Cultural Feature Article

What have I done? I procrastinated and now I’m doomed!

By Keannu Dave Cuesta, BAMC 3

Journ 103 – Feature Writing

“Nah...I still have ample time, I’m way too tired to do it right now… I think I’ll do it later or maybe tomorrow instead.” Sounds familiar? Relate much? Basically, these statements are what we Filipinos frequently reason out or say whenever we intend to procrastinate. The issue of procrastination seems to become a rampant dilemma amongst majority of us nowadays.

Usually during vacant hours, we tend to prioritize doing other things that are really not significant at the moment or doing something that simply suits our mood, while setting aside the more urgent things that needs to be done. We resort to all these unproductive activities until such instance, we unknowingly devour the entire free time allotted for us to work on a certain task, assignment, etc.

Given we already wasted so much time procrastinating during those vacant periods, the tasks, assignments, etc. that were undone will start to pile up, making the situation more complex and with a lesser probability to accomplish all of it on time. Just imagine how stressful it is to finish loads of requirements in one night! Right?

There are plenty of cases wherein a student is seen going to school with a ‘zombie-look’ together with ‘huge eye-bags’ since he or she recently engaged into an ‘all-nighter’ activity - complying paper-works and other sorts of important documents a night before the deadline. When in fact, he or she might have been given a week-long period to prepare all of them.

In the Filipino culture, we call this psychological practice of procrastination as “Mañana Habit” - a bad attitude we have imitated from the Spaniards when they colonized our country years ago. There word Mañana is derived from the plain English term ‘tomorrow’ or ‘specified future time’, while in Filipino dialect it translates as “mamaya na lang”.

Based from the website Linkedin.com, the culture of Mañana Habit can be abridged into a five-way linear process of thinking: (1) first, you need to do something now, (2) but then you decided to do it later, and as a result of the delay, (3) you eventually end up not doing it. Now, (4) you will tell yourself or somebody that you will do it tomorrow instead, (5) and when tomorrow comes, the same cycle repeats all over again.

Psychologists say, we begin to develop this type of trait because we often do it in our daily routine. The syndrome gradually infiltrates in our being that is why we sometimes could not avoid practicing it even if we know it’s a bad habit.

A lot of people also say that each time we are given questions for a paper assignment, most of our brilliant ideas/answers would start popping-out on the stroke of eleventh hours like around one o’clock to five o’clock in the morning. We get used to the feeling in which our driving force/adrenaline to get things done, only activates when we are time-pressured.

Moreover, A culture does not simply emerge without a reason behind it. Some are simply formed through the prevalent practices by the common people, while other causes may even surface from various factors within the society.

FACTORS WHY WE DEVELOP MANAÑA HABIT

1. Internet. 

From the perspective of students, especially those in college, Internet can be a major culprit to why they resort to Mañana Habit. 

“It’s just that I can’t stop myself from watching multiple K-pop videos on YouTube if ever I have internet connection”, this is according to Beverly Deles, a 19- year-old third year BS Medical Technology student from Cebu Doctor’s University in a social media interview.

Beverly is an avid fan of Korean pop and she always watches videos of her favorite K-pop artists before giving attention to her academics. It takes her about three to four hours before she can start to work on her assignments and study her lessons. The entertainment value that Internet gives people is unbearable.

Since the internet virtually provides instant access to almost everything students desire to know, view/watch or browse, therefore, it has definite power to easily distract and divert their attention. It also drives them to procrastinate despite their hectic schedules.

2. Lack of know-how skill. 

Deficits in skills are also main contributors to why people develop Mañana Habit syndrome. People with deficits are directly driven to procrastinate certain tasks since they lack the know-how to do it in the first place.

An example would be a person who has difficulties in English. He or she has a hard time constructing sentences, not very good with grammar and has low vocabulary power. A person with this kind of deficit will surely procrastinate if tasked to write a reaction paper or any sort of critical paper because he or she would immediately get tired in doing so; compared to a person who has a lot of experience in writing and with sharp English proficiencies.

3. Lack of interest. 

Lack of interest also plays a crucial role in the development of Mañana Habit culture. Just because one person is interested or passionate about a particular thing, it does not automatically follow that everyone else will be.

People delay tasks, jobs, assignments, etc. that they don’t find interesting as it is harder for them to find motivation. We often say the lines “I’m not yet in the mood to do it” or “this thing is just extremely boring, it think I’ll do it later” if we are not interested in doing what we are obliged to do.

Lack of interest compared to other factors is a bit harder to remedy. The problem lies within the person itself. It primarily depends on how a person considers the job, and our personal interest varies from one person to another.

Well those are just some of the factors why the culture of Mañana Habit flourished in human nature. As much as possible, we must pursue in avoiding Mañana habit since it is definitely harmful to us. 

When we deprive ourselves from sleep because we do all of the things needed in one night, it can pose negative effects on our health. From the website Healthline.com, sleep deprivation can be a prior cause to Anemia, Moodiness, Memory Problems, Heart Diseases, Impaired Brain Activity and a lot more.

If you’re a student, Mañana Habit can affect your performance in school. When you cram, you remember less on the topics that you studied. Which the leads to getting low scores and the decline of your grades. Worse, you might even fail at your exams. It could also be the reason for you not to pass better outputs due to lack of time.

From the saying “know your priorities”, it really depends on how we manage our time and how we categorize priorities from the most important to the lesser ones.

Sources:

success.oregonstate.edu/six-reasons-people-procrastinate

healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/effects-on-body