During any given year, there are many moments and life events that seem to build to a point where one feels they are spiraling out of control. This is likely the busiest time of year for university students with a seemingly never-ending list of essay due dates, late midterms, presentations, and final exams. Hopefully this article will be beneficial to everyone who reads it, because it will guide those in learning how to stay productive while dealing with the stress and anxiety that comes with being busy.
Everyone deals with their “to-do” lists differently, and everyone’s lists encompass different things. Stressors come in a variety of different spheres and take different forms. Some of us are dealing with stressors from school, some from relationships, work, and some from a combination of different sources. The first step in trying to deal with these stressors and the anxiety that often follows is to figure out the culprit – the root of the stress. Once it is determined, it is time to find solutions to be productive in these often-burdensome and possibly unhealthy situations.
In an article by Heidi Grant Halvorson titled “How to Make Yourself Work When You Just Don’t Want To,” three different types of procrastination are identified: fear associated with “screwing something up,” feeling unmotivated due to laziness, and lacking the desire to do something due to it being “unpleasant.” Throughout the article, Halvorson suggests ways to work with and against these forms of unproductiveness to make you into your most productive self.
Halvorson begins by talking about people who hold themselves back because they fear doing something wrong, which is a harmful way to live because of the cycle of negativity. For instance, if I stop myself from working on an assignment because I fear doing it wrong, I would not only “psych” myself out and cause more stress to my life, but I also lose the precious time I had already set aside to write the assignment. By not acting on one’s own ability to get things done as a result of fear, individuals can actually lose what they already do have.
Halvorson recommends taking a “preventative focus” (focusing safety and responsibility) rather can a “promotion focus” (focusing on hopes and accomplishments). Psychologists often use a promotion focus, but according to Halvorson, it is only effective when people are feeling optimistic and eager. A “preventative focus,” writes Halvorson, “is actually enhanced by anxiety about what might go wrong” and causes people to “take immediate action.” This tactic is encouraging for those who are suffering from stress and anxiety because it gives them a reason to act instead of using their fear of messing up, which could result in them accomplishing nothing at all.
The second type of procrastination that Halvorson speaks of is the kind where people don’t act because they don’t feel like acting. This often comes from thinking things like, “I can’t do that, because I can’t do this.” An example Halvorson gives is, “I just can’t get out of bed early in the morning,” and she negates this by saying that in reality there is nothing stopping you. Halvorson’s stance is clear – if you want to do something then do it, because nothing is holding you back but yourself.
Some days, an extra hour of lazing around the house would feel nice, but it only feels nice in that hour, and then the rest of the day you may feel that you’re pulled too thin.
The third type of procrastination is “putting something off because it’s hard, boring, or otherwise unpleasant.” Halvorson recommends something she describes as “if-then planning,” which is to be used as a tactic to achieve something you want. Halvorson says, “Willpower is limited.” By utilizing “if-then planning,” people are able to achieve things because they know that if they do what they need to do, they will be able to do things they actually want to do afterwards. This type of planning can keep you motivated throughout the week. For instance, if you have plans for the entire weekend, you can get up early and do your readings each day this week, and only then will you be able to enjoy your time while away, because you wont be tied down by a heavy work load. Halvorson states that by using this solution, people “increase rates of goal attainment and productivity by 200 per cent to 300 per cent on average.”
Hopefully this article will make you feel it is possible to stay productive and relieve the feeling of being overwhelmed when dealing with this busy time of the year. Remember, the result of not acting on results in more stress, so it is best to make a plan and stick to it to guarantee a satisfying and productive year-end.