Procrastination seems to be seeping into every activity around this time of the semester. From final projects to homework assignments that are given with an entire week to complete. Nothing seems interesting and the only thing keeping your attention is Christmas break. Okay, not to be a bubble-burster, but it is definitely far enough away that your procrastination is sure to hurt you before break can arrive to save you. Stay on task for less than a month and the reward will be definitely worth actually taking care of tasks on time.
Picture this — it's early in the morning and you need to work out before class. Don't hit the snooze whatever you do and go to the gym or run or whatever it is that you do to exercise that you loathe early in the morning. Starting off the day with an accomplishment and a check on that never ending list of tasks is not only motivating, but helps to get you into a pattern of action. When you skip the first check on your daily to-do list, it becomes easy to slide into a pattern of procrastination because well- you already put off the first item so what's another ten? If you need motivation, then create a literal to-do list and make a minimum numbers of items that you need to check per day. Say you write down ten items, but allow yourself some freedom by only having to check (finish) six of those items that day. It makes a visual set up in order for you to see what you need to improve and it also provides a sense of accomplishment and direction by allowing a way to have future direction.If you didn't finish everything on your list, no worries! Add the tasks to tomorrow and at least it lets you stay on track.
If you need a bit more of a push, because maybe even making a check-list is easy to procrastinate on creating- try these other methods. One problem that procrastination creates is a sense of anxiety that can often paralyze people from even going forward with their actions. Try verbalizing to good friends that you are trying to improve and become more pro-active with your work and schedule. They can help you to stay on track and remain more accountable than if you went it alone. Another option is to try and find small and easy tasks to finish every day like making a phone call or going to the ATM machine in order to work your way up to more elaborate tasks. If you have a final paper due or term project, starting a few minutes of it using a timer is also a useful idea.Set a timer for twenty minutes and focus only on that project until the timer rings (pro tip: turn your phone on silent or vibrate for these twenty minutes to avoid distraction).
Don't worry you'll have this semester or quarter finished in no time with plenty accomplished.
