THE Procrastination Bully – a time thief
DOES THE PROCRASTINATION BULLY INFLUENCE YOU? Question yourself “am I continually delaying or postponing taking action?” My procrastination bully starts screaming in my head telling me that I should really go and rearrange my book shelf before I start working, because if I don’t, I WILL become distracted while I’m working OR, if I don’t watch the last episode of Master Chef, I won’t be able to concentrate. And, so, I dutifully succumb. Sadly, the domino effect takes over and can seriously sidetrack and blow my plans for that day. Sound familiar? Well, don’t panic, procrastination is a complex, timeless and universal behaviour pattern and is real for many people including myself. It is a force that sidetracks your focus and prevents you from following through on your plans. Procrastination gurus such as Tim Urban suggest that some people may have a healthy relationship with deadlines and are more…
GET A GRIP AND GET SOME BALANCE
LET ME SET THE SCENE … I get it: you have a job because your rent, school fees, dining out and all your other living expenses, will not pay for themselves. But, like most others, you have ambition and drive and are determined to improve your life and the meaning you get from it. So, in an attempt to learn more; build your competencies; add to your list of qualifications; prove to yourself you can do it; give yourself a chance at a promotion or; become the entrepreneur you’ve been dreaming of for years, you undertook a postgraduate qualification. Congratulations! But, now, it’s time to write your thesis. This is a mammoth task and one that will be both daunting and challenging. Getting a grip on your life by balancing your thesis, work, family, health and any other aspect of life that is meaningful to you, is essential to this…
SACRIFICES – OH NO?
LET ME SET THE SCENE … I remember it all too well: You experience a great sense of achievement, success and pride at the end of your master’s academic year. The thesis component of your degree is looming. Your research proposal is accepted and with rejuvenated energy and passion, you plan your timeframe for the year ahead. You are confident, enthusiastic and rearing to go. But, have you considered the sacrifices you have to make? It is possible that at some stage your panic monster sets in. It may dawn on you that you’ve signed up for a commitment that, apart from being extremely demanding on you, also has repercussions for your family, work, hobbies and friends and requires sacrifices that you haven’t even thought of. At this stage you may regress into either a frantic or depressive state, which may cause a needless delay to your graduation date. The…