Procrastination is the habit or art of voluntarily putting off something for a later time. We could argue that procrastination is part of student life – after all, who wants to spend their weekends writing an essay that isn’t due for weeks? However, this counterproductive habit not only impacts your grades but can also cause undue guilt and stress.
Are you wondering how to end procrastination once and for all and get back to studying? Kick this bad habit to the curb with this guide.
Mark Twain, the famous author, advised people to “eat a live frog” the first thing in the morning. Well, not literally! But figuratively. According to him, the live frog is the day’s most challenging and important task. Very often, it’s something that you dread. It’s the reason why you tend to procrastinate.
By tackling the most challenging task of the day first, you get a tremendous sense of relief that the most difficult job is out of the way. This helps you get into a routine and carry out the rest of the tasks for the day without delaying everything.
Students often tend to procrastinate because they’re lured in by temptations. Figure out your temptations and kick them to the curb. For example, if you’re distracted by social media notifications, turn off your phone or place it in another room before sitting down to study. Alternatively, you can take your laptop and books to your college library to learn in a space where you won’t be disturbed. You can also check productivity apps that lock your phone for a specific amount of time so that you won’t be tempted to check it while you’re studying.
Very often, we procrastinate because we are afraid of failure. We feel intimidated by a task that we struggle to get started. By letting go of your lofty goals of perfection, you need to focus on just getting started. If you have a difficult essay to turn in, begin by jotting down the notes or researching the topic. This gives you the momentum to keep going without the fear of failure.
Okay, the tasks you tend to procrastinate are usually complicated, unpleasant or challenging. By pushing yourself too hard in one go, you are unlikely to repeat the task later. Study experts recommend setting specific, short targets that give you an adrenaline boost on completion. Break bigger tasks into smaller, easily manageable goals. For example, if you have to turn in a 5000-word essay, aim to write just 500 words every day so that you can complete the whole paper within two weeks.
Do you know that you can hire expert online class takers who can do your homework for you? Reach out to your preferred online helper and ask, “Can I pay someone to take my online class for me?”
Post your lunch break, and check how much you have accomplished for the day. It’s a good idea to take a short break after lunch to avoid over exhausting yourself. Take a quick nap, have a coffee break, and return to your tasks with renewed energy. You can set up an alarm from 1 pm to 2 pm every day to take a short break and return to the rest of your tasks.
Remember, it’s always better to do something than do nothing. Beat procrastination with these smart tips and stay on track! Once you set the ball rolling, you gain the motivation to keep going.
