by Alisha Leu
Student Services Intern, Community College of Vermont
It’s 10PM the night before a big assignment is due. If you’re like me, this is when the panic sets in. You realize that you have too much work to do and not enough time. As that all-nighter looms over your head, I would like to officially welcome you to procrastination station. I’ve spent many nights here and it’s really not fun at all. After many years of struggling to manage my own procrastination, I’ve discovered some good tips to help you avoid those late night panic sessions. Cal Newport described it as a Procrastination Battle Plan in his book How to Become a Straight A Student. So here’s how you do it:
Keep a work progress journal
This was a new discovery for me, but I think it’s a genius idea! First, obtain a cheap spiral notebook (you may have one lying around the house or you can pick one up at grocery stores, WalMart or Staples for around $1). Each morning, write a list of tasks to complete for the day (feel free to include your school work with your other daily tasks). As you go through your day, check off your accomplishments. At the end of the day, look at what you were not able to complete and write a brief (and honest) explanation about why you weren’t successful at completing the tasks. Doing this will help you feel accountable to your work and help you recognize the things that are preventing you from doing your work on time-maybe you’ll see a pattern. Oh, and if you get all your work done, write “all complete” with a smiley face and pat yourself on the back!
Make an Event out of the Worst Tasks
We all have those assignments that we dread. For me, I hate writing the first paragraph of a long paper. I can never find the right way to start. So, to make even the worst things fun, make an event of it! Try to take your work on the road. Head somewhere away from your house that is conducive to school work, like a library or a café, and tell everyone that you’re going. The more people that know about it, the harder it will be to cancel. Once you get started, the pain of the assignment will begin to fade away and you will have just had a good, productive afternoon!
Build a Routine
The power of a routine cannot be underestimated. Find a consistent hour or two every day that you can dedicate to your work. If you do this, your work will be much easier to accomplish. Your brain will begin to understand that the hour after Math class is for studying and your productivity will increase.
Choose your Hard Days
By following these tips, you can cut down on your procrastination significantly. Unfortunately, you will still have that day when you have too much work to do than you have hours. It’s the nature of college. You can help minimize the negative impact of these days by paying attention to your syllabi. If you see that you have 3 large assignments due in one week, plan your hard day in advance. That way you are still in total control of your work. I like to think of it as outsmarting my assignments.
By following these steps, you will never have another all-nighter and you will be in total control of your schoolwork. You’ll be amazed at how much easier it will become for you to manage your school, work, and personal life!
Keep a work progress journal
This was a new discovery for me, but I think it’s a genius idea! First, obtain a cheap spiral notebook (you may have one lying around the house or you can pick one up at grocery stores, WalMart or Staples for around $1). Each morning, write a list of tasks to complete for the day (feel free to include your school work with your other daily tasks). As you go through your day, check off your accomplishments. At the end of the day, look at what you were not able to complete and write a brief (and honest) explanation about why you weren’t successful at completing the tasks. Doing this will help you feel accountable to your work and help you recognize the things that are preventing you from doing your work on time-maybe you’ll see a pattern. Oh, and if you get all your work done, write “all complete” with a smiley face and pat yourself on the back!
Make an Event out of the Worst Tasks
We all have those assignments that we dread. For me, I hate writing the first paragraph of a long paper. I can never find the right way to start. So, to make even the worst things fun, make an event of it! Try to take your work on the road. Head somewhere away from your house that is conducive to school work, like a library or a café, and tell everyone that you’re going. The more people that know about it, the harder it will be to cancel. Once you get started, the pain of the assignment will begin to fade away and you will have just had a good, productive afternoon!
Build a Routine
The power of a routine cannot be underestimated. Find a consistent hour or two every day that you can dedicate to your work. If you do this, your work will be much easier to accomplish. Your brain will begin to understand that the hour after Math class is for studying and your productivity will increase.
Choose your Hard Days
By following these tips, you can cut down on your procrastination significantly. Unfortunately, you will still have that day when you have too much work to do than you have hours. It’s the nature of college. You can help minimize the negative impact of these days by paying attention to your syllabi. If you see that you have 3 large assignments due in one week, plan your hard day in advance. That way you are still in total control of your work. I like to think of it as outsmarting my assignments.
By following these steps, you will never have another all-nighter and you will be in total control of your schoolwork. You’ll be amazed at how much easier it will become for you to manage your school, work, and personal life!
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