We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

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The Procrastination Talk: It's time you got fed up of yourself

November 8, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught me a lot about myself and I am sure you feel the same way. I have learned how easy it is to take a break or put off a task, responsibilities, etc. with the thought that you will come back to it. But do we ever? Or at least do we grasp the opportunity in time before it is lost? Do we absorb maximal information for the assessment that is around the corner, whose task we keep pushing and pushing until cramming is our only resort? Are we depriving ourselves of learning experiences and the authenticity of the process by putting things off for later? Later arrives too late in that we are never able to attain the time we lost, nor are we able to regain the efforts we could have put forward. Therefore, we hold the result of our supposed maximal efforts in the trap of minimal time which just doesn’t add up. For the betterment of your mind, body, soul, and future, it’s time you get fed up with yourself.

Recognize the thought

When the smallest idea of pushing your responsibilities aside or delaying them arises, recognize the thought. Understand what it is that you are doing and put some weight on that thought. It is so easy for us to make decisions without thinking about the long-term consequences. Mentally form a list or write things down and be honest with yourself, what are the pros and cons of what you are doing, and why are you putting them off?

Weigh the cons slightly more heavily

Fear is a powerful motivator and overthinking is our talent. Use scare tactics to push yourself more effectively as you focus on the cons of avoiding or prolonging the task at hand. This is not to say that you should be so anxious that you get stressed, but do let the cons marinate in your mind! In The New York Times, Psychologists Daniel Kahenman and Amos Tversky state that “scare tactics work because we’re worried the threat might actually come true” [1]. This is interconnected to the mechanism of "fight or flight", so why not use it for your benefit? Do not fear, fear, it might actually save you some time.

Feel the feeling

If you’re anything like me, then surely when you come back to do the work you neglected to do, you feel terrible, panicked, and even disgusted. You question your sanity and how you allowed yourself to get to this position. Your heart is skipping beats with the chills that anxiety sends through your bones because you know time is limited and the task is seemingly large. I’ve been there, I get it. To avoid feeling this way again, feel the feeling before you decide to resist work because the temporary pleasure will be costly in the future.

Try to better understand yourself

Do you ever wonder why we choose to run away from responsibilities? Is it because we are lazy or is there a bigger reason at play that is preventing us from getting things done? Try to identify the reason and learn to ease your nerves. You are capable of tackling every goal but not at the expense of your mental and physical health. Take care of yourself, understand yourself, and sit with yourself to understand what works for you and what doesn’t. Most importantly, remember Mel Robbins as she says, "You are always in charge, always."

Find joy in your work

We need to change the mindset around work. When we think of work we often assume that it is a heavy burden we have to carry on our shoulders. This can really make the task seem harder than it is and thereby lead to that cycle of delaying responsibilities. When you are learning something, think about how interesting this is in the larger picture and try to apply it to your life. I promise things will seem 10 times more interesting. Furthermore, if your work allows you to then speak aloud, talk to yourself and act like you are teaching a class. Try whatever is realistically possible to make work more fun and exciting and less draining. If you have any tips, be sure to share them with us on Instagram!

@otstudentlife

Smile

Something as simple as smiling can change your mood even when you are working on a task. According to VeryWellMind a study suggested, smiling triggers brain chemicals related to positivity even if the smile isn’t genuine [2]. If you simply mimic facial muscular activity like holding a pencil in your mouth, that is enough to stimulate positive emotions. In fact, researchers from the University of South Australia had participants replicate the facial movement involved in a smile by having a pen held between their teeth [2]. Although the smiles were faked, their brains couldn’t tell the difference [2]. They found that smiling stimulates the amygdala releasing neurotransmitters to encourage an emotionally positive state [2]. So smile!