By Selina Chan
Sometimes, you may find yourself delaying your assignment till the last minute, and rushing through the work that was intended to take longer to complete. Procrastination is common among ourselves and our peers. Studies have shown that 80%-95% of college students engage in procrastination to some degree.
There are multiple reasons why a student will postpone their work. For example, they have a lack of energy, which causes them to not have the motivation to start doing their tasks. Or they enjoy being under the pressure of working before the deadline. Needless to say, procrastination is a bad habit to build. To prevent it from affecting your lifestyle and overall mood, here are some useful tips to follow:
1. Eliminate distractions
Having an area that is solely for the purpose of studying or doing work will stimulate your brain to start doing your assignments more quickly. To continue, shutting down your phone to silent mode is a great way to limit distractions. Studies have shown that listening to lo-fi or classical music helps keep your brain focused.
2. Take a break
Taking a 10-15 minute break allows your mind to rest. This is crucial since it’s not good to continuously work and tire yourself out. During the break, you can walk around or eat a quick snack. This also helps you reduce stress and retain better information.
3. Create a To-Do List
Before working, write down a list of assignments that you need to complete, from the most urgent to the least. This will help you stay organized and productive as you can visually see all of the tasks that need to be finished. Moreover, it feels rewarding to cross off a task when it’s done.
4. Manage your time
Before planning out your day, it’s important to be realistic. If you know that you have an event or a club that you need to attend, reduce the amount of work that you want to complete. This will help you feel less overwhelmed as you have a schedule that is manageable to be finished during the day.
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It’s normal for people to procrastinate, but it’s important to get back on track and finish the work before it’s due. This will not only allow you to have more free time at the end of the day, but you’ll also feel more relaxed.
References:
https://mcgraw.princeton.edu/understanding-and-overcoming-procrastination
https://solvingprocrastination.com/procrastination-statistics/
https://www.collegedata.com/resources/campus-life/8-tips-to-avoid-procrastination