If you’re like me, you’ve been a procrastinator pretty much all your life. Whether it’s starting that assignment, doing the dishes or contacting a friend, it’s something I’ll be doing just after I’ve done this other thing…
No doubt your non-procrastinating friends have chipped in with their helpful advice: “just do it now,” “decide not to put it off” and the wonderfully helpful “don’t procrastinate!” Personally, all this does is make me put things off more while I stare at my friend and wish they understood that it’s not that easy.
Sadly, procrastination and a heavy workload just don’t mix. Whether it’s revising for assignments, setting up meetings or starting to write the assignment you’ve been planning for a month, there comes a point where procrastination is no longer an option.
These are some tips that have worked for me.
Recognise triggers
Often the urge to put things off is linked to how important or large something is, where the thought of starting something so big is too much. In this case, I break things down into smaller, less intimidating tasks. Talking the task through with a friend or colleague is a good way to begin to process, as well as feeling like you’re not actually working on it yet (even though you are).
Set deadlines
Sure, your assignments have deadlines, but that doesn’t mean you can’t set yourself other ones. For example, if you’re working on an assignment, look at the sections it needs to contain and set a deadline for each. This makes the tasks smaller, gives you milestones to celebrate and means you’ll keep your timing on track.
Use external cues
To-do lists are good, but highlighting your top four tasks for the day makes them easier to manage. Setting a deadline is good, but using a timer to pressure you to start gives you the push to begin writing. When cues are external, they are both visible and impersonal (even when you set them) – making them less negotiable and more likely to be effective.
Remove distractions
When I really need to focus, I leave my phone at home, go to the Virgil Building and find a room to myself. There’s no one I can talk to, no game I can just play for 5 minutes to get my brain ready to study, and no fridge to check for snacks. There’s nothing to do except study, so I can usually get through the work I set myself for the day.
None of these are fun, none of them come naturally, and none of them always work. But all of them are solid suggestions you can experiment with until you find a pattern that works for you. Good luck!
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