Breaking the Procrastination Habit: Strategies for High School Success
When it comes to procrastination, the common mindset is to delay tasks until later. However, if you are goal-driven, there will never be a perfect moment when you have ample time. Time is your most valuable commodity. You can't buy more time, and unfortunately, it can't be gifted to you. Your only option is to use it wisely, poorly, or somewhere in between. As you mature, this concept becomes clearer, and you'll start making better use of the time you have.
Understanding Procrastination
Young adults tend to feel as if they have plenty of time. They often train themselves to believe that they work best under pressure. However, the truth is that they work best against a deadline. Successful individuals like to set their own deadlines well in advance. For example, if an assignment is due in two weeks, the average student might think, "I have two weeks, so I'll worry about it later." A Successful student, on the other hand, breaks down the assignment into subtasks, sets a timeframe for each, and starts working on it immediately.
Time Management and Success
The more successful you are, the better you can manage your time. Time management is crucial because success is not a destination but a lifestyle. You must cultivate success now to ensure success later. If you want to be successful in high school, you must take responsibility for your work right now.
The Consequences of Procrastination
Procrastination is closely linked with drama. Successful people, along with those who cause drama, actively avoid both. Procrastination can lead to missed deadlines, poor academic performance, and even legal consequences. In some cases, students may face disciplinary actions ranging from referral to juvenile court due to excessive absences.
A School Systems Perspective
I am not a school counselor, but as a former full-time teacher in a public school, I monitored student progress. I had to track performance, create benchmarks, and attend ARD (Admission, Review, and Dismissal) meetings. At the charter school where I have been substituting recently, the assistant principal keeps track of student performance. If students fail to meet their learning goals, they may be asked to leave a credit recovery program due to absences. In more extreme cases, students with a large number of absences may be referred to a juvenile court.
Actionable Steps: If you find yourself struggling with procrastination, start by breaking your tasks into manageable subtasks. Set clear deadlines for each subtask and stick to them. Use tools like calendars and reminders to stay on track. Remember, success is a lifestyle, and you need to cultivate it now to ensure long-term success.