Technology is Making Chronic Procrastination Unavoidable

While blazing the Oregon Trail, did the pioneers stop in Colorado, figuring, Oh well, I’ll do it next year? Did cowboys lie in their tents thinking, I’ll mend that fence tomorrow? Of course not. They were Americans. They embodied the nation’s quintessential values--working hard and getting the job done, no matter what.  While it’s easy to visualize this work ethic with larger and more tangible tasks such as those, how easy is it to do so with that English paper due next week? We’re told to go home, get our work done, and go to bed, doing all of that while avoiding any number of distractions along the way.

Before computers and cellphones, procrastination was less of an issue. When doing research, the book you were reading wouldn't beep, alerting you that your friend just posted pictures from his trip. Or that the Bears just tied the game and you should watch the final four minutes. Suddenly your productivity on the assignment has dipped to zero and you find yourself scrolling through your news feed with the same level of attention you would give an ACT test. Companies have created more ways for social media and news to be accessible, and this has made it nearly impossible to remain focused. How are we able to combat all of these distractions? Do we try to convince ourselves to not look at it?

In a survey conducted by The University of Calgary, more than 80% of students report consistently procrastinating when it comes to completing their coursework.  New technology provides a steady stream of ads, notifications, and click bait, tempting users at every turn.  We must find ways to sustain focus.  Whether it be turning off all devices, setting personal deadlines, or going to a place with no distractions, we must identify strategies to keep ourselves on-task. For example, apps like Self Control provide a way to block certain sites for a set period of time, denying access even if you delete the app. Are apps like these the answer? Has the formula that digital marketers use to entice us to "click" been so perfected that we can no longer resist the temptation?