Know Your Procrastination Type

Procrastination isn't clinical for you yet, but does it still annoy you? You would like to do something against the constant procrastination? In such a case, it would be important for you to know what type of procrastination you are. In addition to the typology, you will also find tips for quick help here.

The Panic Animal

melancholic woman watching video on laptop at home showing procrastination

At first, you are very relaxed. After all, the housework only has to be finished in six months and the submission of the research portfolio is also in the distant future. So, there are no good reasons to start working now. You devote yourself to more pleasant things. Shortly before the deadline, you realize that there is still an open task. A pretty important one. At least now you'll start to panic. You should have started ages ago, after all. Instead of working effectively and consistently, despite this panic, you have to get the tasks at hand done. And that doesn't usually work that well.

The root of all evil is bad time management. The panic animal misjudges the amount of work, which is why it convinces itself that there is still enough time.

What can you do if you are one of the panic animals? You will hardly be able to motivate yourself with sentences like “I should” or “But I should”. The trick is to get your priorities right. Realize that you have a choice between a little effort over a longer period of time with little stress, or a lot of work in a short period of time with panic. Make decisions about what you need to get done and when. A so-called Eisenhower matrix can help here. And if it does not work, find a way where you can cut corners, like with the assistance of any essay writing service.

The Walking To-Do List

For you, to-do lists are half your (maybe whole) world. Do you have something to do? Of course, but before that, a list must be made in any case. It doesn't work without a list.

You are a real pro when it comes to listing writing. You write down all tasks that are somehow important, be it for university or job. The problem: In the end, you have a wonderful and comprehensive list in your hand, but you still haven't accomplished almost anything. Despite a nice list, you get bogged down, literally.

Little things get done, but really important tasks don't. And checking off items on a list may be satisfying, but if you neglect the awkward but actually urgent tasks, the list loses its usefulness. Like if you neglect writing an important essay and by this just postpone it until it’s too late. And when it’s already too late you start seeking services like grade miners to help you. 

If you recognize yourself in this description, you should heed the following advice: start with the most unpleasant task, because it is usually the one you are most likely to put off. And then, once you've got that task behind you, you can work off the rest of your list. Basically, such lists are absolutely useful if they are used correctly.

The Organizer

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Clutter doesn't really bother you. It doesn't matter whether it's a chaos of documents or a pile of dishes on the desk - you have no problem with a rather untidy work environment. Chaos is okay, you're even comfortable.

This changes at the latest from the moment when an important task is pending. This can be an exam, a term paper, or a presentation. Regardless of the task, this type always reacts in the same way: organizing and cleaning the workplace, no, preferably the whole apartment, becomes the top priority. Everything must be in order before work can begin.

Do you recognize your own behavior in this description? Don't worry, the organizer solution is pretty straightforward. The problem is probably that you feel overwhelmed and powerless in the face of important tasks, so you are looking for alternative activities that you can certainly handle. Your way out of procrastination is to break down your big tasks into smaller, and therefore less intimidating, subtasks. Small steps are easier than big leaps. Sure, you can always find alternative ways how to complete your tasks, for example, you can utilize the best writing services online, but again, it is better to learn how to minimize procrastination. 

The Parallel Player

Three or four projects at the same time are no problem for you. On the contrary, you even enjoy it. You start a task and halfway through you realize there was another project you wanted to take care of, so you move on with it. The problem: At some point, a whole series of tasks that have started pile up, all of which should actually have been completed, but aren't. The main reason for this is that the parallel player has problems concentrating on one task for longer. If concentration slacks, he prefers to devote himself to a new task.

If you find yourself in this description, you should heed three tips:

  • First, forget multitasking. Despite persistent myths that claim this, it doesn't actually make us more productive.
  • Second: Do your tasks consciously. This means that when you're working, you shouldn't already be thinking about the next task. This is rather counterproductive.
  • And third, get input from others. These can be fellow students or colleagues with whom you talk about your current project. This will give you insights into other perspectives and perhaps one or the other helpful tip.