If you’re here, reading this blog, you’re most likely struggling with the habit of procrastination in one form or the other.
Being a college student you realize the success that awaits you, but your habit of procrastination gets in the way hindering your productivity. You’ve probably tried countless methods to overcome your procrastination, and accepted defeat because overcoming procrastination is difficult too.
Additionally, you may also have looked for help on this topic online or from friends and realized that there is an influx of information about how to stop procrastinating, but most of it is either ineffective or just too much work!
We’ve created this guide to help you stop procrastinating once and for all. In this guide, we will give you anti-procrastinating tips and techniques that you can use and get rid of this habit for good. While reading, please consider that procrastination is a serious issue, but if you’re determined enough to complete reading through this guide and make a solid action plan then you have a brilliant chance at overcoming your procrastination.
Before getting to the anti-procrastinating tips, here’s what you must know about procrastination:
• Procrastination is the deliberate but unrequired desire to postpone important tasks or decisions.
• Your procrastination can be linked to other issues like low self-esteem, anxiety, the stress of failure, or lack of motivation or control.
• Procrastination gives you instant gratification and makes you forget about the impending stress that will eventually find its way back to you.
• You can effectively overcome your procrastination by following methods that allow you to focus on factors that make you procrastinate in the first place.
If you are determined to get rid of this habit once and for all and become a more productive college student, here’s some basic advice on how to stop procrastinating immediately!
• You might be oblivious to this but your environment matters. Make your surroundings as favorable for productivity as much as possible. For example, if you’re trying to study choose a place with good lighting, ventilation, and fewer distractions.
• Use the reward method; you might be familiar with this one, so arrange yourself some rewards and use it as positive reinforcement. Giving yourself positive reinforcement after the completion of small tasks will keep you motivated for the bigger reward in the future.
• Planning is key, you should always plan your work ahead of time. For example, list the easiest or smallest task for completion first, once you start accomplishing these small tasks you will start feeling productive as you go.
• Engage yourself in active questioning and reflection with yourself. Ask yourself “if I were to start this task right now, how’s the easiest way possible I can accomplish it?”. Then, assure yourself that it’s okay to start late or on a tiny step, motivate yourself to do it, even if your work isn’t perfect you will feel a sense of accomplishment.
Additionally, ask yourself “What’s making me procrastinate?” if you’re able to figure out the reason behind your procrastination it will be easier for you to resolve. For resolving procrastinating in the long run you must figure out your goals first, then figure out why you procrastinate. After working your way through the first two steps, then create an action plan based on any relevant anti-procrastination tip given above, all while considering your goals. Finally, implement your action plan and track your progress. Make sure to not stick to one technique, switch it up once in a while. Remember that change is necessary and for a technique to work effectively it always needs some modification.