My level of procastication & 2nd best.
I should be working on one of my 3 academic/case papers right now with 2 that are due in 2 day yet I have yet to feel a sense of urgency. As I got older, Ive come to realized that stress is also self inflicted in a sense that I chose what I give attention to and how much I give attention to it creating an even more pressure to what is already there instead of stepping back and trying to see things in different perspectives or detaching my emotions out of the situtation in order for my brain to be able to function. Yes, its hard. It always is tough, I wont deny that its easier said than done but over time it can be done...just that first you always (or for me that is how it went) learn the hard way and feel all the pressure and pain. Stress is apparently the number 1 cause of illnesses both directly and indirectly.
Back to my papers, which I have yet to start writting, I am not encouraging cramming because that too can lead to stress. Learn to see what works for you, a system that optimizes your potential and for me its going all out a day or two prior to my deadline and just sleep and relax the day before helps my brain recover and remember what I had actually written, studied, practiced or whatever activitity (physically and mentally) I had done. I had friends who thought I was crazy or that I lied about just sleeping and catching up on my shows prior to the big days...it was my way of recovering from all the pressure and used up brain cells to prepare for the big day. That 1 day prior is a critical day or night as it sets my body and brain for the even more important day. Study yourself, take note of what works for you and what doesnt. Learn to learn what your learning style is then do it the way that works for you. Some thrive by repitition, some by hands on or through activities, some can just get it straight out of a paper or a book while others need that extra visual or audio.
My level of procastination is high, most see this as a bad thing but I see it as a good thing because I dont do very well working on anything way ahead of time. I get lazy, I procastinate, I get distracted, I prioritize other things and even though I started it earlier nothing substantial is done and I end up doing the whole 2 days prior and 1 day rest cycle anyway. My brain and adrenaline both work to the fullest (at least I’d like to think so) capacity 2 days prior and I will rest to the fullest as well the day after.
Procastination doesn’t always lead to stress, it depends on how you deal with it as I said earlier. If on the day I am supposed to rest cannot be a day for rest then I stress. My body is at a threshold when it should be recovering and resting but it isnt so then immense stress kicks in. Yes, this is the downside of my cycle. Also, I would like to point out that just because something is finished so close to the due date does not necesarily mean its crammed and therefore crap. I say, always do your best, if you can’t then do your second best despite whatever else is happening, focus. Give it as much effort as you possibly can, never give up before you even begin and never especially when you’re already half way through. 2nd best doesnt have to be derogatory and negative. Second best is still a best with what you’ve got under a not so ideal circumstances.
