Have you ever just gotten so stressed out about something, or many things, that you just end up procrastinating until the last minute? I know I have, and I know that I get worse when there are more things for me to do.
So I've had to find some ways that work for me to stop my stress from getting to the point of me procrastinating everything, and hopefully, these will help you too.
1. WRITE IT DOWN!!!
Most of us get planners in school, right? If not, almost everyone has a phone or notebook handy. As soon as you get that assignment, WRITE IT DOWN somewhere! It helps keep down the stress of having to remember it off the top of your head when you sit down to do your homework that night. It's also a great (and simple) checklist for all the things you might have to get done. One of the greatest things I've done is gotten a dry-erase marker calendar that I write everything on and it sits on my desk where it can easily remind me what I have coming up. I also have two planners that I write in because I'm an unlucky person who forgets everything and then my stress level goes sky-high.
2. Plan Your Day
How many of you actually plan out your day and what you're going to do? I didn't use to do that, but as soon as I started doing it, I became a little less stressed. Maybe it's because I know for certain what I need to get done that day, because I usually plan it according to how important or quickly it needs to get done. So if I get homework, I'm usually able to slip it around whatever else I've already got planned that day.
3. Take Breaks
When I sit down to do my homework, especially if I have a lot of it, I often get distracted by something. It doesn't matter what it is. It could be my phone, someone talking in another room, a thought that has absolutely nothing to do with what I'm doing, etc. So I plan breaks, about five to ten minutes, to be able to give my brain a bit of time to relax so I can continue working. Sometimes I'll start my laundry during my break, or I'll get on Facebook to see what everyone's been up to that day. Be careful, though, because if you let yourself totally float away from what you're doing, you're going to get stressed because you got too distracted while trying to give yourself a break. Try setting a timer or watch the clock closely when you do this. It definitely helps!
4. Give Yourself A Goal/Reward
You know that day you planned? Make sure to plan in some time before bed for relaxation or a reward of your choosing. If you got everything you needed to get done that day, do something entirely for yourself. For me, I like to sit down at the end of the day and read a book, draw or write. It's something that soothes me and makes my brain happy because I can be as creative as I want! Maybe you could get some more sleep in, or eat your favorite snack. Just make sure to actually have what you need to have done, done.
5. It's Alright
Now, this one is a weird one. Why? Because I'm telling you it's alright if you get stressed, and this is the step you take when you have gotten to the point of stress-procrastination. It's not a crime, and it happens to everyone. When it gets to the point of being stress-procrastination, you need to sit back and take a breather. Let yourself calm down, since I'm sure you're panicking a little, and make it so you can think clearly. When you've managed to do that, you'll need to organize what is most important to be done and try to do it. If you don't think you can do it, give yourself another ten minutes and go back to the drawing board on how to get yourself to do what needs done. Because, unfortunately, no one is going to be able to do it for you. So take a deep breath and do what you can!
I know that these aren't going to work for everybody, but I know for a fact that they've worked for me. If none of these worked for you, maybe try to think of ways that could. Maybe start by not stressing over the face that you got a 'C' instead of an 'A' on that last test, and focus on just making your next one better.
You can do it - just take a deep breath.
