4 Ways to Conquer Your Procrastination Habit

By Alicia Geigel on February 6, 2018

A few weeks ago, a professor gave you an assignment with a due date of two weeks from that date; now it’s 11 p.m. the day before it’s due and you are panicking. Sound familiar? Every now and then, we all fall victim to the horrible habit of procrastination. As a college student constantly bombarded with different assignments and homework from different classes, it can become super easy to fall behind and wait until the last minute to finish something. I am someone who almost always procrastinates, no matter how long I have an assignment for or simple as it may be.

For whatever reason, I feel compelled to pressure myself into doing an assignment until the last possible hour I have to complete it and I constantly reassure myself that this phenomenon is merely due to the fact that I “work better under pressure.” That, my friends, is called an excuse for not wanting to do your work in a timely, more efficient manner (and the worst part is, I know it).

If you are like me and struggle with time management and spacing out the tasks and obligations of school but aren’t sure of how to alter your habits of procrastination, no worries — I can help you! Whether you want to form a better work schedule or simply manage your time better, check out my top four tips on how to conquer procrastination below!

computer, student, notebook, pen, work

Image via Pixabay

1. Create Visuals: If we are just thinking about an upcoming assignment or project that is due, it can be a lot easier to push it off because you aren’t visualizing what you have to do. A way that you can help fix your procrastination problem is to put motivational visuals in your work/study area as a means to not only remind you of what you have to do, but also to inspire and push you to do it!

For instance, you could leave post-its on your walls with “Make study guide by Tues,” “you can do it!” or “keep going!” While these seem kind of cheesy (they probably are), trust me, it is way easier to do something once you can literally see what you have to do.

2. Cut Out Distractions: We all are guilty of going on our phones while trying to study and/or get work done, its an unfortunate reality of how us college kids operate. Let’s be real though, you know you aren’t going to get any work done when you’re on Twitter or watching YouTube, so if you actually care about school and want to get your work done, don’t tempt yourself.

My few recommendations are: first, silence your phone and either place it in a different room or somewhere where it’s not easily accessible to you, then once you have your break, take the time to message your contacts back. Secondly, if you are someone who has a fierce social media addiction, set yourself a timer for 10-15 minutes, indulge in your Twitter feed, and then get back to work. Once you set a time limit for yourself, you’ll not only feel better after your break but you’ll also be able to jump right back into work!

work, study, time management, student

Image via Pixabay

3. Create a Study Space: Surrounding environments have a significant impact on our motivation to do work and get it done. If you are in a dim lit, dark and cozy room, your first instinct isn’t going to be to study, you’re going to want to pass out on your bed! A great step in the right direction away from procrastination is to design a space where you know you will be inspired to work.

According to Ransom Patterson of CollegeInfoGreek, four steps to creating a great off-campus study space are, “1. Remove all distractions, 2. Have easy access to everything you need before you start, 3. Experiment with lighting and 4. Adjust your study space to the ideal temperature.” For instance, a bright floor and/or desk lamp, some cool motivational artwork, plants, and a table and chair can drastically change the vibe of your working space!

4. Indulge in Rewards: Overcoming the bad habit of procrastination is not easy, and just like any habit, it can be difficult to break or easy to fall back into the same routine. If you are working hard without reward, it can become hard to stay motivated.

Erica Cirino of USA Today College notes, “Remember to periodically reward yourself for your academic efforts with fun and healthy things, like mind-clearing walks between study sessions and hangout time with friends.” After getting your work done and rewarding yourself, you will begin to see how you can both work hard and have fun at the same time, which will make you less likely to procrastinate in the future.

It is certainly easy to become distracted and push off work nowadays due to the fact that multiple forms of social media and entertainment are at our fingertips. However, when tempted with these distractions, just remember the reason why you are studying along with all the money, time and effort you put towards getting an education. As always, good luck!

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