No matter how diligent of a student you are, staying on task and getting work done can be a challenge. However, for a everyday procrastinator, being productive can feel practically impossible. The hardcore procrastinator that I am, I feel myself getting sucked into social media, television, friendships and every other known distraction on a daily basis. There is always one more youtube video to watch, one more tweet to send, one more friend to chat and one more minute to waste. In fact, even staring at the wall becomes a more entertaining option than actually getting any work done. Thankfully, I learned to push my procrastinating tendencies aside by following a few study habits over the years.
Here are 12 study tips for the ultimate procrastinator!
1. Set up Timers.
The biggest game changer for me was when I began to use timers to divide up my study session. I set a timer for 30 minutes in which I have to get work done. After, I give myself a five to 10-minute break. I continue this until I finish all my work! The timers strictly define what you should be doing in a set amount of time, making staying on task much easier!
2. Reward Yourself!
You finished all your work on time? Give yourself that chocolate bar or extra TV time- you deserve it! By having incentives, you are motivated to stay on task and be productive to earn that reward.
3. Punish yourself if needed.
Oh no, you yet again fell into the procrastination trap and didn’t get your work done? Sorry, you don’t get to watch the latest "Game of Thrones" episode. By punishing yourself, maybe you won’t make the same mistake next time!
4. Break down the task.
When you know you have a ten page research paper due at the end of the month, fear starts to kick in. This leads to self doubt, distraction, and ultimately, procrastination. To avoid feeling overwhelmed by your work, divide up your task to make it seem much simpler. You could do one page of the paper every day for 10 days, which seems much more doable.
5. Leave your room!
Staying in my room proves to be a huge obstacle between getting work done. Having my bed, my TV and my entire family in such close proximity makes studying the last thing on my mind. Instead, going to a library or even a coffee shop gives you a more productive environment to get work done. Seeing other people working in a quiet place can be a huge motivator!
6. Study with friends!
Meeting up with some friends and studying together can be a more productive alternative than trying to get work done alone!
7. Disconnect yourself from everything else.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and all other social media sites are huge distractions. When you need to focus, disconnect yourself from the online world and put all your attention into the task at hand.
8. Identify your goals.
Lay out the material you need to cover and be clear on how much you want to get through by the end of the day. By doing this, you know exactly what you must accomplish in that set time period.
9. Coffee is your best friend.
This could just be my personal preference, but I love having a cup of coffee right before starting my work. Whether it be coffee or any other caffeinated beverage, it gives me that sense of alertness that I often need after a long day.
10. Be realistic.
There is only so much you can do in a day, so don’t set unrealistic goals that will ultimately discourage you. Be fair to yourself and set out to study as much as you feel is actually doable!
11. Figure out what you're working for!
Maybe you have a dream job that you are working toward or you truly love the material that you are reading. Remind yourself of why you are working, which can intrinsically motivate you to keep at it and not procrastinate!
12. Just. Do. It.
At some point, you know that you have to get your work done, so might as well get it over with, right?
I hope these tips are helpful for all my fellow procrastinators! P.S. I totally did not procrastinate writing this article.
