Page 136 - A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science

“As a student with attention deficit disorder, I struggle with procrastination on a daily basis,
and structure is the only foolproof way to prevent procrastination. For me, this means
writing EVERYTHING down in my planner or notebook—things like assignment due dates,
work hours, and times to hang out with friends. It also means studying in the same area
every day and removing ALL distractions—for example, turning my cell phone off.
“I now also do things at the same general time every week—my body likes structure and
routine; that’s why it was so hard at the beginning to break out of my procrastination
habits, but it is also why it has been so easy to keep up with new habits after a month of
forcing myself into it.”

—Weston Jeshurun, sophomore, undeclared major

You’ve told me to use as little as possible of my willpower in dealing with procrastination. But
shouldn’t I be using my willpower a lot so that I can strengthen it?

Willpower is a lot like muscle. You have to use your muscles to strengthen and develop them over
time. But at any given time, your muscles have only so much energy available. Developing and
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using willpower is a bit of a balancing act. This is why it’s often important to pick only one
difficult thing at a time that requires self-discipline if you are trying to make changes.

It’s easy to get myself to sit down and start my schoolwork. But as soon as I start, I find myself
taking quick peeks at Facebook or my e-mail. Before I know it, it’s taken me eight hours to do a
three-hour task.