Procrastination: a dental student’s vice

‘Dear Dr. Bee,  

I have been unable to get any work done lately in the latest weeks, I think I have a habit of leaving everything to the very last minute. How do I stop procrastinating?’

Dear Reader, 

It’s just after 6 pm, you’ve gotten home after a long day of clinics and patients. Alginate-tainted scrubs slumped on the chair, hospital badge hanging on the doorknob, and a slight headache drive you to the daily question: ‘should I study now or later tonight?’ You decide on the latter. Throwing your head on a comfortable pillow, deep within your consciousness you know very well not a lot of work will be achieved today. And just before drifting off, you chuckle to yourself: ‘I can’t believe I thought I’d have time to hit the gym, too.’

If this sounds like your average afternoon, you’re not alone. It isn’t a radical concept that dental school is demanding. Never-ending clinics, lectures, and labs are what you signed up for, right? Of course, don’t forget that case presentation due next week. Oh, and the proposal you promised your research group you’d send in two weeks ago. Wait! Don’t forget to also call your patient to remind them of the very appointment you forgot about. The next time you and your clinic mates sit down to complain about load, you’ll shrug and simply say, ‘I’m such a procrastinator! I never get anything done in time.’ 

According to Dr. Joseph R. Ferrari, a professor of psychology at DePaul University, there’s a difference between academic procrastination and everyday procrastinators. If you’re an academic procrastinator, the previous scenario fits just perfectly, however the moment your favorite band is in town, you’re immediately on the ticket website planning for that night two months in advance. Everyday procrastinators however are unable to get a single thing done on time. This means that not only is the academic aspect of their life affected, but also day to day activities like paying bills, filling up the gas tank, booking airplane tickets, etc. Dr. Ferrari suggests the need for therapy for such individuals in order to better cope with the debilitating habit. If you find yourself unable to perform minor tasks without delaying them to the point of feeling anxious and trapped, it is best to seek advice from a therapist who’d equip you with skills to cope with underlying causes of such behaviors. 

For that, let’s address the academic procrastination that a lot of us face when trying to go about performing our duties as students in dental school. How many of us found themselves unable to truly finish studying for an exam and instead headed onto YouTube or Google for a quick search on tips and tricks that just aren’t tailored for you but advertised as the keys to eternal success and a cure from procrastination.

I’m here to tell you, there is no single magical cure. However, there’s always a place to begin. 

1. 1. I’ve learnt with time that no internet search could help when I have the answers myself. So I’ve gotten in the habit of asking myself: Why am I procrastinating in the first place? It’s important to realize that procrastination in of itself isn’t always a sign of laziness. In fact, more often than not, the driving force behind the inability to perform academic tasks requires deep self-reflection. Burn out, depressive episodes, lack of confidence in one’s academic potential, physical exhaustion, and more. Delving into one’s head to identify the root of the issue serves to pave the way for correction of the procrastination habit.
   2. Prioritizing the tasks that need to be done first from most important to least or vice versa is overrated. Allow for some leeway! After studying for that pathology quiz, grab groceries before jumping into the next assignment. This allows your mind to freshen up and reduces exhaustion between tasks. 
   3. Breaks, breaks, breaks. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you’re certainly no machine. Take a break every now and then to allow for your thoughts to reorganize. There is no rulebook when it comes to taking breaks. It may not necessarily be between two tasks, but perhaps in the middle of one. If you’re feeling like taking a breather, don’t punish yourself by pushing on to no avail. You’re better off 35 minutes off schedule and refreshed than on time and unfocused
   4. Talk to someone. Getting some outside perspective can be a grounding experience. Advisors can help with directing you to place milestones for academic tasks prior to deadlines. Friends can give you a motivational push when you terribly need it. Classmates can help you feel like you’re not the only one sinking low and deep in the never ceasing ocean of lectures. Seek advice, and don’t bottle up your frustrations. 
   5. Take a day off every now and then. I know what some of you may think: everyday has been a day off! Make no mistake. A day off that’s filled of deadline anxiety and guilt ridden thoughts is one that’s serving neither productive nor relaxing purpose. Allowing yourself to rejuvenate that dental brain of yours can go a long way if done right. I recommend you read more on how to sit with nothing to do in The Art of Doing Nothing: Simple Ways to Make Time for Yourself by Véronique Vienne.
   6. Don’t be so hard on yourself. So you’ve had a rough few weeks and your productivity has taken a hit, will you continue to beat yourself up for a common mishap? And to what avail? Guilt serves no purpose in the pursuit of a productive routine. Be gentler upon your soul and revisit number 4 when you find yourself unforgiving of your own vices. 

• Create the right environment for tasks to flow. From listening to low-fi playlists, forming study groups, studying outdoors to complete silence in a room on your own, figure out what works for you best and drives you to be in your element. 

• Rejuvenate your interest and remind yourself of why you’re here. Whether it is through shadowing doctors you admire, or reading up on dental subjects that may not be required of you but interest you a lot, seek that light from your very own career choice. 

We often forget that an unremitting fact of life is that perfection is unattainable. Instead, we are a beautiful combination of mishaps, near misses, and triumphs. Each is on their own pace and on a path of their own. Procrastination is a common slip, but it is never too late to get back up on your feet and finish what you started. 

Yours toothfully,
Dr. Bee