05 Sep Why Procrastination Happens and How to Stop It?
Brooklyn Letters
1139 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn
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We would highly recommend Ally! Our son always asks about her, so very thankful to Brooklyn Letters for introducing us.
~ Emily, mom of Brooklyn 2 year old -
Nicole has been an amazing therapist!! She played a tremendous role in our daughter’s speech progress and overall development. She has come such a long way and we are so happy with the therapy she received!
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I cannot express how grateful and rewarding my experience with Brooklyn Letters has been. Her tutor Ms. Daria is so knowledgeable, amazing, kind and awesome. My daughter has made so much progress in Literacy and Math and it's all … More thanks to Ms. Daria. I know my daughter is sad that she can no longer work with Ms. Daria, as she looked forward to their sessions every week. Thank you again!
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Excellent services, caring therapists.
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Christina was absolutely wonderful. She went out of her way to win my son over and it worked. He looked forward to her visits and his speech improved so much under her care. She was super flexible and it’s clear she truly cares. We adore … More Christina and we’re going to miss her. Almost sad he improved so much! She’s simply amazing and we can’t say enough how great she is. I would recommend her services to anyone and everyone, without hesitation. Thank you so much for connecting us with her!
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We could not be happier with the services Valerie provided! She is very thoughtful and knowledgeable and provided significant guidance to support our daughter's speech development outside of our scheduled sessions. She established … More a great working relationship with her, and she will definitely be missed! Your business model is amazing and it was an absolute pleasure working with Valerie. I've referred your organization and Valerie to the Executive Director of our daughter's school and friends/colleagues who are in need of speech therapy services.
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We cannot say enough good things about Effie, the ASL teacher, who was so engaged and effective with our 2 year old daughter from the very first session! Effie gladly included our whole family in the sessions! Her expertise and fantastic … More personality gave our daughter a way to communicate that she was so desperately seeking. The coordinators at Brooklyn Letters were so helpful and communicative…I would highly recommend their services!
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The company is great with outstanding customer service. They keep my horses protected. I have recommended them to other horses trainers as well that are going to get service early next year. Very professional an honest too. Respectfully … More submitted Christopher
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Ron and Ken did a fantastic job with our security system today. Installed everything very quick. Both of them were very polite and asked us throughout if the installation met our needs. Simply fantastic!
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I called Cornerstone Protection to get a Security system at a relatives out of state property, within a week it was installed! The installers worked with the client to help understand her new system and she was happy! Our relative said … More they were courteous, professional and patient! I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection for all of your security needs!
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Had blink cameras; Car was broken into multiple times so I called CornerStone & they were able to install multiple cameras very quickly & for a reasonable price. I am so happy with the app & getting alerts that are not superfluous, … More like they were with Blink. Highly recommend CornerStone & the tech Ronnie.
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Ron and Ken are great guys to work with.
Both were very knowledgeable and got our system back up and running.
Thanks to both for a job well done... -
Samantha Dalmas was fantastic! We saw her for a feeding therapy evaluation and while she doesn’t think my daughter needs more feeding therapy sessions at this time, but she gave me lots of tips to try. If my daughter's doctors want … More to see more progress at her next appointment, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Samantha again.
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Amazing assistance provided by Shannon today on my security system. I’m so grateful for your prompt, efficient, professional, and courteous service. Put me down as a customer for life!
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One of the most painless experiences I've had. They came on time and was over the moon professional with still keeping a level of personability to it. The gentleman also went out of his way to say that my husband and Mines business … More was appreciated. Which is actually rare to be appreciated by such a great company. So thank you and we look forward to continuing services with this company.
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I am so happy we decided to go with cornerstone. They were quick and efficient. Shannon and the installer we very friendly. We got a lot of equipment and it was still within our budget. 10/10 would definitely recommend! Thank you
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Love the customer service and Shanon and his team go above and beyond for my restaurant. Couldn't of asked for a better security system and level of service that his team provides.
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I have been using Cornerstone Protection service for over 5 years and I'm really happy with the service and state-of-the-art equipments and it's futures are so much in advance and friendly, I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection … More Service any and all business that need a security protection days and nights specially after business hours(Cornerstone Protection is perfect solution for your business). Owner of Cornerstone Protection is proactive with their customers and their equipments. Good experienced with Cornerstone Protection!!!
Kanu Patel -
We had a very positive experience with Alissa as a tutor for our pod of 5th grade boys from January - June 2020. She cared a lot about the boys and worked hard to create meaningful activities for them. The pod experience was invaluable … More for all of our families during a difficult year and we were so grateful to have found this partnership! We also want to appreciate Craig for helping to match us with a tutor on very short notice after we had cycled through a few folks who were not able to see the commitment through. Thanks for sticking with us!
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Dusty was the exact person we needed to help our child finish out the school year. So grateful to him for the way he steadily encouraged her and helped her stay on track and organized. He is flexible, responsive to our needs/schedule as … More a family, and a delight to be with. We are also thankful that Craig at Themba Tutors really "gets it" and partnered us with such a wonderful tutor who was a great fit for our girl.
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My child worked with Gillian D virtually for math enrichment. She is an excellent teacher. She took time to understand my child's specific learning style and provided tools that would be engaging. She was kind and empathetic- really … More made it her goal to connect with my child and build trust and rapport. My child started the school year with confidence and without the typically "brain-drain" that occurs over the summer, thanks to Gillian.
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I am going into my second year as a Themba tutor. I have met so many great individuals while working for this company. Craig and the rest of the Themba team do such an excellent job picking and choosing Themba tutors that suit each client's … More individual needs! I look forward to meeting new tutors and clients in the 2021-2022 school year!
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Our son started in a new high school, 100% remote, and was really struggling with Latin and Physics. I found Themba Tudors online and had an initial call with Craig, who was very knowledgeable, responsive, and found 2 amazing tutors for … More us. Both the Latin and the physics tutors were fantastic, connected with my son really well and helped him go from 'failing' grade to 'honors'! I will for sure continue using (and recommending!) Themba Tutors. Thank you, C, K, and W!
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Brian is a fantastic executive functioning coach. Super helpful, flexible with hours, and tailored the experience to our needs.
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Giulia Mercuri is a great Italian tutor! She was very responsive and accessible. Giulia put a ton of effort into preparing for each session and really helped our son with test preparation and projects. We are grateful that she was able … More to help, especially since our son did not receive any live teaching during COVID. We are happy that she was referred to us!
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As an adult student diagnosed with a learning disability during grad school, I knew I needed help dealing with my Master's program's demanding workload. I was seriously considering dropping out when I was referred to Themba Tutors. … More I was paired up with a wonderful tutor, Julie, who was a total lifesaver. I learned many techniques that I can utilize in the future as I embark on the next phase of my career.
I can wholeheartedly say after working with Themba for two years that I would not have finished my program without this organization. And I am so thankful I selected them. -
We were introduced to a wonderful tutor: Mcedwyn. He and our son, a freshman in college, worked well together. As a result, our son’s grades significantly improved. The tutor taught our son subject content and various methods to effectively … More study for quizzes and exams. Our son was also taught time management and organization. My son’s experience with the tutor made the first year of college a less intimidating experience.
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We have been with our tutor, Cailin Schiller, for two years, from 5th - 7th grade. She started as an executive functioning tutor with my daughter. From the start, she demonstrated a depth of expertise and a selective use of techniques skillfully … More adapted to my daughter’s ADHD and Math disability. Cailin made Math accessible and understandable to her in a way that even her teachers had not been able to do. She differentiated reading, writing and math tasks and assignments to tailor them to my daughter’s unique learning differences. Not only did it have an effect on her grades and her work efficiency, but she finally could do her work with less anxiety. Even my daughter’s teachers used Cailin’s guidance to modify their work with her. But most importantly, she became my daughter’s favorite resource. I can’t say how invaluable Cailin has been to my daughter’s progress and well-being. I’d recommend her a million times over. She is a gem.
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Victoria is a superb tutor. She helped my high school age daughter with her writing. Victoria's skills as a tutor, as well as her sense of humor and her engaging personality went a long way with my daughter.
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Themba Tutors provided a leaning specialist that was a perfect fit for my daughter. I told them what we were looking for and they delivered. Our tutor is responsive and flexible and makes it easy for my daughter to reach out to her own … More her own, which gives her an added sense of responsibility over her learning. As a therapist myself, I now regularly recommend Themba to my patients. A much needed and well provided service to the community!!
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The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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I'm so glad we were referred to Themba Tutors. After a great initial conversation to learn our needs, we were connected with an excellent tutor, Felicia, who is helping our high school daughter learn better organizational and executive … More skills. Highly recommended.
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We had a wonderful experience with our tutor Micaela. She helped our son not only academically but at every level. We will be forever grateful to have her in our lives.
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The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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Paul Smith at Themba has been an exceptional tutor for my son, both in terms of teaching the subject matter and teaching how best to approach the process of learning math and executing assignments. We feel very fortunate to be working with … More Paul.
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We were very lucky to have found Edwouine Swift, my son's therapist through Themba Tutors. Thomas is 12 years old, and it is extremely difficult to get him to write. Edwouine just works her magic with him, he adores her and is so … More eager to follow her guidance. I have no doubt she will be a positive driving force in his academic future.
WHY PROCRASTINATION HAPPENS AND HOW TO STOP IT?
How To Stop Procrastination?
Procrastination refers to the act of delaying important tasks despite knowing the potential consequences. It involves prioritizing smaller, more enjoyable, and less crucial activities over essential ones.
Contrary to common belief, procrastination is more than just laziness or poor time management. Simply telling someone to “just do it” doesn’t effectively address various types of procrastination. It is better to advise someone with severe depression to “cheer up.”
To alleviate the guilt associated with your tendency to procrastinate, it’s important to understand that this is a more complex issue that can be addressed.
Joseph R. Ferrari, Ph.D., a leading researcher in the field of procrastination, explains that procrastination is like a form of self-sabotage. Negative psychological factors such as worry or fear of failure can override one’s self-control. People might opt to avoid a task entirely rather than risk the possibility of failure or mistakes.
Deliberate procrastination occurs when individuals intentionally delay tasks they know they should complete. This contrasts with laziness, which denotes indifference, passivity, and a reluctance to take action.
Understanding Procrastination: Why Does it Happen?
Our limbic system, which governs emotions and memories, often influences our feelings before rational thought. We avoid tasks that might overwhelm or bother us to prevent negative emotions.
To combat procrastination, it’s crucial to manage these emotions. Tasks that seem daunting can lead to avoidance. Many associate effort with emotional distress, especially when the task appears complex or challenging, resulting in anxiety or despondency.
As tasks become more complex, people become more averse to tackling them, often leading to avoidance due to fear of discomfort or negativity.
1. The Need for Control
Postponing tasks might initially provide a sense of control – after all, nothing can go wrong if nothing is done. However, this illusion of control diminishes as time constraints limit sound decision-making, transforming that sense of control into a lack thereof.
Things to try: Consider cultivating self and other trust to overcome this urge for excessive control. Meditation can be an effective method for letting go of control and enhancing focus, aiding in overcoming procrastination.
2. Breaking Down Tasks
Approaching a single, large project can be overwhelming. For instance, if you’re assigned a two-hour presentation for a new client, perceiving it as a single task can lead to immediate overwhelm and avoidance.
Things to try: A better approach is to break down a big task into smaller subtasks, making it more manageable. Using the example of a presentation:
- Gather information from the library
- Determine the number of slides.
- Create half of the slides.
- Complete the remaining slides.
- Add visuals and graphics.
- Review and refine.
This approach can be adapted to various situations.
3. Striving for Perfection
While being a perfectionist can have advantages, the fear of not achieving perfection can lead to procrastination. A 2017 study found that perfectionist tendencies are linked to higher rates of procrastination.
Things to try: To counteract this, shift your perspective on imperfection. Consistently striving for perfection sets you up for disappointment. Acknowledge that errors are normal, and nobody expects flawless results. Instead, focus on giving your best effort.
4. Fear of Failure
Procrastination can stem from an unconscious fear of failure. By postponing tasks, individuals avoid confronting potential (often imagined) negative outcomes. Perfectionism can exacerbate this fear, hindering progress.
Things to try: Next time you find yourself thinking about postponing a task to avoid a potential failure, take the plunge and tackle it head-on. Even if the outcome isn’t flawless, completing it will boost your confidence in your ability to wrap up projects. Approach this on a day-to-day basis.
5. Lack of Self-Control
Self-control varies among individuals, but excessive self-control can hinder productivity. Setting deadlines for tasks has been shown to help overcome self-control challenges, leading to more successful completion of work.
Things to try: Next time you face a large task, break it down into smaller parts, assigning each a deadline. This approach can enhance focus and productivity.
6. Using To-Do Lists
Creating and using to-do lists is essential to prevent tasks from slipping through the cracks. Forgetting tasks can lead to procrastination, as you may need to remember you need to complete them later.
Things to try: Maintain a to-do list or use a task management app to track chores. Only mark tasks as completed once they are entirely finished, and prioritize crucial assignments at the top of the list.
7. Time Commitment Management
Misjudging the time needed for a task can lead to frustration and procrastination. Proper time management can ensure tasks take longer than expected.
Things to try: When faced with a new task, consult colleagues with experience in similar tasks to gain insights into time requirements. This can help you allocate appropriate time and reduce the temptation to procrastinate.
Reasons Why ADHD Children Procrastinate
One aspect of ADHD that may contribute to procrastination is individuals’ challenges in managing their time. Additionally, those with ADHD often struggle to prioritize tasks and retain all the necessary details to complete them.
Furthermore, some individuals with ADHD may find tasks requiring sustained mental effort particularly challenging. This is especially true for projects that demand extended periods of work. Consequently, these tasks might be avoided or postponed.
While procrastination occasionally indicates ADHD, it does not necessarily imply a direct correlation between the two.
In 2014, a study delved into the link between procrastination and ADHD. The research team hypothesized that impulsivity played a significant role in procrastination tendencies. Surprisingly, as per the researchers’ findings, inattention was the only trait associated with procrastination. These findings indicate a connection between procrastination and ADHD, primarily among individuals exhibiting inattention symptoms.
Moreover, it is important to acknowledge that, despite the challenges that accompany ADHD, there are positive aspects to the condition, such as hyperfocus. The ability to hyperfocus can actually aid individuals in completing certain tasks more effectively.
Risks of Procrastination in ADHD
Procrastination is often seen as a negative behavior due to its potential impact on various aspects of well-being. Given that academic achievement plays a role in these challenges, procrastination can have an even more pronounced effect on individuals with ADHD.
Specifically, those with ADHD may encounter greater difficulty in excelling academically. This struggle can contribute to lower levels of well-being and self-esteem. While it’s unsurprising that many individuals with ADHD have lower self-esteem, it’s important to note that additional factors exist beyond a potential inclination towards procrastination.
How Can Parents Provide Support?
Parental involvement is crucial in addressing ADHD, as it affects various aspects of care. Parental responses can either ameliorate or worsen the effects of ADHD.
If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD:
1. Be proactive: Educate yourself about ADHD and adhere to the treatment recommendations provided by your child’s doctor. Attend all scheduled therapy sessions and ensure your child takes their prescribed ADHD medications at the designated times. Never adjust the dosage without consulting the doctor. Keep your child’s medication in a secure place out of reach of others.
2. Understand ADHD’s effects: Each child’s experience with ADHD is unique. Identify the specific challenges your child faces due to ADHD. Some children may need assistance with improving their listening and attention skills, while others may need help slowing down. Consult the therapist working with your child for guidance on supporting their progress.
3. Focus on gradual improvement: Avoid trying to tackle everything at once. Start with small steps and concentrate on one aspect at a time. Acknowledge your child’s efforts.
4. Engage with their school: Communicate with your child’s teacher to determine if an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 plan is necessary. Regularly meet with teachers to discuss your child’s progress and work collaboratively to help them succeed.
5. Discipline with empathy: Learn which disciplinary approaches are effective for children with ADHD and which ones might exacerbate the condition. Consult the therapist for guidance on managing their behavior. Since children with ADHD can be sensitive to criticism, opt for corrective measures that are encouraging rather than harsh.
6. Set clear expectations: Have conversations with your child about expected behavior before going anywhere. Instead of just responding to their actions, focus on teaching them appropriate behavior.
7. Open communication: Don’t hesitate to discuss ADHD with your child. Help them understand that ADHD is not their fault and that solutions exist for its challenges.
8. Quality time: Dedicate daily time to connect with your child. Engage in enjoyable and stress-relieving activities that foster positive parenting. Offer your undivided attention, acknowledge their achievements, and provide measured praise when warranted.
Above all, nurture a positive perception of your child. Children with ADHD might feel they are disappointing others or behaving improperly. By demonstrating patience, acceptance, and understanding, you can preserve their self-esteem. Make sure your child knows you hold them in high regard and value their contributions. Cultivating a supportive and nurturing relationship will help them develop resilience.
Craig Selinger
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