Let’s face it – we all do it.
Procrastinate.
It’s the art of delaying or putting off something until it has to be done – now!
For me it is report writing. I hate writing reports and as I have to write reports every term, that makes for a lot of procrastinating in a year. Because our students achieve very similar things each term, their reports are all pretty much the same.
And it becomes very tedious.
Very. Tedious.
As I read somewhere else in the blogosphere, it all comes down to getting in the zone and just writing. But before I can get into that zone, I can’t help but go through a period of procrastination.
My method for procrastination is as follows:
- Clean up the office / desk space because there’s no way I can write with things everywhere.
- Sit down at the computer and wonder how long it will take to write my reports.
- Make a cup of tea. Or coffee.
- Wander back to the computer.
- Open up emails.
- Check out Facebook on my phone.
- Check out Pinterest – hey there’s a good pin for maths this week. Better save that.
- Check out a news site for the local gossip.
- Check out my son’s high school site. Why has he got a late submission for his English homework?
- Duck off to the loo – exercise is supposed to be good isn’t it? Besides my neck and shoulder and back muscles are stiffening up. Laptops are not exactly ergonomic.
- Realise I’ve wasted 40 minutes so type like there’s no tomorrow (because sometimes there isn’t).
- Stagger out to the kitchen and declare to whoever is around “I’ve completed a report! Aren’t I clever?”
Then remember I have to do it all over again. Another 12 times.
OK, so there’s my confession. I know 13 students is not a lot but each report can take about 1.5-2 hours depending on the student.
Please let me know that I’m not the only one who procrastinates.
What causes you to procrastinate and why? What do you do when you procrastinate?
the EAL Teacher Writer 