6 Effective Ways to Beat Procrastination in College

Procrastination is a problem students can develop in high school or even middle school and carry it to college. We’ve all procrastinated at some point; the problem is developing a habit of it. Here is an example of extreme procrastination: you have a project due in a week, and the deadline has been on your calendar for months, but with each day, you postpone thinking, ‘I will start tomorrow’. It goes on until you barely have enough time to complete the task, and you have to work under stress and anxiety to beat the deadline.

Procrastination can have some harmful effects on your education because you will even put off studying. The good news is that it is a challenge anyone can beat with the right mindset and some strategies that we have outlined below.

Be Organized

It’s easy to procrastinate when you don’t have a plan for completing your work. Keep track of all your academic tasks and have their due dates on your calendar. Also, have a fixed time for studying or working on your assignments. It helps your mind get used to working at that specific time, so you will feel accountable and complete your work.

Manage Your Motivation

When students procrastinate, it’s often because they don’t see their coursework as more important than what they are currently doing, even if it’s just resting. So, you should find a way to get more interested in your academics so that you are more driven to work rather than postpone them.

Remind yourself that your academic tasks are important for fulfilling your course requirements. Fulfilling your course requirements gets you closer to your career goals and even your dream job. When you have a set of goals for your future, you are not likely to do things that will jeopardize them.

Manage Your Environment

Your environment is a major factor concerning procrastination. If your environment is full of temptations, you will constantly be at a disadvantage when you want to get some work done. For example, it’s easy to get distracted when working in your dorm room because you have food, video games, and the TV in sight.

Students often seek essay writing help because they get distracted while doing their schoolwork and have to remain on schedule. So, find a good study spot. There are many study spaces you can consider in college depending on your preferences, such as:

• The library
• Empty classrooms
• Coffee shops
• Book stores
• The common room
• The school park

Managing your surroundings also includes taking control of the digital environment. It means avoiding social media when working and putting your phone in airplane mode. If you’re using your computer, resist the urge to browse online pages unrelated to your work.

Forgive Yourself

If you have procrastinated before or developed a habit of it, you should not shame yourself for doing it in the past. Instead, acknowledge that you have done it before, forgive yourself and try to do better. Remember, many people face this challenge, and you’re not alone. You will find it easier to be more productive in the future this way than always reminding yourself of what you’ve done.

Seek Help When You Need It

College projects and assignments will sometimes be quite challenging for you to take on alone. When you need help, ask a friend or classmate you think can help you.

Furthermore, friends and colleagues can help you with motivation, and you can keep each other accountable and work together to meet deadlines. Supportive friends in college can boost your confidence and make learning interesting.

Create a Reward System for Yourself

Reward yourself a little after completing your tasks. College is not all about the books, and if all you do is study with no time for some fun, you’re likely to burn out at some point.

After completing your work, reward yourself by hanging out with your friends, playing some games, or doing activities you enjoy. It will help you relax and recharge, and you will feel happier and retain your motivation.

When you reward yourself, you create an incentive to complete the work. For example, you can decide, ‘once I’m done with this paper, I will watch an episode of my favorite series.’ That way, you will be more motivated to complete the assignment.

Final Thoughts

Time is a valuable resource, and procrastination wastes it. The tips above should help with this problem, but it will depend on you. Your commitment to becoming a better student and a better person will help you develop accountability and get you over the line.

READ MORE: Get Into Reading as a College Student