The Dangers of Procrastination: A Key Source of Anxiety

So often our students complain to us that they find it incredibly hard to get started on projects ahead of time. They find themselves waiting until the very last minute, often starting the assignment the day before it is due and cramming late into the evening, causing stress and anxiety. They report to us that this approach is affecting their mental health and is basically unsustainable.

We try to emphasize the need to spread out the work over multiple days. Even if they can sit down for an hour per day, this will begin to chip away at the work that needs to be done and alleviate the stress that they are experiencing around the deadline. When we are proactive and take some kind of constructive action, we find that we start to feel better about our efforts and our ability to competently complete the project or activity. This positive feeling reinforces itself and drives us to take more action, which creates very healthy habits.

We are becoming more disciplined and developing routines. If we are consistent about taking these steps, we will reduce our stress and become more productive. These actions will build upon themselves and generate momentum for success.