Many people tell us to control what is in our hands, and not to worry about the things that are out of our control. This is so true, but the irony of the statement is not lost to those who know that there is one and only one thing that leads to situations going out of our control and that one thing is “procrastination”. 

Now… if we don’t procrastinate, I can assure that you that a lot of things that matter to you will surely be in your control. But again, like many things in life that matter, it is easier said than done. What I mean is that it is very easy to say “don’t procrastinate”, but anyone in High School, who goes through a daily roller coaster of emotions, assignments and obsessive parenting knows that procrastination is a natural byproduct.

I’m not here to give you your usual, “these are very important years in building a life for yourself, therefore, its good to focus in high school” or “I know it can be hard to concentrate and be the best of ourselves during a global pandemic.”

What I can surely tell you is that I have personally been a victim of procrastination. I have realized that it is one of those things which tends to take over our lives silently, like a virus that is in the environment but strikes from nowhere and impacts those with less immunity, or maybe like termites who infest the best wooden fixtures and leave them weak and tottering. It seems all involuntary, but then the question is whether we can control and fix it and maybe completely eradicate the termites and the virus of procrastination. 

I read somewhere that procrastination is a mental block. It is a method through which we are able to run away and avoid things we don’t like doing, or where we subconsciously feel a fear of failure or the fear of being judged. 

We don’t like facing our fears head-on. And why should we anyway? It is draining. But procrastination allows us to look past the benefits of many things that may be important in the future. In a way, it is all about making a sacrifice and making the best use of our greatest resource… time. I mean you, me, and Beyonce, we all get the same 24 hours in a day. No, this does not mean you sit like a saint in your room and study, or work on goals that will help you get to the level of your aspirations, but for what its worth, be selfish. Think about yourself. Think about …that at this point of time, maybe you do really need is to pick up that book which is part of the coursework, and finish those past papers that would help you in exams.

We use all the reasons and justifications to convince us and others that procrastination was the right thing to do to justify all the time we waste. Procrastination is not you being lazy or tired, but the fact is that it is our mental block that has led to us using the time for something that was easy and kept us occupied, while in all honestly that time would have been better utilized on doing things that should have been under our control.

The procrastination can metaphorically be seen as the piece of wooden structure that has been wrecked by termites infestation. The termites are nothing but the attitude of procrastinating. The termites suck out the wood’s potential and make the wood hollow and worthless. Similarly, procrastination sucks out the quality of your work by taking away your precious time is not so “useful” activities and does not let your level of work reach where it could have.

And no, please don’t say that you work better under pressure because as we grow older, trust me, we will truly prefer those days when we aren’t rushing to finish things a couple of hours before their due date. As we grow older, things get harder, and we need a lot of time on our hands to make our quality of work the best it could be to truly achieve high dreams. Dare I say, we need self-disciple to make our version perfect to ourselves. 

So here are a few ways procrastination can be tackled: 

  1. First and foremost, realize that you have been running away from work. Don’t justify actions. And yes you had enough time, we all have time for the things that matter to us. Try to understand why and what you are going to do is important. 
  2. Literally, sit down and finish it off. Or make a start. Do it. Honestly, get off your bed and get on with it. 

Some other bright people who have either gone through IGCSE or are currently doing the course had some thoughts to offer as well! (Names have been changed).

Ivy Chen, 15, Grade 10

Keep a positive mindset, as this positive mindset can help you get deep into things and understand topics at an intriguing level. Purposely make yourself fall in love with what you are doing. 

  • Set time limits on your phone for different apps…challenge yourself. Keep your phone away from you
  • It is understandable to get drained when there are more pressures on the mind – – more than simply academics.
  • If you get distracted, ask yourself… “will this help me in any way in the future?” or “will I regret this later?” 
  • Give yourself rewards for completing targets i.e. watch an episode of your favorite show, watch one youtube video, go on your phone for a bit
  • Drink water in between studying 

Laura Bishop, 16, Grade 10

  • Have a routine that you strictly follow so you don’t really get a chance to procrastinate 
  • There are a lot of things that affect our state of mind i.e. the music we listen to and the different apps we have access to – – “this summer I reduced my screen time a lot and it honestly made me feel A LOT BETTER in so many ways.”
  • Music types to stimulate brain better (no need of changing songs as playlists can be used and songs don’t have lyrics to avoid distractions): Yiruma

Sameena Joseph 17, Grade 11 

“I panic when I do things last minute and have a mental breakdown”

  • Hide your phone (very elaborately) 
  • Work on a timer (breaks included)
  • Make a list and a make note of different times to complete those tasks (the key is not to burn yourself out and give yourself free time – be realistic in short term goal setting)

I hope this was helpful…see you soon.

Arshiya x