{"id":1771,"date":"2020-04-28T08:00:48","date_gmt":"2020-04-28T08:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/oralhfa.com\/?p=1771"},"modified":"2020-04-28T08:00:48","modified_gmt":"2020-04-28T08:00:48","slug":"procrastination-a-dental-students-vice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oralhfa.com\/index.php\/2020\/04\/28\/procrastination-a-dental-students-vice\/","title":{"rendered":"Procrastination: A Dental Student\u2019s Vice"},"content":{"rendered":"

Procrastination: a dental student\u2019s vice<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/section>\n

\u2018Dear Dr. Bee,\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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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?\u2019<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"procrastination\"<\/p>\n

Dear Reader,\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s just after 6 pm, you\u2019ve 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: \u2018should I study now or later tonight?\u2019 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: \u2018I can\u2019t believe I thought I\u2019d have time to hit the gym, too.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

If this sounds like your average afternoon, you\u2019re not alone. It isn\u2019t a radical concept that dental school is demanding. Never-ending clinics, lectures, and labs are what you signed up for, right? Of course, don\u2019t forget that case presentation due next week. Oh, and the proposal you promised your research group you\u2019d send in two weeks ago. Wait! Don\u2019t 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\u2019ll shrug and simply say, \u2018I\u2019m such a procrastinator! I never get anything done in time.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Dr. Joseph R. Ferrari, a professor of psychology at <\/span>DePaul University<\/span>, there\u2019s a difference between academic procrastination and everyday <\/span>procrastinators.<\/span><\/i> If you\u2019re an academic procrastinator, the previous scenario fits just perfectly, however the moment your favorite band is in town, you\u2019re 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\u2019d equip you with skills to cope with underlying causes of such behaviors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For that, let\u2019s 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\u2019t tailored for you but advertised as the keys to eternal success and a cure from procrastination.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m here to tell you, there is no single magical cure. However, there\u2019s always a place to begin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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    1. I\u2019ve learnt with time that no internet search could help when I have the answers myself. So I\u2019ve gotten in the habit of asking myself:<\/span> Why am I procrastinating in the first place? <\/span><\/i>It\u2019s important to realize that procrastination in of itself isn\u2019t 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\u2019s academic potential, physical exhaustion, and more. Delving into one\u2019s head to identify the root of the issue serves to pave the way for correction of the procrastination habit.<\/span><\/li>\n
    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.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. Breaks, breaks, breaks. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you\u2019re 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\u2019re feeling like taking a breather, don\u2019t punish yourself by pushing on to no avail. You\u2019re better off 35 minutes off schedule and refreshed than on time and unfocused<\/span><\/li>\n
    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\u2019re not the only one sinking low and deep in the never ceasing ocean of lectures. Seek advice, and don\u2019t bottle up your frustrations.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    5. Take a day off every now and then. I know what some of you may think: <\/span>everyday has been a day off! <\/span><\/i>Make no mistake. A day off that\u2019s filled of deadline anxiety and guilt ridden thoughts is one that\u2019s <\/span>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 V\u00e9ronique Vienne.<\/span><\/li>\n
    6. Don\u2019t be so hard on yourself. So you\u2019ve 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n