Procrastination

Okay, can we just talk about something for a second?

There's a habit out there that's just as addictive and just as harmful as any drug, and I'm currently powerless to stop it. I'm just sitting here, sipping my tea and watching as it turns my life into a horrible train-wreck.

What is this habit, you ask?

If you know me, you know I'm a chronic procrastinator. And usually, I get things in on time, I just wait until the last minute to do them whenever possible. But lately, it's been getting worse.

Much worse.

I'm not just procrastinating my work now. Oh, no, I've moved on to bigger and more horrible things. I'm actually procrastinating my health.

I've been staying up later to finish things because "I can take a nap later" (which I never do). I've been forgetting to eat dinner until 8 or 9 pm. I've been procrastinating showers.

Granted, a majority of the reason I put things off is because I'm lazy or I get side-tracked. Just a couple of days ago, I bought a pack of socks at the store because I didn't want to take the time to do my laundry. Most of the things I procrastinate on are also fairly low on my priority list. I know, for instance, that I don't need to shower every day or that I can miss one week's blog post because I'm busy. I'm a junior in college; it's not like I have hours and hours of free time.

But still. It's getting a little out-of-hand.

So, let's look at this objectively. Why do people, in general, procrastinate?

They don't like the task.

Often, people will put off doing things they don't like. It makes sense. I mean, I know at this point that I'm not gonna need math for my career, so why would I jump at the chance to do math homework? Sometimes you just have to suck it up and do it anyway. I know that working in a distraction-free environment allows me to get my work done more quickly, but it's still easier said than done.


They don't have enough free time.

This, I've found, is the majority of my problem. When you don't have more than a few hours of free time per day, you don't have proper time to wind-down and do what it is that you want to do. This is why I don't sleep; if I know that I won't finish my work until bedtime, I'll end up doing things that I want to instead.

If I've been working for over twelve hours, I'd rather read than I would sleep. (Even if I regret it the next morning.)


They have too much free time.

Just the same as not having enough free time can be bad, having too much free time can be even worse. Sometimes people get into the habit of spending all day relaxing or doing whatever they please, and when they suddenly don't have that same  amount of leisure time, their priorities shift. I know, for instance, that I'm much less productive right after breaks because I'm coming back after having experienced the good life - a life free of responsibilities and anxieties.

The thing is, when you're busy, you're much more likely to be productive. An object in motion stays in motion, as they say.


Disorganization.

Can't find the thing? Don't do the thing.


The task, as a whole, is overwhelming.

This is especially true for large projects, like ones that require you to work in groups or ones that span the entire semester. It's overwhelming because it's a lot of work. How can I possibly finish all of that?

I understand that we're not supposed to finish everything in one go (and often, it's impossible to do so), but it's still very hard to break down the tasks and do them over a long period of time, especially when you don't have to submit things in increments.


They think they work better under a time-crunch / They underestimate the time it'll take to complete the task.

Everyone's dealt with this at some point. Frankly, sometimes being "passable" or "finished" is good enough.

I don't have a lot of solutions to these problems, and even if I do, it's definitely not easy to implement them. If you know how to fix this, please share. I'm reaching the point of no return, here. But, hey, at least knowing what's wrong is the first step to fixing the problem, right?

The older I get, the more I miss being a child.

Oh, God, I'm not even twenty-one. Taxes are on the horizon.

...

Can I be eight years old again?

Hair Care

I need an easy post this week, so I'm turning to something I know well - hair care tips. I'd like to say in advance: sorry (and also, you're welcome).

So, let's start out by pointing out that I have long hair.

Please excuse the bathroom selfies.

Really long. And a lot of it. And, surprisingly enough, it's pretty healthy. But how do I keep it healthy? Well, let me impart my secrets onto you, young padawan, in the form of a few tips.

1

DO NOT WASH YOUR HAIR EVERY DAY

You've probably heard this before, but that's because it's true and it's important to remember. When you wash your hair, you're washing out natural oils. And yes, it's important to shower regularly, but showering every day (or multiple times a day) can result in a dry, itchy scalp and dry hair that ultimately leads to static and breaking.

On average I wash my hair every other day; sometimes every couple of days if I'm really busy. Or lazy. It's honestly pretty low on my priority list, and I only wash my hair when I absolutely have to.

Tip: Don't want to wash your hair? Dry shampoo is nice, or you can use baby powder on your scalp (though that might leave flakes). On the other hand, you can do lots of things with up-dos and hats!

2

USE A COMB AFTER SHOWERING

It's actually probably a good idea to use a comb as often as possible in place of a brush, but it's most important after showers or whenever your hair is wet. Brushes rip tangles out and break your hair, while combs gently work through tangles.

Tip: Wide-toothed combs are the best!

3

KNOW WHICH PRODUCTS ARE ACTUALLY GOOD 
FOR YOUR HAIR - AND WHICH AREN'T

Some products don't affect your hair too much - some are even good for it! But there are a lot of products that can really damage your hair. The whole idea is that we want our hair to be in a natural state most of the time.

An easy way to remember what's generally good or bad is this: good products give more to your hair, while bad products take away. For example, deep-conditioning treatments are great because they work to restore the oils that get washed away in the water, while hairspray can be damaging because it sucks moisture out of the hair and forces it to do something it doesn't naturally do.

Tip: I recommend smoothing serums, which work as leave-in conditioners. They leave your hair soft and silky, and they often have really nice, fruity scents! Do your best to stay away from products that make your hair stiff.

4

AVOID HEAT

HEAT = BAD. Try to avoid blow-drying, straightening, or curling your hair as much as possible. Besides, you'll find that your hair looks best once you stop fighting it! Embrace your natural look!

Tip: If you do use heat, make sure to use a spray that protects your hair from heat damage.

5

GET YOUR HAIR TRIMMED REGULARLY

This is a very important step to keeping your hair healthy, and it's also important if you want to grow your hair long. Get rid of those split-ends; your hair will grow faster and look better!

Tip: I get my hair trimmed about once every six-weeks, but I'd say go once every couple of months and you're good.

6

USE SHAMPOOS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO YOUR NEEDS

Remember that the skin on your scalp is not much different than skin on the rest of your body. It can dry out. It can get sunburned. It can get oily or flaky. If you use shampoos and conditioners that will keep your scalp healthy, you'll hardly have to do anything else.

Tip:
Oily scalp? Shampoo your hair as soon as you get in the shower and let it sit. Rinsing it out should be your second-to-last step (right before conditioning).

Dry scalp? Try to find a shampoo/conditioner with the ingredient "tea tree" in it; it works as an intensive moisturizer/healer. It also tingles. Use it until you don't feel the tingling as much, then only use it sparingly.

7

DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK YOUR HAIRDRESSER QUESTIONS

This is what they were trained to do. If you have a question, ask them. They will probably have an answer.

And that's about all I have for you today. Remember these things, oh student of mine, and you shall have great hair for eternity!*


*I cannot guarantee great hair for eternity. These are just things that have worked for me.

The Groundhog Day Dilemma

So, yesterday was February 2nd, also known as Groundhog Day. Or, as you non-Americans like to call it, "Monday."

The prediction? Six more weeks of winter. Surprise, surprise.

In any case, the event got me thinking about that classic Bill Murray movie that goes by the same name, in which he relives the same day over and over and over again. And that, in turn, made me think.

What would I do if I had the chance to re-do an entire day?

It's hard for me to come up with a definitive answer. On one hand, if I lost my memories from the first time around, I'd probably wind up making the same decisions. Whenever I choose one path over another, there's a reason behind it. So, I imagine I'd always come to the same conclusion, regrets and everything.

On the other hand, if I did remember (like Bill does in the movie) I think it would be way different. I'd get the chance to explore all those what ifs; to say yes when I said no before; to choose the other path.

But then there's also the thought: What if time were to start up again randomly? The idea that the days would continue on suddenly, especially without me knowing when, brings up a whole new set of questions.

What if you made a decision that would severely shorten your life-span and then had to live with the consequences? Or alternatively, what if you made a risky decision that wound up changing your life in the best possible way?

And that's the core problem of what I've dubbed the "Groundhog Day Dilemma" - no matter how many "do-overs" you get, there's always going to be "what ifs."

My advice? Take each day for what it is. Don't glorify it. Don't dwell on the problems. Be happy for the good things and do your best to accept the things you can't change. Celebrate the good things that came out of today and always strive to have even more to celebrate tomorrow.

Still... a little speculation never hurt anyone. And now I'm curious.

What would you do if you had the chance to start the day over?

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I want to say sorry for the short hiatus. It took some time to get settled in to the new semester, but I'm back now! From now on, I'll be posting every Tuesday. See you soon, and thanks for reading!