I have a paper due next week, and I don’t want to do it. I skipped last week’s paper because I didn’t want to do it, but I was allowed to skip 1 paper this semester. I guess I made my choice. Now I have 2 papers due in a span of 2 weeks. I also have a presentation to create and a document to write for 2 weeks from now. But I don’t want to do that either.
My life has become a chain of boring events, and my internal self is a childish one with a lot of tantrums up her sleeve. She tantrums a lot more when she’s bored, and it’s hard to get her to listen to reason.
People have told me that, in order to get motivated, I should establish a rewards system for myself: if I write my paper tonight, I can do anything I want on Sunday. This approach has never worked for me for some reason. I have this perpetual feeling that: I am an adult, and I have earned the right to have chocolate cake for breakfast and ice cream before lunch. Why should I deprive myself? I deserve the reward. It’s REALLY hard to break this mentality, and my internal self tantrums if she doesn’t get her way.
Hence, procrastination is a big problem. My rational self spends hours upon hours worrying and worrying about the things she’s not getting done, while my tantruming self is off in a corner being tortured by my rational self, who’s trying to get her to come to her senses. It’s just an unbearable battle, and I hate it. If I could just do what I need to do, this wouldn’t happen.
Do you have problems with procrastination?
ina