Procrastination reconsidered and driving through spider rain.
Jul 3, 2021
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The hosts dive into the quirky phenomenon of spider rain while juggling grading essays and personal adventures. They explore the nuances of procrastination, debating creative versus passive techniques and the emotional layers behind task avoidance. A humorous chat about the odd history of filing cabinets ensues, alongside tips on managing procrastination effectively. The conversation wraps up with entertaining cleaning hacks for Mac keyboards and strategies for tackling post-holiday email overload, leaving listeners ready to embrace their own quirks.
01:18:23
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Quick takeaways
The podcast delves into the inefficiencies of academic marking, highlighting how repeated tasks do not necessarily lead to improved efficiency due to student variability.
A week without smartphone usage was discussed, revealing the positive impact on clarity and focus, promoting the benefits of alternative organizational tools like bullet journals.
Procrastination is categorized into three types, encouraging a nuanced understanding of how different individuals engage with tasks and manage their productivity effectively.
Deep dives
The Complexities of Academic Marking
The challenges of academic marking are highlighted, particularly the inefficiency experienced by educators. Teachers often find themselves trapped in 'marking hell', where despite repeating the same task for numerous students, marking papers takes as long as it ever did, leading to frustration. The conversation touches on strategic management theories, including the experience curve, which suggests that with repeated tasks, one should become more efficient. However, in practice, many educators find that the variability in students' responses necessitates individual consideration, impeding efficiency gains.
Digital Detox and Productivity Tools
A notable insight comes from the experience of living without a smartphone for a week, leading to unexpected improvements in quality of life. The absence of constant notifications allowed for a clearer mindset and better focus on tasks. The speaker also discusses their successful transition to a bullet journal (Bujo) for organizing appointments and activities, which helped manage daily responsibilities better. This shift demonstrates how alternative organizational tools can enhance productivity and reduce reliance on digital devices.
The Evolution and Impact of Procrastination
Procrastination is scrutinized through a new lens, categorizing individuals into three types: active procrastinators, passive procrastinators, and non-procrastinators. Active procrastination can be seen as a strategic choice, where individuals delay tasks to prioritize their workload, sometimes leading to clarification of problems before deadlines. Conversely, passive procrastinators tend to avoid tasks due to stress, which can amplify anxiety around productivity. This nuanced understanding offers new perspectives on how procrastination affects different individuals and their work outputs.
Creative Versus Effort Procrastination
The distinction between two types of procrastination is explored: creative procrastination, which involves engaging in low-focus activities that stimulate ideas, and effort procrastination, characterized by delaying unpleasant tasks. Examples demonstrate how activities like painting or showering can lead to significant insights, emphasizing the importance of allowing creative thoughts to surface during less demanding tasks. The discussion also highlights the need for self-understanding in managing procrastination, as recognizing one’s emotional relationship with tasks can inform better decision-making about when and how to engage with them. This framework provides a valuable way to adjust one's work strategies effectively.
Harnessing Technology for Enhanced Productivity
The usefulness of technology in organizing and managing work tasks is emphasized through tools like Gemini 2, which helps identify and eliminate duplicate files from a computer. By clearing digital clutter, users can streamline their workflows and prevent issues caused by version control problems. Another noteworthy mention is the value of automated email scheduling in Microsoft Outlook, which offers safeguards against sending emails at inappropriate times. These technological aids not only save time but also enhance focus, leading to improved productivity and reduced stress in professional environments.
Jason has been in #markinghell, but dreaming of his #epictrip2021 (which you can follow on Instagram!). Meanwhile Inger took a break and drove through spider rain in Victoria before dislocating her toe in NSW. So - it's been busy.
Jason goes long and deep on procrastination again - this time looking at different sorts of procrastination and educating Inger on how to deal with lists of stuff you don't want to do. Inger then educates Jason on the strange (and kind of sexist) history of filing cabinets, so it was an asymmetrical exchange of information, but there you are.
We finish up with some two minute tips that are, frankly, a little gross, so you're going to have to listen right to the end to experience the full glory.
