Procrastination is inevitable. It is part of human nature to put off tasks until we feel a pressure that they absolutely must be finished. As a student, I have procrastinated many assignments and have witnessed peers finish assignments that were introduced months prior, just minutes before they are due.

Procrastination is a dangerous cycle because although in those pressure-filled moments you swear you will never wait until the last minute again, once you have successfully turned in an assignment on time you feel that you can always get away with it.

It is evident when work has been procrastinated because the product is rushed and does not meet its full potential. If you are given a long time to work on an assignment that is typical because it is intended to take a lot of time and effort and it will be unlikely that it is possible to finish in one night.

However, it is much easier to acknowledge that procrastination is bad and tell people they should not do it than to actually take action.

Here are 5 ways to avoid the detrimental habit of procrastination.

1. Take your phone out of the picture

Most people these days have a phone filled with distractions. Many different social media, the internet, games, and more can waste away hours of a person's day. I personally find it impossible to complete work when my phone is next to me lighting up with notifications.

My phone distracts me from completing my work and can give me an excuse to stay away from my work for hours. In order to focus and get my work done I often have to put my phone out of sight to avoid the distraction and to focus for an extended period of time.

2. Make your own work schedule

When you are assigned something with a due date far in the future it is easy to slip into the mentality that you don’t have to worry about it for a while. It is hard to motivate yourself to work on a big project when you barely know where to start and there seem to be lots of time stretched out in front of you to finish it.

If you pace out the project in your own way and assign yourself a small daily task to complete each day, you will feel accomplished each time you get to check something off, and you will not be left with a massive amount of work right before the due date.

3. Find a good study space

Sometimes the environment you are working in can be what distracts you from your assignment. Being surrounded by people you know or lots of noise can hinder your ability to do work. Sometimes even being alone in your room can be distracting because you are comfortable there. Find a quiet study space like a cubicle in a library or a study room to get focused and complete work.

4. Get a good night’s sleep

Although this seems as though it will take away from work time, sleep is a key component of creating good work. If you rest at night when you are supposed to you will avoid unnecessary naps during the day that take up work time.

You will also be well rested and have the energy to complete your work. Getting a good night sleep each night will help you avoid staying up all night to finish your work and will help you maintain a healthy sleep schedule.

5. Find a study buddy

Finding someone that will not distract you, but will help keep you on a schedule is crucial. If you have a person that you promised to do work with it will ensure that you have time set aside to work on your assignment. Find a person with the same project that can quietly work beside you and keep you on schedule throughout the process.