It is 3:00 in the morning. I have three empty coffee mugs in front of me and am nursing a fourth. I've got nearly 10 tabs open on my Internet browser, but only six have to do with this article. The other four are Wikipedia, the Scrubs IMDb page, Facebook and lyrics.com. But I know that this article will be an improvisational work of art born from the stress of meeting a deadline and my desire for perfectionism.
I am a procrastinator. Dr. Tim Pychyl, professor of psychology at Carleton University, writes in his Web log on Psychologytoday.com that I share this "gift" with nearly 20 percent of the population. That means here at UT there are more than 12,000 procrastinators. 12,000 people who will clean their room, call their parents, check their e-mail and floss before they would work on that paper or read that chapter. The question is, are these 12,000 students selling themselves short?
Pychyl believes that procrastination is a learned trait that can undermine someone's physical and psychological well-being. Ouch.
In a collaborative article on Psychology Today with the site's editor-at-large Hara Marano, Pychyl states that procrastination is a serious problem relating to issues of self-regulation. And it doesn't end there. He says that because procrastinators can't regulate themselves, they tend to drink more than non-procrastinator drinkers, and may even be more inclined to abuse other substances.
Pychyl says that procrastination can also be a symptom of more serious underlying psychological issues. Self-esteem problems can keep some from completing tasks because they would rather people think they are lazy than stupid. Depression can render people so unmotivated that they would rather do anything else in the world than write that report.
With so much evidence, I should just hit myself with my dusty, unused weekly planner and change my ways, right? According to Dr. John Perry, a psychology professor at Stanford University and self-proclaimed "Structured Procrastinator," no amount of effort can change who you are. In a recent interview on NPR, he stated that "being a procrastinator is like being left-handed" - you can learn to use your right hand, but you'll always favor your left.
Perry agrees that uncontrolled procrastination is the best way to become a sad and stressed human being. However, when structured, he believes that procrastinators can use their tendencies to not only succeed, but actually become efficient time managers.
I know for a fact that procrastinators aren't lazy. I almost never find myself doing nothing to offset some looming college project. But I will do tons of other, slightly less important things.
In his article "Structured Procrastination," Perry asserts that the key to structured procrastination is making lists. To keep yourself motivated, you should make lists with the things you don't want to do at the top. Then, as you complete tasks, check them off. Completing tasks - and reminding yourself that you've completed them - will keep your motivation up, so that you when you get around to tackling your list-topper, you won't feel depressed about wasting time.
And don't limit yourself. Let your to-do lists run long and wild. "[Procrastinators] try to minimize their commitments, assuming that if they have only a few things to do, they will quit procrastinating and get them done," writes Perry on his Web site. "But this goes contrary to the basic nature of the procrastinator and destroys his most important source of motivation. The few tasks on this list will be by definition the most important, and the only way to avoid doing them will be to do nothing."
Procrastinating can still be dangerous. Waiting until the last minute can increase stress and weaken your immune system. It can affect your personal relationships, success at school and work and even your psychological well-being. But if it is controlled, it can work in your favor. Make lists, check off tasks and embrace your true nature. Starting tomorrow.
Stonecipher is an English and history senior.
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