A droopy, red-eyed student stares at her computer screen while typing the last few sentences of her research essay at lightning speed. She looks at the clock: it reads 2:30 AM. She texts her friend who is working on the paper as well and decides to take a break. She opens Snapchat and sends her friends who are also awake pictures of her computer screen. She looks at the clock: it reads 4:23 AM. She still has a paragraph left of her essay, and she quickly types something presentable. It is 5:10 AM, and she is finally done. She turns off the light and is finally able to slumber. People often put off important tasks, whether it’s something easy or challenging, until the last minute. It’s not something to be proud of, but it’s not something that one can easily overcome. As most know, procrastination, according to the online Cambridge Dictionary, is the act of delaying something that must be done, often because it is unpleasant or boring. Although many dawdle due to psychological factors, more people, especially students, now find themselves being drawn to ongoing distractions from advancing technology and easy access to social media platforms that are affecting GPAs, sleep patterns, and general health.
Technology was initially …show more content…
People procrastinate to avoid psychological stressors such as responsibility, judgement from peers, and even fear. According to Ciara Conlon, author of Chaos to Control: A Practical Guide to Getting Things Done, some people delay assignments because they fear failure. When students are skeptical of their abilities and are unsure whether the outcome of their completion is up to the standards given, they do not do it. They push back the assignment until completion is absolutely necessary. The human mind is naturally drawn to stimulations that are seen as exciting and pleasurable rather than stressful and