Have you ever put off an important task, say by cleaning your cupboard or filing your electricity bills month-wise? Call me lazy if you want, but that took up precision and time. All this, while I was avoiding writing this article.
Ah! I procrastinated. Believe it or not, we have all been a victim of procrastination, having the urge to push things away with the hope of attending to it later.
The word, “procrastination” is derived from the Latin verb procrastinare - which itself evolved from the prefix pro-, meaning "forward," and crastinus, meaning "of tomorrow.". So it definitely focuses on “putting it off for tomorrow” and we all know that tomorrow never really comes.
At Aditya Birla World Academy, Mumbai's top international school, we engaged in multiple interactions with our learners and facilitators to identify the true cause of putting things for later – procrastinating. And here’s what our learners shared with us
- Bored! I procrastinate because I genuinely have no interest in what I'm expected to do.
Most students find it challenging to pick up on learning or completing assignments when they don’t see value in the work they need to do. - Overwhelmed! I procrastinate because there is so much to do and I can’t decide where to start.
When faced with multiple tasks, students feel discouraged to get started and keep putting things off for later. - Fearful! I procrastinate because I fear that I just don't have what it takes to do a good job.
Our self-beliefs and fears don’t allow us to achieve our goals. These thoughts make it hard for you to take actionable steps to complete your to-do list. - Perfectionism! I procrastinate because what I'm doing is never good enough
Your personal demand to be perfect can be contributing to your ability to complete tasks on time.
As the best international school in Mumbai, we encourage students to make this the most important habit of the day- Eating that Frog, of course metaphorically.
Based on the concept devised by Brian Tracy in his book “Eat that Frog, 21 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time’. He symbolizes the Frog as an abstract representation of a task that you have been putting off, hoping it will resolve on its own. It is not only a task you’re likely to avoid; it’s one that’s going to have the biggest positive impact on your life
Brian Tracy was inspired by Mark Twain’s quote: “If the first thing you do in the morning is to eat the frog, then you can continue your day with the satisfaction of knowing that this is probably the worst thing that will happen to you all day”.
He encourages us to “eat that frog” which means that you address those tasks first thing in the morning, so you can be rest assured that the worst is behind. This will allow you to have a positive outlook and set momentum for the rest of the day.
Now that we know what a “frog” is and how to identify it, let us explore how to go about eating it in the most pleasant way possible.
- Set the Table –
The major reason for procrastination and lack of motivation is vagueness, confusion and fuzzy mindedness about what you are trying to do and in what order and for what reason. So most importantly, set our goals on paper – make them real.
You need to consciously think about your goals and review them. Every day, set a few minutes before you begin, take action on the most important task you need to accomplish to achieve your goal.
- Apply 80/20 Rule to Everything
Successful people focus a considerate amount of time separating the important from the unimportant. Before you get started on any tasks, ask yourself, ‘Is this task in the top 20 percent of my activities or in the bottom 80 percent?
- Set priorities using the ABCDE Model
Focused on helping you address the most important task first this method would allow you to be more focused in accomplishing your goals. The theory behind the ABCDE Model is to assign different letters to tasks based on their priority.
- Strive to bring in the FLOW
When you work towards your important tasks with focused energy and passion, you enter a state of “FLOW”. The simplest way to create this flow is by creating a sense of urgency or setting up a deadline to complete the tasks.
Repeat the words “Do it Now”, “Do it now” over and over again to get started on the task at hand.
- Identify the Constrains
Successful people have the tendency to engage in self-reflection and work towards changing the habits or patterns that limit them. Ask yourself “What is it about me that is holding me back?”
At Aditya Birla World Academy, the best international school in Mumbai the focus is on informing our learners that procrastination is more about emotional regulation than about character traits. Whenever you find yourself procrastinating, move forward, be gentle and focus on managing your emotion before you beat yourself up for putting things off for later.
Also read,
5 Tips to help Students Stay Focused and Motivated
https://www.adityabirlaworldacademy.com/blog/five-tips-to-help-students-stay-focused-and-motivated
Seven reasons why developing organizational skills in children is important. How are international schools in Mumbai factoring this in the curriculum?
https://www.adityabirlaworldacademy.com/blog/seven-reasons-why-developing-organizational-skills-in-children-is-important-how-are-international-schools-in-mumbai-factoring-this-in-the-curriculum
Thematic learning program of ABWA. How are international schools beneficial for the holistic learning of students?
https://www.adityabirlaworldacademy.com/blog/thematic-learning-program-of-abwa-how-are-international-schools-beneficial-for-the-holistic-learning-of-students
