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?

How Big is the Race Issue in the NBA? Atlanta Hawks to Go Up for Sale After Racist Remarks

While watching football this afternoon, I heard announcers talking about a second NBA team going up for sale after the owner made racist remarks. After hearing this, I was in disbelief. Another owner? Even if Donald Sterling wasn't the only owner with a racially insensitive mindset, how could another owner do this, and get caught? Upon listening further, I discovered that the Atlanta Hawk's owner, Bruce Levenson, admitted wrongdoing after an on-going, two-month NBA investigation that was made public this weekend. The investigation stemmed from an email he sent to team executives concerning business challenges with the struggling Hawks franchise.

According to his email, Black fans had “scared away the whites.” Mr. Levenson said, “I think Southern whites simply were not comfortable being in an arena or at a bar where they were in the minority.” He had earlier told the executive team that he wanted “some white cheerleaders” and “music familiar to a 40-year-old white guy,” and thought, “the kiss cam is too black.” The comments above are only part of the incriminating email.

In a league that, for all intensive purposes, is dominated by African American players, there are still owners who have a state of mind that is wholly intolerable. While Mr. Levenson has since provided a thoughtful apology on the matter and has indicated he will sell the team, the question still stands: how many more NBA owners have similar views? What is it going to take to change societal views about racism when some of the worst offenders are the very people leading our organizations? I applaud the NBA for their vigilant oversight in recent months, but it is clear that the focus on the leadership positions must continue if racism is to be eliminated in the NBA long term.