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I fear of sleeping (+other things)
(please note: friend's account)
Lately I've been procrastinating so much that I feel like crying. My next exam is next week and I've looked through the exam papers and it looks so hard. Basically I don't want to sleep and have taken pills to keep me awake as well as coffee, tea etc. because I'm scared of wasting time, but that's exactly what I'm doing! I feel like I can't sleep before I do some kind of work, but I'm just not doing the work... it's like an endless cycle of procrastination. I also think I've got an internet addiction problem because I spent literally all day on it, looking up random information on google and just procrastinating and haven't left the house in about 2 weeks (which I also fear... so maybe agrophobia aswell?)
I just feel like sh** and just needed to get that out.
Is anyone feeling the same way?
Lately I've been procrastinating so much that I feel like crying. My next exam is next week and I've looked through the exam papers and it looks so hard. Basically I don't want to sleep and have taken pills to keep me awake as well as coffee, tea etc. because I'm scared of wasting time, but that's exactly what I'm doing! I feel like I can't sleep before I do some kind of work, but I'm just not doing the work... it's like an endless cycle of procrastination. I also think I've got an internet addiction problem because I spent literally all day on it, looking up random information on google and just procrastinating and haven't left the house in about 2 weeks (which I also fear... so maybe agrophobia aswell?)
I just feel like sh** and just needed to get that out.
Is anyone feeling the same way?
Reply 1
You need sleep. your brain will not work properly if you do not try and get at least 7 hours sleep a night. Sleep is as important as anything and thats a fact.
Reply 2
OMG you are so similar to me. I find it incredibly difficult to get down to work...even when my exam is in a week's time - it's really awful, and all the time I'm not doing the work I feel so stupid and guilty and dumb. But I can't seem to stop myself - going on the internet is so much easier. I usually find that I get a random thought in my head while I'm doing my work, like, "I wonder what yetis look like?" and then I go on Google or Wikipedia and search for them, and then that leads me onto another thing, and then another thing, and before I know it I've spent three hours on absolutely nothing. And then when I close the window the blank Word document is staring me in the face, and I suddenly come back to reality and realise that I've wasted half the day on nothing. So then I get worried, and stay up till 3am trying to do the work which I didn't do. And then I get tired and then the next day, the work looks even harder so I just go on the internet more and more...a vicious cycle. I also actually don't move from my desk for the whole exam period. I hate it, and I end up hating myself for not having the self-restraint to stop it happening.
But I do want to do well in my exams. So I've found ways of coping with my problem. I know it's hard, but if you can try to stay off the computer when you're doing revision - the internet is practically the biggest time waster ever...such a distraction. Seriously, it's quicker writing stuff out by hand than typing really fast in short bursts and having hours off on the internet. I've found that when I stay away from the computer I'm so much more productive. But if you have to go on the computer, why not try unplugging your internet connection? I found that useful when I just had to stop myself using it.
Another thing I tried was to write down on a sheet of paper all the really nice things that are going to happen after the exams; e.g. parties, seeing friends, no revision, concerts, etc, anything that you're looking forward to. Take it up as far as Christmas. All that's in the way between you and these nice events is a couple of weeks of exams. So if you can just put your head down and work for 2 weeks, then you can really relax and enjoy the fun things happening afterwards. I actually stuck this sheet of paper near my computer monitor so I could see it whenever I thought about wasting time on the internet.
I also made bets with myself. Things like, "I bet that I can stay away from clicking the internet icon for 2 days." Then, if you manage that, give yourself a treat, like a chocolate bar or even an evening off - you've earned it because of all the time you haven't wasted on the internet. I found that after this, it was easy to keep on not using the internet for another day or couple of days, because I'd got into the habit of not using it.
Another thing you can try is to give yourself a specific time when you're going to use the internet. Say to yourself, "I'm going to do half an hour of work, then go on the internet for 10 minutes." Set a timer or something, use a kitchen timer or your watch, and make sure it beeps or rings so you can actually hear when your time is up. Then cross out the window and return to work. Then try and get up to an hour of work with no internet, then have 10 minutes on it. Alternatively, you could work solidly for the morning, then in your lunch break go on the internet - so it actually forms part of your relaxation time rather than being procrastination.
Something else which helped me was to restrict myself to certain sites, if you really have to use the internet. For example, I know that I waste most of my time on Google. So I avoid that site completely, and just use other sites. I found that restricting myself to TSR was really helpful - because I could keep in touch with other students, know their worries about their work, do some limited socialising, without wasting time leaving the house and all that.
Finally, as much as you may not want to, go to bed. Say you've wasted the day on the internet. How much work are you reasonably going to expect to get done if you start proper work at 11pm? Practically zero. I learnt this the hard way...found if I stayed up till 3am doing work I would just get slower and slower and slower...then be absolutely exhausted the next day. If you've wasted the day, just think, "Okay, that was not a good day. But I'm going to do better tomorrow." Then go to sleep, and wake up early at around 8.30am to start work at 9am. You're so much more efficient in the morning, and even more so if you've had enough sleep. If you don't get enough sleep, your exams will suffer and it doesn't matter how much work you do. I know it's hard to get over your guilt, but it really doesn't help to stay up. Get off the pills; they're not doing you any good at all, and swap your coffee for water. Coffee's probably making you even more nervous. Really, it's better just to trust your body - if it's tired, go to sleep.
I really empathise with you - I'm exactly the same. I've finished most of my exams now, but during the revision time I was so depressed - I felt like a complete failure and thought I could never get over my internet problem. But I managed in a way - I didn't completely stop myself using the internet, but I dramatically reduced my procrastination by doing the things I've mentioned above. It's good you're so worried about procrastination in a way - it shows that you do care about your work and you do have the motivation to do something different about your internet habits. Remember, any type of addiction can be overcome with enough determination.
Sorry this is so long - it really made me feel better as well to know that I'm not the only one struggling with this - we're not alone...
Good luck with your exams - work your butt off now, and enjoy internet procrastination as much as you want later!
xxx
But I do want to do well in my exams. So I've found ways of coping with my problem. I know it's hard, but if you can try to stay off the computer when you're doing revision - the internet is practically the biggest time waster ever...such a distraction. Seriously, it's quicker writing stuff out by hand than typing really fast in short bursts and having hours off on the internet. I've found that when I stay away from the computer I'm so much more productive. But if you have to go on the computer, why not try unplugging your internet connection? I found that useful when I just had to stop myself using it.
Another thing I tried was to write down on a sheet of paper all the really nice things that are going to happen after the exams; e.g. parties, seeing friends, no revision, concerts, etc, anything that you're looking forward to. Take it up as far as Christmas. All that's in the way between you and these nice events is a couple of weeks of exams. So if you can just put your head down and work for 2 weeks, then you can really relax and enjoy the fun things happening afterwards. I actually stuck this sheet of paper near my computer monitor so I could see it whenever I thought about wasting time on the internet.
I also made bets with myself. Things like, "I bet that I can stay away from clicking the internet icon for 2 days." Then, if you manage that, give yourself a treat, like a chocolate bar or even an evening off - you've earned it because of all the time you haven't wasted on the internet. I found that after this, it was easy to keep on not using the internet for another day or couple of days, because I'd got into the habit of not using it.
Another thing you can try is to give yourself a specific time when you're going to use the internet. Say to yourself, "I'm going to do half an hour of work, then go on the internet for 10 minutes." Set a timer or something, use a kitchen timer or your watch, and make sure it beeps or rings so you can actually hear when your time is up. Then cross out the window and return to work. Then try and get up to an hour of work with no internet, then have 10 minutes on it. Alternatively, you could work solidly for the morning, then in your lunch break go on the internet - so it actually forms part of your relaxation time rather than being procrastination.
Something else which helped me was to restrict myself to certain sites, if you really have to use the internet. For example, I know that I waste most of my time on Google. So I avoid that site completely, and just use other sites. I found that restricting myself to TSR was really helpful - because I could keep in touch with other students, know their worries about their work, do some limited socialising, without wasting time leaving the house and all that.
Finally, as much as you may not want to, go to bed. Say you've wasted the day on the internet. How much work are you reasonably going to expect to get done if you start proper work at 11pm? Practically zero. I learnt this the hard way...found if I stayed up till 3am doing work I would just get slower and slower and slower...then be absolutely exhausted the next day. If you've wasted the day, just think, "Okay, that was not a good day. But I'm going to do better tomorrow." Then go to sleep, and wake up early at around 8.30am to start work at 9am. You're so much more efficient in the morning, and even more so if you've had enough sleep. If you don't get enough sleep, your exams will suffer and it doesn't matter how much work you do. I know it's hard to get over your guilt, but it really doesn't help to stay up. Get off the pills; they're not doing you any good at all, and swap your coffee for water. Coffee's probably making you even more nervous. Really, it's better just to trust your body - if it's tired, go to sleep.
I really empathise with you - I'm exactly the same. I've finished most of my exams now, but during the revision time I was so depressed - I felt like a complete failure and thought I could never get over my internet problem. But I managed in a way - I didn't completely stop myself using the internet, but I dramatically reduced my procrastination by doing the things I've mentioned above. It's good you're so worried about procrastination in a way - it shows that you do care about your work and you do have the motivation to do something different about your internet habits. Remember, any type of addiction can be overcome with enough determination.
Sorry this is so long - it really made me feel better as well to know that I'm not the only one struggling with this - we're not alone...
Good luck with your exams - work your butt off now, and enjoy internet procrastination as much as you want later!xxx
Anonymous
OMG you are so similar to me. I find it incredibly difficult to get down to work...even when my exam is in a week's time
I also feel this way, but I think your huge reply is just another way of procrastinating!
I give myself incentives. Like, I've just completed a maths paper, so now I am allowed to read my magazine until lunch is ready. Then I have to do another paper, then I can finish reading the magazine
Reply 4
Talya
I also feel this way, but I think your huge reply is just another way of procrastinating!
Haha, nice one...but I've finished my exams. So ner.
Reply 5
The OP (who sent me this to post back) said:
Thank you so much for your replies! I am setting my alarm clock for very early and going to not use the internet as much as I'm addicted. I'm glad I'm not the only one out there with this problem!
Thank you so much for your replies! I am setting my alarm clock for very early and going to not use the internet as much as I'm addicted. I'm glad I'm not the only one out there with this problem!
sandy_squirrel
and going to not use the internet as much as I'm addicted.
I find that if I sit down at my computer too early in a day when I intend to be revising (like when I get up in the morning) then it often ruins the entire day for me. However if I start work early in the day then it builds a sense of accomplishment. But I still try and limit my computer use to the evenings, rather than during breaks otherwise I get carried away and it throws my entire day out of whack.
Talya's rewards are definitely a good way to do things too! Find something that is a short reward that you can enjoy and relax with, but isn't time consuming. For me I often let myself have a kitkat after I have done 2 hours worth of revision in total for that day, and promise myself other things for doing more.
Sometimes I have very unproductive days where I do no work, and feel awful about it. I have found that sometimes its useful to have a designated day at some point that is revision-free. If you have planned it a little bit in advance then you can really relax, and not feel that you are falling behind. Generally relaxing in this way gets me back on my feet for productive revision for the next week or so.
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