As summer break has finally begun, we are all excited to take a step back from the stress of high school. However, as optimistic as I may be, the stress is not quite over yet. Even though we no longer have to stress about quizzes and tests (unless you're currently taking a summer course), we still have summer homework for the courses we will begin to take in the upcoming fall semester. Of course, procrastination is a skill all of us possess. However, in order to thoroughly enjoy your summer without stressing about summer homework or cramming it all the night before school starts, here are five effective steps to end summer homework procrastination once and for all.
1. Lay out all of your summer homework in one place.
Be sure to place everything in one space. It helps to keep all of your homework organized, especially if you have homework from more than one class. That area can be designated as your work space, and prevents you from missing out on any step in your homework. In addition, this organized work space helps motivate you to work harder and to prevent from becoming distracted. In that case, be sure to avoid having too many snacks in your work space to prevent any distractions.
2. Make a daily to-do list.
This allows you to give yourself mini goals each day. That way, you will ensure that you will not procrastinate. It also helps to have check boxes to give yourself the feeling of accomplishment each time you complete a task. This can help you keep on track with your weekly deadlines and furthermore, prevent yourself from having to do all of your summer homework towards the end of the summer.
3. Plan out weekly deadlines.
Weekly deadlines are vital to make sure that you are one step closer to finally relaxing the remainder of your summer. These small deadlines can prevent yourself from staying up late the couple of nights before school starts that will result in an inadequate form of summer homework. In that case, be sure to set up realistic weekly deadlines. For example, don't set up a deadline that requires you to read 1,000 pages within a week. It may be possible, but it could lead to stressful times during your summer. Deadlines prevent yourself from becoming stressed. Don't stress yourself out.
4. Reward yourself once in a while.
Homework can become too intense sometimes; your brain will need a break. In that case, rewarding yourself within a respectable amount of time can give your brain the break it needs. In my case, Netflix works amazingly for brain breaks. I tend to watch one episode of 'New Girl' every three hours. However, it is also important to make sure that you do not take advantage of your break time, which eventually leads to hours of taking a break from homework. In the end, your entire day is a break and you live up to your status as a procrastinator.
5. Motivate yourself.
There is no way to end your summer homework procrastination if you do not set your mind to it. It is vital to motivate yourself each and every day to keep your mind set on working. If there's a slight hint of laziness, you will fall into procrastination once again. To help motivate yourself, I find it helpful to go onto Youtube and to search up motivational videos each day.
To help you get started, here are a couple of my favorite motivational videos I have used during this summer, like this one and this playlist.Last friendly tip: you can do it! Don't ever give up on yourself and don't give in to the temptations of social media and television. If you set your mind to it and follow each of these steps, you will for sure finish your summer homework early and spend the rest of your summer relaxing.
