How to Stop Procrastinating
If you’re like most students, procrastinating is probably a daily struggle. With all the distractions around, it’s easy to put off an unwanted task for something more fun. Choosing the more appealing option too many times though can lead to last-minute cramming and you getting overwhelmed. Neither of these are good for your grades. Here are a few ways to help you break your procrastination habit…
Plan your week
The best way to get started is to plan out your entire week. Use a planner like this one or find an app for your phone. Knowing what deadlines you have coming up will help you know exactly how much time you have to complete each task. This is key to making sure you don’t end up getting overwhelmed with too much to do at one time. Once you’re stressed about all the work you’ve piled up, it’s even harder to get motivated. Having an organized schedule is the first step to ending your procrastination habit.
Have a good workspace
For many students, the bedroom or dorm room isn’t a good environment. There are too many distractions like roommates, tv, computers, etc. So, if you have trouble studying there, change up the location. Find somewhere that’ll help you stay focused. This could be the library, coffee shop, or a study space in your department’s building on campus. You just need a place that you can consistently get to where you won’t be distracted. Above all, stay off the electronic devices. They’re the number one distraction for most of us.
If you’re working at your desk at home it should be organized and clutter free. Not only will there be fewer things to distract you but your mind with be more focused on the task at hand. You can get organized with the must-have items found in my organization post.
Take short breaks when you need them
Work in intervals to avoid burnout. After working for 20-40 minutes, take a short break. After the break, start on the next 20-40 minute session. Keep doing these intervals until you’ve finished everything you need to do. The key to these breaks is to avoid doing something that will get you off track.
For example, getting on social media is usually a bad idea because it’s easy to lose track of time and it causes your brain to totally switch gears. The purpose of the breaks is to give your mind a few minutes of down time. Getting a drink, stretching or walking around for a few minutes are good options.
Do quick & easy tasks
Got an email to send or papers to print out? Do it now, don’t wait. Getting quick tasks done makes you feel like you accomplished something and will give you motivation to start on the more tedious ones. Plus, it helps in the long run because you’ll have less to worry about when you’re trying to focus on more important things.
Break assignments into parts
Engineering assignments can be a struggle. They’re typically pretty long and time consuming. To make it easier, break the assignments into smaller parts if you can. For example, if you have 8 problems to work, complete two problems per day instead of cramming all 8 of them in one study session. Not only will this make for a more manageable schedule, it’ll also help you retain the material better since you’ll see it on several consecutive days.
Find a motivated study group
Study groups with easily distracted people don’t work. A motivated, focused group can be a big help though. Procrastinating is harder to do when someone else is relying on you to be there.
Just start
If you’re like me, you’ll spend 20 minutes dreading a task instead of just doing it. Don’t be like me! Don’t focus on the fact that you don’t want to start, just get to work. Thinking about how you don’t want to do something is a huge waste of time. So, knock it out and get it done. It’ll be one less thing to worry about.
Many of my procrastinating students successfully use these tips. Hopefully, they’ll work for you too. On a related topic, for ideas on how to prevent all nighters, click here. Happy studying!
