the science behind procrastination 2-13-14
DESCRIPTION
Most parents subscribe to the idea, “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today,” but their kids prefer the saying, “Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow.” As adults, we see the downside of procrastination – stress (on them and us!), anxiety, nagging, late nights, and family conflict. So many children struggle with the temptation to delay the inevitable – especially when there are Twitter feeds to check and Instagram photos to upload. The good news is that new research has revealed that there are small steps parents and students can take to curb this big problem. During this webinar, you will learn why students procrastinate in the first place (it may not be what you think) and what research reveals when it comes to tackling this pervasive problem. Join us for practical tips for kids of all ages.TRANSCRIPT
The Science Behind
Procrastination
Presented by:
Ann Dolin, M.Ed.EC Tutoring, President
Introductions Ann Dolin, M.Ed.
President and Founder, Educational Connections Inc.
20 years of experience as teacher, tutor, and education consultant
Author of: Homework Made Simple: Tips,
Tools and Solutions for Stress-Free Homework
A Guide to Private Schools: The Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland Edition
Feel free to contact me anytime. [email protected] 2
Statistics vary by age; 20% of general population, up to 70% of college students
Those who rate themselves as high in this area have: Lower achievement More negative feelings More health problems
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If Everyone Procrastinates, Why Is It a Problem?
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When it comes to academics: Higher stress levels Reduced accuracy
Things our tutors have noticed: Functional procrastination Dysfunctional procrastination
Chapter in Homework Made Simple
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Impact on Students
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It’s not due for another week! I have plenty of time.
I work better under pressure.
That will only take me a half hour – tops!
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Excuses We Hear…
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“I work better under pressure” Not true; more mistakes,
more stress Becomes a habit, so students
know no other way
“I’ll be in a better mood later on to do it” The better mood does not
come Students are really at a
crossroads in terms of “mood repair”
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Common Myths
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Executive functioning abilities (frontal lobe) I - initiate S - sustain I - inhibit S - shift
Procrastinators have weak EF abilities
Problem is with self-regulation
Good news is that improvement can be made !7
EF and Procrastination
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Student must want to improve
Recognize “giving in to feel good” Fork in the road Post Instagram photo or
start math? Send a few texts or begin
bibliography? Stop, engage in self-talk
What Are the First Steps?
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Just Start
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Strategies our tutors use: “Tolerable ten” “Five minutes of fury” Do first two problems Study five vocab words Create a title page and
add one source to bibliography
Use a hula-hoop or “one song” approach
Success breeds success
Set the Bar LOW by Time or Task
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Find multiple locations Distraction-free as
possible Computer in public
place Limit open applications Have a homework
routine – depends on student’s age
Create a “Distraction-Limited” Area
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Distractions – different for each student Music – okay for rote
memorization, not for tests
TV – never good Texting and FOMO – Consider a “tech break”
Managing Distractions from Media
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Other Strategies
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Time Travel Forgiveness “This is probably a
bad idea” The 80/20 rule Outside help:
ectutoring.com/educational-coaching
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Free resources
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Contact Info Ann Dolin [email protected] www.ectutoring.com 703.934.8282
Thank you for attending!
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Q&A and Contact Info