Procrastination
More often than not procrastination is defined as the continued avoidance of commitment in doing a task that not to be completed within a specified time. Also, it can be defined as the intentions and actions of postponing the completion of a given task regardless of knowing its consequences. According to my personal experience procrastination is what has barred me from achieving my various goals. Therefore it is prudent modifying it to rid me from the yoke of time wastage. I introspectively utilized the operant conditioning for it to materialize well. Procrastinating is a menace I have come across. According to behavioural psychology time inconsistency is what in most cases cause the procrastination. It further asserts that the human brain is designed in a way that recognizes and value the immediate reward than the reward that prevails in future. While we may set personal goals for our future gains, it is believed that it is the only present self that swims to action. Therefore, the present self in most cases prefers the instant reward rendering the future goals remain unrealistic.
According to the operant conditioning, a reward to any particular behavior can have a significant impact on future action. According to Skinner, conditioning played a critical influence in any learning process. After his succinct research, Skinner found that animal which he used in his experiment was behaving in a manner that showed that, the condition is a crucial factor to observable behavior. This behavior depicted by the animal was determined by the fact of whether the reward was admonished or a punishment.
Also, Skinner, in his other researches utilized the pigeon. He noted that the food turned out to be a positive reward for the pigeon behavior, that led them moving in a given circular motion in a repeated manner tending to move towards the reward behavior. Therefore, the reinforcement on a given behavior and punishment have a great influence on behavior. The positive reward determines or rather encourages individual behavior. On the other hand, the negative reward eradicates given benefits to an individual. It is always believed by this proponent that a positive reward elicits a desirable action behaviorally. Thus, reinforcement will, as a result, encourage someone to repeat a particular behavior in future. The negative reinforcement, lead to the ceasing of a particular behavior since it is discouraged by a negative reward.
Borrowing knowledge from the utilized conditioning procrastination problem can also be ironed out by positive or negative reinforcement. First I prioritized my self-discipline, time management and meticulous plan in my programs. I did this by immediately rewarding myself having done a given planned work, with delicious food. This immensely helped me to fully focus on the effort in doing a given activity within the stipulated time. Also, I learn to yearn for new things whenever I do or undertake any personal activity. According to Skinner’s research, the human brain is designed to yearn for immediate reward. Regular acquisition of new skills on how to handle some daily activities positively reinforced my avoidance of procrastination.
Furthermore, I have made sure that I have an intrinsic and personal meeting with myself. During this self-meeting, I always learn to focus on the long term objects and relook at any personal progress. In asking myself how far I have moved in my progress severally helps to introspectively inculcate the self-driven culture that will lead to avoiding unnecessary procrastination. Besides, I have been able to plan my time and strict adherence to my set goals. To achieve this, I have been able to make it habit that before I take a meal I ask myself whether I have made sure the targeted activity of the day has been accomplished.
Besides, I have been able to make a prompt reward of accomplishing action more forthwith. I have been able to uphold this behavior by using temptation building strategy. In this strategy, I have coupled the behaviours that normally stimulate me in planning long term achievements with good behavior that normally motivates me in achieving a short term reward. Precisely the good behavior which normally stimulates my long term achievements are like: rewarding myself delicious food having completed a given task and remaining focused to one scheduled activity at a time. On the other hand, the short time behavior that normally stimulates my short terms achievements are like listening to my favourite song whenever undertaking a given task. This behavior has been not only enhancing my peace of mind but also motivates me to be hopeful in accomplishing my set tasks. Bundling the two behavioural activities are auspiciously helpful in avoiding procrastination.
Moreover, I have also prioritized the repercussions of procrastination to always prevail immediately. This wise decision has compelled me to pay the cost of this particular problem more forthwith than later. For example, I have committed to fully work with my favourite friend most of the time while doing an activity. In this case a friend act as a positive reinforcement that keeps the motion of performance alive. Whenever I miss undertaking my work the friend tends to remind me of the scheduled activity hence I can feel the consequences of procrastination immediately.
In summary, therefore, having acquired appropriate knowledge on the theory of operant conditioning by the B. F Skinner the knowledge has optimally enabled me to improve in avoiding the problem arising as a result of procrastination.