There is a fine line between procrastination and well-deserved, necessary breaks. Between “slacking off” and “taking time for yourself.” Most people cross it without realizing, and I’m going to go out on a limb and say that college students are some of the biggest offenders. It shouldn’t be at all surprising, because rather than an imaginary line drawn in the dirt, it’s more of a teetering edge of the cliff with someone, usually Your Sanity, nudging you toward the edge, and the pressure and motivation to succeed is the only thing keeping you upright and balanced. Anyone nudged enough is eventually going to slip. Fortunately, there are some ways to put some distance between you and the proverbial cliff, and to keep the nudging to an absolute minimum.
1. Sleep.
Everyone is going to tell you this and so it hardly needs saying at all, but it’s worth repeating. Studies have shown that college students actually need more than the recommended eight hours, but since you probably don’t have time for that, shoot for the tried and true. Everything seems more manageable when you’re not forcing drooping eyelids open during class or living for your next coffee at Starbucks. If eight hours at night is for some reason unmanageable, schedule a nap into your day, and consider cutting back on the caffeine. The inevitable crash isn’t going to be worth it when you’re halfway through a final paper.
2. Plan your day.
Not in general terms. As ridiculous as it sounds, get out a piece of paper (or your phone, if you prefer) and map it out for yourself. The hardest part isn’t going to be writing it, it’s going to be sticking to it. Account for everything. About when are you going to wake up and, if you’re that kind of person, how many times can you reasonably hit Snooze? When are you going to eat? If you’re going to take a nap, where will it fit? What time will you devote to each class? If it doesn’t work the first couple times you do it, you’ll know you’re setting unrealistic expectations – or maybe just that you’re not holding yourself to it. Make it a personal challenge.
3. Multitask.
Now here’s the thing. Human beings, contrary to popular belief, aren’t actually all that great at multitasking. Our brains aren’t really made for it, and trying to force it has resulted in us having attention spans far too similar to goldfish. So when I say multitask, I don’t mean text your significant other, play video games, and somehow miraculously write a paper at the same time. Your mind is naturally going to drift to the more entertaining activity (and, spoiler, it’s probably not the paper). I mean, work two things you should definitely need to get done during the day in together, and check two of those tasks right off of your plan. If you’re going to lunch, is there a way you can study while you’re there? If your friend’s in the same class as you, can you make socialization and study somehow fit together? While you’re checking something out of the library, why don’t you also get some research done for your class? Pair things that naturally fit together, and you’re much more likely to actually do them. If you’re going to be in a particular building for one thing, try to think of something else you could get done in or around that same time in the same place. It’ll have you feeling less scattered and put out when you inevitably have to leave your room. And, hey, reading when you’re at the gym might become your new thing.
4. Take an actual break.
This is where that nudging comes in. Remember the plan? Whatever you’ve got on there, schedule in a break. Your brain is probably frazzled and overworked and it would love to spend six hours catching up on a Netflix show, but logically, you don’t have the time for that. So make it one episode. One single, forty-five minute episode, and probably right in the middle of your most stressful work. Once you’ve got it written down and you know you’ve got a reward coming, you’ll probably work more efficiently. Don’t make the reward, whatever it is, something that’s actually necessary – a break is never food or sleep. A show, music, some time out with friends at the coffee shop. Something that’s strictly for you, and not necessary for your body to function.
5. Accept that procrastination will happen.
At some point, everyone’s going to fall off the cliff. We’ll spend three hours taking a nap we weren’t supposed to, or watch four episodes instead of one because the end of the first was a cliffhanger. Don’t beat yourself up for it – make up for it. Now that you’ve lost your hours, what extra time do you have to put in? What changes are you going to have to make to your schedule? Once you think of it as a minor setback and plan accordingly, it isn’t so hard to account for it. And once you realize how much extra work you’re actually doing in the aftermath, it’s less likely to become a habit.
