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How can I stop procrastinating and become proactive?

I’m always extremely motivated to get the work done but when it comes down to beginning, I lose all motivation (ie beginning college application essays or studying for a test). I am currently in a practical nursing program at school and would love to gain everything I can now instead of having to repeat the class in college. #college #education #pre-med #high-school-classes

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To: Friend
Subject: Career question for you

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Ken’s Answer

Possibly you are involved in the wrong career area. The most important thing that you can to at this point is to counseling office and arrange to take an interest and aptitude test to see how your personality traits relate to various career areas. The go to the person at your school who tracks alumni and arrange to meet and talk to and visit people working in the career areas for which you test as being suitable for you.


Getting to know yourself and how your personality traits relate to people involved in various career opportunities is very important in your decision making process. During my many years in Human Resources and College Recruiting, I ran across too many students who had skipped this very important step and ended up in a job situation which for which they were not well suited. Selecting a career area is like buying a pair of shoes. First you have to be properly fitted for the correct size, and then you need to try on and walk in the various shoe options to determine which is fits the best and is most comfortable for you to wear. Following are some important steps which I developed during my career which have been helpful to many .

Ken recommends the following next steps:

The first step is to take an interest and aptitude test and have it interpreted by your school counselor to see if you share the personality traits necessary to enter the field. You might want to do this again upon entry into college, as the interpretation might differ slightly due to the course offering of the school. However, do not wait until entering college, as the information from the test will help to determine the courses that you take in high school. Too many students, due to poor planning, end up paying for courses in college which they could have taken for free in high school.
Next, when you have the results of the testing, talk to the person at your high school and college who tracks and works with graduates to arrange to talk to, visit, and possibly shadow people doing what you think that you might want to do, so that you can get know what they are doing and how they got there. Here are some tips: ## http://www.wikihow.com/Network ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/nonawkward-ways-to-start-and-end-networking-conversations ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-questions-to-ask-your-network-besides-can-you-get-me-a-job?ref=carousel-slide-1 ##
Locate and attend meetings of professional associations to which people who are doing what you think that you want to do belong, so that you can get their advice. These associations may offer or know of intern, coop, shadowing, and scholarship opportunities. These associations are the means whereby the professionals keep abreast of their career area following college and advance in their career. You can locate them by asking your school academic advisor, favorite teachers, and the reference librarian at your local library. Here are some tips: ## https://www.careeronestop.org/BusinessCenter/Toolkit/find-professional-associations.aspx?&frd=true ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/9-tips-for-navigating-your-first-networking-event ##
It is very important to express your appreciation to those who help you along the way to be able to continue to receive helpful information and to create important networking contacts along the way. Here are some good tips: ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-informational-interview-thank-you-note-smart-people-know-to-send?ref=recently-published-2 ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/3-tips-for-writing-a-thank-you-note-thatll-make-you-look-like-the-best-candidate-alive?bsft_eid=7e230cba-a92f-4ec7-8ca3-2f50c8fc9c3c&bsft_pid=d08b95c2-bc8f-4eae-8618-d0826841a284&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_20171020&utm_source=blueshift&utm_content=daily_20171020&bsft_clkid=edfe52ae-9e40-4d90-8e6a-e0bb76116570&bsft_uid=54658fa1-0090-41fd-b88c-20a86c513a6c&bsft_mid=214115cb-cca2-4aec-aa86-92a31d371185&bsft_pp=2 ##
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Michelle’s Answer

This is something you can answer yourself and only you know why you procrastinate. Ask yourself what is it that you gain by putting things off ? How does it feel when you procrastinate ? What will happen if I continue to procrastinate ? Are you ready to set small, specific and attainable goals to counteract putting things off that may deter beneficial opportunities down the line ? These are a lot of self-questions, but you really do know the answer better than anyone else. So, your first step is to discover the "WHY" . Once you discover why you are really procrastinating, and process through that, than you can set goals with time limits to achieve them. Keep a journal to help you process your thoughts about this. These will be ideas you come up with that will help you personally stop procrastinating. (Personally, making "to do" lists work very well for me. If I can see it on paper, I'll do it). Make your small goals specific, i.e. on Monday I will complete and mail college application before 12:00 Noon.


If you are sure about what you have currently planned for yourself, give these steps a try . You are important. Don't let anyone or anything hold you back. Completing the tasks towards your goals will result in personal satisfaction. Give it a try .

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Leon’s Answer

Ahhh...Procrastination!!! I know it well. I have been struggling with this for a very long time as a young man. Now that I am older and more mature, I have found that this little trick I play on myself has helped me combat this unpleasant struggle.

First, recognize that you ARE procrastinating and that it is a problem for you. Own up to it. This will help you NOT to feel negative and badly about YOURSELF.
Next, approach the task at hand in CHUNKS. Do a little at a time. Be kind and patient with yourself. Once you have finished ONE CHUNK, then REWARD YOURSELF with something that you like. After that is done. Then repeat the process.
As you begin to see more and more progress then you will be able to do more WITHOUT the need for the incremental rewards. And before you know it......THE TASK AT HAND IS DONE.....!!!
Then you feel GOOD about yourself, your task is COMPLETE and you can reward yourself again......if you care to....!!!
TA -DAAAH.....!!!
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