Emotionally Preparing for Step One: How to Decrease Procrastination & Increase Motivation Karin E. Nilsson, Ph.D.

UC Davis CAPS SOM Wellness Workshop February 4, 2010

Don’t Let the Perfect Be the Enemy of the Good Procrastination can be a result of perfectionism—avoiding the anxiety can lead to avoiding the activity

Perfectionism-Procrastination Relationship

    Not all perfectionism is harmful. But fear of not being perfect can prevent us from starting, for fear of failing or not being good enough. Putting off starting till we don’t have time to stop can help us avoid stopping when things are half-done and feel less than perfect.

Not allowing enough time to do our best sets up an excuse to not be perfect. So…need to manage the fear of not being perfect without using procrastination.

Performance Arousal Curve, a.k.a. the Yerkes-Dodson Law

Perfectionism/Arousal

Arousal Management

       Relaxation—recreation, time with friends Exercise Meditation: free downloadable MP3s at http://caps.ucdavis.edu/relax Good nutrition Avoid over-caffeinating/substance use Positive self-talk: accurate, believable SLEEP—this is a marathon, not a sprint, your brain uses sleep to learn

Positive Self Talk

    Avoid comparing your insides to others’ outsides Identify specific, believable, accurate things you can say to yourself Avoid generalizations Do one nice thing for yourself each day. e.g., listen to a favorite piece of music, talk to a friend, talk a walk in a beautiful place, take a yoga class, watch a movie

Making a Study Plan

 Setting Goals  Using your assessment information  Using the Buddy system

“SMART” GOALS

 Specific  Measurable  Achievable/Adjustable  Realistic  Time-framed

Self-Assessment in Planning

 Use results of pre-assessment as a tool, not a measure of your value or future success  Acknowledge which subjects you struggle with and which you enjoy. Intersperse the hard stuff with stuff you feel good studying, but prioritize so you don’t spend too much time studying topics you already know.

Accountability Buddies

 Talk about expectations: Feedback? Just listening? Rewards? How frequent shall the check-ins be?  Not necessary to pick someone you are close to—sometimes having a buddy who is only an acquaintance can be helpful.

Things to Remember about Study Planning

      Build in breaks every day Build in “catch up” or rest days Be honest with yourself about other commitments you may have. Build them into your plan—everyone will know what to expect Use daylight hours—also promotes good sleep Plan blocks of time, not the whole day as one chunk Prioritize the day’s tasks in case you have to make adjustments

Time Management Matrix

Urgent

QI – Quadrant of Urgency

Crises Pressing problems Deadline-driven projects Some meetings Not Urgent

QII – Quadrant of Quality

Preparation, prevention Values clarification Personal development, self-care Planning Relationship building True recreation (re-creation)

QIII – Quadrant of Deception

Interruptions, some phone calls Some mail, some reports Some meetings Many nearby, pressing matters Many popular activities

QIV – Quadrant of Waste

Trivia, busywork Some phone calls Time wasters “Escape” activities Irrelevant mail Excessive TV Excessive video games

Choose One Thing You Will Do Today

Questions and Answers