There is almost nothing more dangerous to a busy college student than procrastination. The sad truth though is that most of us have fallen prey to its temptation in the past. One of the biggest culprits? Netflix. We all know and love this horrible trap, and we all know how hard it is to just say no to it, no matter how many tests we have the next day. However, Netflix isn't the only procrastination trap we fall into. When we don't want to do something badly enough, we can find just about anything else more entertaining. All of a sudden scrubbing every tile in your shower is at the top of your to-do list, or you decide to do a bit of the reading from your summer book list, or maybe you just find yourself spiraling down the black hole that is YouTube. Procrastination is a killer waiting to strike, so it is important to find a few ways to fight it off that actually work for you. Throughout the years of waiting until the last minute, I have managed to find a few ways to work through the nagging feeling of just wanting to lay in bed all day.
The best way to keep working is to refuse to stop. We all know we aren't going to only watch one episode, and that 20-minute nap you have planned is definitely going to turn into a two-hour one. In order to prevent that short break from turning into a night of doing absolutely nothing, just keep moving. Even if you mentally need a break from homework, take that time to make dinner, call an old friend from high school or reorganize your desk. Just don't let yourself give into the temptation of giving up for the night.
My next method for actually being productive is to dance through the pain. Instead of attempting to watch a move while writing a paper, I throw in some headphones, turn on some oldies, and dance at your desk until every word is down on paper. Something about half-dancing and half-writing is just a hundred times more effective than trying to not to get too wrapped up in the TV screen. Just be prepared for the concerned looks your roommates will give you if they walk in on your desk dancing.
One last method I have for staying on task is actually going to the beautiful library available to me on campus. Finding that perfect spot to stay focused can be a challenge, but once you discover it, nothing can make you more productive. Setting aside a few hours after class to spread out your books and start doing all of the assignments you have been dreading since you saw them on the syllabus at the beginning of the semester can be an incredibly rewarding feeling.
It may feel great in the moment to procrastinate, but once time catches up with you the stress is never worth it. The longer the wait the harder it will be, and ultimately you will want to do it even less than you did in the first place. It may take a few tries to find your methods for beating procrastination, but when you do and some of the stress begins to melt away you will finally feel like you can breathe again.
