Most college students know something about procrastination. If they say they don't, they're probably lying at least a little bit. Procrastination has been one of my constant companions during this past year, and even before then. For some people, procrastination can be helpful and even inspiring. For others, not so much. Procrastination is my ally for my creativity. For anything else, however, it is my worst enemy. Here are three tips to fight procrastination before it's even begun.
1. Break it down.
My mom always likes to ask me, "How do you eat an elephant?" I usually reply with a smart alec comment, but the answer she is referring to is the simple one: "One bite at a time of course." Big projects can seem overwhelming. Sometimes, it's so much easier to face and to complete those big projects when you break them down into smaller projects. These projects will be quicker to complete, and completion is the motivation you need to complete the next one. While I don't necessarily condone eating elephants, I definitely condone the lesson behind my wise mom's question.
2. Fail to plan. Plan to fail.
Here's another note of wisdom that I didn't learn until recently. Choosing not to plan is the same thing as planning to have no choice. Organization is key. Schedule time and tasks with a timeline, which can be edited and changed based on what you need. As soon as you become aware of something that needs to be done with a large chunk of time, game plan. Be proactive, not reactive.
3. Discipline.
This might be the hardest lesson when it comes to procrastination, but it is also the hardest working opposed to it. When you have discipline over your projects and plans, you have discipline over your procrastination and yourself. Self discipline is certainly not easy. It takes plenty of practice. However, remind yourself how good you will feel when a task is done before the last minute. Sometimes the greatest personal success you will find is not the completion of a project or a goal, but in the fact that you held yourself accountable through it all.
