Introduction.
Procrastination. It is a noxious weed in this mortal experience. The temptation to wait until tomorrow robs a person of the security of being prepared for the future as well as being able to enjoy today to the fullest. To live joyfully, we must recognize the temptation to procrastinate and look for the reward if we simply do what needs to be done. Many people claim that procrastination is helpful by allowing them to enjoy the moment and not have to worry about a task or situation, when, in reality, procrastination is a habit which robs a person of their self-esteem and negatively impacts their educational opportunities.
The habit of procrastination.
In her online MOOC course, Learning …show more content…
The task is still undone, and we begin to feel bad about ourselves. In the February 2001 New Era, President Thomas S. Monson stated, “Procrastination . . . is the thief of our self-respect. It nags at us and spoils our fun. It deprives us of the fullest realization of our ambitions and hopes.” As these ambitions and hopes die due to missed opportunities, it becomes easier to rationalize that we really didn’t want that anyway. But deep inside we know the truth: if we hadn’t delayed action, we would now be moving in a different direction. Freedom has not been obtained – instead limitations have been …show more content…
These are the foundation of a formal education, and the temptation to put off doing all of these things is cyclical: assignments haven’t been completed and the person is not prepared for class, so it is easy to not attend class; because class was skipped, the assignments are more difficult, thereby making it easier to put off doing homework. As this pattern continues, learning ceases. In reality, learning something new is generally an uncomfortable experience. What happens in uncomfortable situations when a person has a procrastination habit? They put off the task in favor of feeling more comfortable at that moment. The incomplete assignments and lack of class participation due to not being prepared negatively impact the learning process. The destructive belief of “not smart enough” extinguishes a person’s desire to continue their education and starts a downward spiral.
ARGUMENT: I work better under pressure. In spite of experiencing negative consequences by indulging in the habit of procrastination, many still counter with, “But I work better under pressure!” In the book The Procrastination Equation, Dr. Piers Steel explains that it is possible to be addicted to procrastination. Habitual procrastination results in missed opportunities in both education and career, financial burdens as due dates are missed, and in strained relationships as others realize they cannot trust the procrastinator to be on