How do we overcome the power of procrastination? Here are five pieces of advice that you may find useful.
Number 1: Try to avoid any distractions that will steer us away from our task. While you’re working, you can power off your phone or put it in another room so those Snapchat notifications don’t get the better of you. If you’re writing something on your laptop, consider turning off Wi-Fi so that you stop going on useless websites like chihuahuaspin.com and even block certain websites temporarily.
Number 2: Set your own deadlines. Sometimes, a large, daunting task may be the reason we procrastinate. To solve this problem, you can split the work into small, less daunting sections that you do on a regular basis. Over time, you’ll have achieved much more than you’ve ever expected. Say to yourself, I need to get this section of my assignment done by 6:00 pm today, this section by 7, and the last section by 8. Make sure that you stick to these self-made checkpoints. They’ll ensure that you stay on track and give you a sense of urgency, which actually decreases procrastination.
Number 3: Make a daily must-do list. Plan out what you haveto get done today and don’t go to bed before you cross everything off the list. These lists are very useful because you always know what needs to get done and you feel guilty if you don’t complete everything. As a result, you procrastinate less. This list-making process should be done every day.
Number 4: Use the Pomodoro technique. Study, work, and focus on something without distracting yourself for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. Repeat this until you get the task done. This technique is very worthwhile, because you don’t over-study and get really tired, but stay focused and on task.
And lastly, Number 5: Manage and track your time. I know we all have busy lives, but saying “I’m too busy” is just an excuse to procrastinate. You’ll be surprised at how much time we spend every day doing unnecessary things. By keeping track and managing time efficiently, we’ll be able to get more things done and become that much closer to realizing our goals.
In summary, I urge you to avoid distractions, set your own deadlines, make a daily must-do list, use the Pomodoro technique, and effectively manage your time. Because when we finally get things done, we’ll be able to enjoy ourselves much more than we would while engaging in guilty Netflix binging, when we know we should be doing our homework.
As a person who procrastinates all the time, if it was a sport in the Olympics, I wouldn’t hesitate to compete in it… later.
This is the end of my procrastination series! If you missed the previous parts, here is Part 1 and Part 2.
