Is Your College Student A Procrastinator?

Advice for Parents of College Students…

 By: Dr. Debi Yohn

Procrastination affects 90% of all college students with 25% of college students being chronic procrastinators. These are the students that drop out.  A student can only go for so long before they have burned all their bridges, and no excuse will work. 

College diplomas are not given to the student that did not complete the requirements.  It is an easy formula.  The student does the work.  Passes the courses and then gets the diploma.

So, what is procrastination and how can you as a parent help your college student?

Procrastination, pure and simple, is the avoidance of doing a task.  Of course, this is accompanied by feelings of guilt, inadequacy and self doubt.  Procrastination will interfere with personal and academic success.

Procrastination is letting a low priority task… get in the way of a high priority task….

From the parent’s perspective how have you enabled procrastination?

The helicopter parent covers for the student, does the work for the student and makes excuses for the student.  The parent does not allow the student or the child to learn the lesson and feel the consequences that go along with the procrastination as children.  With youth the consequences are not so dire but when the young person is an employee or a college student, they are held accountable, period.  No excuses.  No Mom or Dad calling the office...

If the student gets away with the procrastination, they have no reason to change their habits.  Procrastination can be cute and laughed off  as a child but it is not cute when someone else has to pick up their slack. 

What works in discouraging procrastination? Answer: Serious consequences.

Procrastinators have distorted thinking.  They think they can get that term paper done the night before.  They think they might get lucky and guess all the right answers on the exam.  They think they can watch TV and get their calculus take home exam done... and get an “A ".

Chronic procrastinators have lower GPA's no matter how high their IQ.  They just have difficulty with self regulation.  They want what feels good, and they are unable to deny themselves. 

This problem can become a life long issue.  Procrastinators do not make good employees because other employees resent having to cover for them.  It affects friendships because they cannot be counted on.  The procrastinator has the intention of being a good friend, but the follow through may not happen.  They forget to send the card, make that phone call or follow through with a promise. 

Statistically, procrastinators are also a poor health risk because they tend to postpone taking care of themselves.  Since they procrastinate, they neglect problems. Procrastinators, since they have avoidant coping styles, often continue to smoke, drink and overeat.

What is some advice for chronic and casual procrastinators?

Improving time Management is too global.  Do not buy any management systems, calendars, books on time management...  The student does not have the time to read them.  They probably already have a stack of them any way.

Some suggestions you might offer your student:

• Divide large tasks into small tasks and then do the steps, one at a time.
• Have realistic goals.  There is no homework fairy.
• Choose a proper study environment and that does not include a bed or a comfy stuffed chair.  A wooden table and chair is probably your best bet.
• Discipline.  Do tasks in short doses and then reward yourself appropriately.
• Study in small study groups
• Disable your SMS, Chat and cell phone while you are studying.
• Use Facebook and MySpace as rewards to getting homework complete.

Procrastination has dire consequences.  Communicate to your student that all the fun of being independent and on their own in college can quickly be over.  Their future will be working boring minimum wage jobs doing manual labor.  Life can quickly get out of control and their future options will become limited.

College provides a life lesson that must be learned.  Procrastination may be something your student will always struggle with but they will reap rewards by keeping it under control.  Procrastination gets better as good habits are practiced.  As your student finds success in keeping up with their assignments, they will actually enjoy the reward of being responsible.