Beyond Understanding
As faculty, we deal with the threat of procrastination every day we enter the school. So, we need to spend some time focusing on how to manage it. We also need to seek ways to possibly use it to our advantage. Imagine if we could harness its power and effects to improve progress rather than paralyze it. Therefore, we need to learn a plan for flipping procrastination.
In a previous blog article on this site entitled “Understanding Procrastination”, we looked at what procrastination is, how far it reaches, and what it can do to our students. Now, we need to move forward with this topic and learn strategies to improve and, hopefully, prevent procrastination.
Flipping Procrastination
Maybe I am being negative, but I do not believe that we will ever eradicate procrastination. Thus, I feel it will be ever-present in our world. I think it will always be a threat.
Therefore, my outlook is very direct. Now that we know what procrastination is and what it can do, let’s create strategies to first control it, then overcome it, and finally to flip it to use it as a positive tool.
And, this is the next step in this discussion. It is what I like to call “Flipping Procrastination”. Imagine with me, for a moment, that we could use procrastination for good.
- Could we use it to our advantage?
- Is it possible to harness its power to improve progress rather than paralyze it?
- What if we could truly FLIP procrastination?
The Audacious Goal
For me, this a goal worth pursuing. I was taught by a former supervisor and a great leader that goals should be audacious. His point made a lot of sense. If you shoot for the stars, but only hit the moon, you’ve done more than you ever thought you could in the beginning.
So, let’s aim for the stars. Let’s aim to not just control and overcome procrastination, but to reverse the effects of procrastination. To accomplish this audacious goal, we must work, step by step, to control it, overcome it, and then flip it.
An Overview of the Plan
I have developed an infographic to help consider the steps it would take to actually control, overcome, and then flip procrastination in our life.
What About You?
After reviewing the infographic above, what are your initial thoughts?
- Do the steps seem to progress properly?
- Do you see this being a way to improve procrastination in your life?
- What about your students’ lives?
- Or, do you see a step/s that need to be revised?
Now, I would love to hear from you on how this plan for dealing with procrastination may/may not help you or your students. Please comment to this article, and let’s discuss it. Maybe we can help each other out!
— Brent
Brent S. Mayes