Procrastination is one thing I have really struggled with for a long time. It's way too easy to fall behind when you have a million things going on, and it becomes common to forget the things you need to do. However, there are some ways to conquer these bad habits, even for the biggest of procrastinators.

Sticky Notes

A major tool for a busy college student is the utilization of sticky notes. This is power move if you seem to forget things or lack in organization. Something that I will be trying this year in order to conquer procrastination is writing all the tasks I need to complete for the week on sticky notes and then sticking them somewhere will I know I will see them daily, such as on my laptop or bathroom mirror. This provides little reminders to keep you on top of things and organized so you won't miss an assignment or meeting.

Planners

Having a planner or agenda is crucial for a busy schedule. The muscle memory of writing important dates down helps avoid waiting until the last minute to finish or plan for something. It also helps organize the week, month, and year out for you so you can have a tangible schedule of what days you are busy and when you have free time for leisure activities. Never forget to leave time for yourself to have fun and relieve some stress.

Stay Ahead

It's also important to stay ahead of your schedule and not fall behind. Leaving things until the last minute is a recipe for disaster. It's easy to miss a due date after putting it off for so long, and I've had many situations when I waiting until the last minute and forgot I had an assignment due. I advise completing anything you have on your agenda at least two days before. This helps you avoid falling back and becoming more stressed out than you need to be. Cramming a bunch of things into one day or night will most likely lead to you not doing your best at something.

Don't Overwhelm Yourself

Everyone goes through times in his or her life when there is so much to do in little time. However, remember not to overwhelm yourself and load your plate too much. Schedule things out evenly so you aren't completing a lot of things in one day or week. Know your limit and try to not overload yourself with stress. Being stressed can lead to procrastination as one avoids the intimidating amount of work on his or her schedule.

It's okay to fall behind every now and then, but it's also avoidable. If you plan smart, remind yourself, and still leave time aside for yourself, even the busiest of schedules become manageable.