‘Please don’t talk to me’: PhD student’s plea to avoid procrastination is viral

A PhD student's plea has gone viral on Twitter (Image credit: Steve_Bingham92/Twitter)

Most of us can relate to the problem of procrastination, but what steps do we take to avoid it? One PhD student, probably realising that he was not getting much done in between frequent chat breaks, decided to put an earnest plea out for his friends and acquaintances.

Steve Bingham, whose Twitter bio states he’s a PhD candidate at the University of Leeds, described himself as a “terrible procrastinator” as he asked people not to speak to him. The reason, he explained, is because he is likely to waste his time chatting instead of working on his thesis.

“Please do not talk to me,” read the first line of the printed sign he shared on Twitter. “I’m doing PhD work and if you speak to me I will not stop because I’m a terrible procrastinator.”

“Email if needed,” he added and signed off with a “thank you.”

I think every PhD student needs this sign at some point @PhDVoice pic.twitter.com/M0xLrntxrW

— Steve_Bingham (@Steve_Bingham92) October 4, 2022

His post has racked up over 8,000 ‘likes’ on the microblogging platform, along with a ton of amused comments.

Some people also shared other pics of similar pleas. One, pasted at the back of an office chair, read: “Please don’t talk to me. I have to write but I have no self control and will talk to you for 30 minutes.”

pic.twitter.com/IC8PVhhIID

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— Noémie Depret (@NoDepret) October 4, 2022

Another Twitter user shared how they had to buy “ear defenders” to get work done

I had to buy a pair of ear defenders in my PhD office. My colleagues were lovely and not that loud, I was just easily distracted! pic.twitter.com/qJERNmWMOP

— Thom Davies (@ThomDavies) October 4, 2022