by
doing something—anything. Most people, once they start, find it easier to continue.
■ Ask for help. Once you identify what’s holding you up, find someone to help you
face the task. Another person may come up with an innovative method to get
you moving again.
■ Don’t expect perfection. People learn by
approaching mistakes with a growth mindset.
Richard Sheridan, President of Menlo Innova-
tions, fosters a culture of exploration by tell-
ing his employees to “make mistakes faster.” 7
■ Acknowledge progress. When you accomplish
a task, celebrate with whatever feels like fun
to you.

Take Charge of Technology

Many people find it challenging to resist the pull of
relaxing and fun activities such as video games, You-
Tube surfing, and socializing virtually or in person.
However, the fun stuff can run away with your time,
preventing you from taking care of responsibilities
and ultimately causing serious problems. Because
technology is so much a part of modern life, it can
seem risky to limit your exposure to it. However,
Balance means getting your work done as well as controlling when and for how long you interface
finding time to have some fun with friends. with technology will earn you the reward of its ben-
efits minus the suffering from its drawbacks.

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