This presentation goes over three key ideas that can help with students who are moving to another school and/or struggle with procrastination. It also involves some key techniques that can be used to battle this procrastination and some information about teenagers and sleep.

1. I’m going to give you life
advice.

2. Don’t lie, most of you do it.
PROCRASTINATION

4. What are the steps of
procrastination?

5. 1. See the task you do not want to
do

6. 2. Feel discomfort  your brain
automatically refocuses

7. 3. Do something that brings
you pleasure

9. What do you do to avoid your
work?

10. How can you beat
procrastination?
• The Pomodoro technique
• Daily planner
• Recognize cues
• Website blockers

11. The Pomodoro Technique
• What is it?
– Pomodoro means tomato in Italian
– a 25 minute timed session of pure focus
– followed by a 5 min break + a reward
• Why does it help?
– allows you to focus
– you get a reward!

12. Daily planner
• How to use effectively
– Small manageable tasks
– Plan your quitting time
– Work on your most unpleasant task first
• Why does this help?
– Gives you a general idea of your day
– Allows your brain to have a break
• Some helpful stuff:
– Evernote (app and website)
– Carry around a notebook

13. Recognizing the cues
• When do think you procrastinate?
1. Big tasks?
2. Small pieces of homework?
3. Things that you think you’re not good at
4. When you have a lot to do
5. EVERYTHING
• Something to remember:
– Your neural discomfort will GO AWAY

14. Using Website Blockers
• Why does it help?
– Neural discomfort  focusing on something
else
• Helpful tips/things to use:
– SHEER WILL POWER (very difficult to come
by)
– Set up another account on your computer
with parental controls
– Chrome add-on
(https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/website-blocker-
beta/hclgegipaehbigmbhdpfapmjadbaldib?hl=en)

15. Which technique do you think
will work best for you?

16. Research behind it, why you need it & how it affects your
brain.
SLEEP?

17. Quick quiz!
1. How many hours do teenagers need [to
sleep]?
2. How many hours do teenagers actually
sleep?
3. How many hours do you sleep?
4. What time do you go to sleep?
5. What is the last activity you do before
sleep?
6. Do you sleep longer on the weekend?

18. Some sleep facts!
• How many hours do most teenagers
spend sleeping?
– Around 7 - 7 ½ hours
• How much do you actually need?
– 9 – 9 ½ hours
• Teenagers begin to produce
melatonin at a much later time

19. Some more info…courtesy of
Hank Green

20. Why do you need more sleep?
• Your brain washes away your neural
toxins
• Strengthens neural connections
• Dreaming about your learning = better
understanding
• More hours = more alert

21. What should you do before
sleep?
• Best not to go on your
phone/computer right before bed
(aka in bed)
– Get off screens at least 1 hour before
bed
• Why?
– Artificial light = messes with your natural
body clock
– Blue wavelengths are shorter and cause
melatonin prevention

22. Pop quiz!
1. Name TWO techniques to help battle
procrastination
2. What does Pomodoro mean in Italian?
3. What area of your brain is involved in
recognizing pain/discomfort?
4. You should only plan for MASSIVE tasks in
your daily planner. True or False?
5. What is melatonin?
6. How does dreaming [about the material]
help your learning?
7. What does your brain do in your sleep?
8. How long should you be off your screens
before bed?

23. Thank you!

24. References
Information
• ABC News, (2013). Artificial light leading to increase in sleep disorders. [online]
Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-01/artificial-light-leading-to-increase-
in-sleep-disorders/4790448 [Accessed 27 Oct. 2014].
• Borson, B (2012) 10 Tips to Conquer Procrastination. [online] Available at:
http://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/10-tips-to-conquer-procrastination/ [Accessed
27 Oct. 2014]
• Fit.webmd.com, (2014). 5 Truths About Teens and Screens: Effects of TV, Cell
Phones, Computers, Video Games. [online] Available at:
http://fit.webmd.com/teen/recharge/article/teens-screen-time [Accessed 27
Oct. 2014].
• Green, H. (2014). The Teenage Brain Explained [video] Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiduiTq1ei8 [Accessed 27 Oct. 2014].
• Hamilton, J. (2013). Brains Sweep Themselves Clean of Toxins During Sleep [online]
Available at: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/10/18/236211811/brains-sweep-
themselves-clean-of-toxins-during-sleep [Accessed 27 Oct. 2014]
• Kresser, C. (2013). How artificial light is wrecking your sleep, and what to do about
it. [online] Chris Kresser. Available at: http://chriskresser.com/how-artificial-light-is-wrecking-
your-sleep-and-what-to-do-about-it [Accessed 27 Oct. 2014].
• Oakley, B. [2014]. 10 Rules of Good Studying [online] Available at:
https://class.coursera.org/learning-002/wiki/view?page=10Rules [Accessed 26
Oct. 2014].

25. Images
• Navarro, C. (n.d.). Managebac Screenshot. [image] Available at:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=4dfb3bdea1&view=fimg&th=1494f867
bc16d8bd&attid=0.1&disp=inline&realattid=3f6dc89dbeda11a3_0.1&safe=1&attbi
d=ANGjdJ99c8QnIJMdUvoEt-8XcVRsk-N8UntAc716GBshsauUnqrdqJYWBd-_D-bFOd1SzYSHxFb3hTd9RIhAXz0OIHeXBqH4DaPmNrsZUWQiUInablBth3YOhMwyGQY&
ats=1414378463135&rm=1494f867bc16d8bd&zw&sz=w1203-h563 [Accessed 27
Oct. 2014].
• Pomodoro Timer. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://www.mynetcred.com/wp-content/
uploads/2011/07/real-world-pomodoro-timer.jpg [Accessed 27 Oct.
2014].
• rayur.com, (n.d.). Lady looking at computer in discomfort. [image] Available at:
http://www.rayur.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Discomfort.jpg [Accessed 27
Oct. 2014].
• someecards.com, (2011). Procrastinator Ecard. [image] Available at:
http://www.someecards.com/usercards/viewcard/MjAxMS0zNTdkYTA0YmE4ZDhiM
GJ [Accessed 27 Oct. 2014].
• Tumblr.com (n.d.). Albinwonderland dropping phone on face. [image] Available
at: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m73y8vwDNp1rtn3rqo1_500.gif [Accessed
27 Oct. 2014].
• Tumblr.com (n.d.). Mickey‘s dog dreaming. [image] Available at:
http://38.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc6blnZyv21rfuijjo1_r1_500.gif [Accessed 27
Oct. 2014]

26. Images (cont.)
• tumblr.com, (n.d.). Mordecai and Rigby playing Video Games.
[image] Available at:
http://media.tumblr.com/59bd2201f1d07c6871115cfa1b834bf1/tu
mblr_inline_my6yttK1Nx1sohk3w.gif [Accessed 27 Oct. 2014].
• tumblr.com, (n.d.). Charlie McDonnell scrolling on Tumblr. [image]
Available at:
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lmgvvxV6OT1qcqiuc.gif
[Accessed 27 Oct. 2014].
• Unknown (anon.) Small recycled notebook. [image] Available at:
http://www.qualitylogoproducts.com/custom-notepads/small-recycled-
notebook-extralarge-236373.jpg [Accessed 27 Oct.
2014].
• Unknown (anon.) Neurons. [image] Available at:
http://pilladvised.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/neuron.jpg
[Accessed 27 Oct. 2014]
• Unknown (anon.) Insular Cortex. [image] Available at:
http://www.ieeg.uni-freiburg.
de/data/images/research/insel_anatomie_from_wikipaedi
a2.jpg [Accessed 27 Oct. 2014]
• Whale done!. (n.d.). [image] Available at: http://i0.kym-cdn.
com/photos/images/original/000/402/782/1d4.gif [Accessed
27 Oct. 2014].
• Wikipedia (n.d.) [image] Available at:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/M