Have you ever experienced that dreadful feeling when everyone around you is watching your
favorite movie, spending time outside, or participating in enjoyable activities while you
spend the entire day writing a 6 page essay? Do you wonder why this always happens the day before a major assignment for your class is due?
There is probably no college student immune to procrastination, which is understandable,
as no one wants to do something that they find unpleasant - like schoolwork. Students seem to
put up a shield between themselves and the attacking forces of lengthy and detailed homework
assignments in an attempt to push away the anxiety of completing these assignments. However,
they will eventually have to complete the assignment, even if it costs them their sleep and sanity the night before.Students will learn that the ability to complete their assignments well in advance of the deadlines will allow them to have great success in their courses, as getting ahead will allow them to reach out to professors for feedback, to access resources to guarantee their success and to avoid the stress of a fastly approaching deadline.
It is important to avoid pushing off assignments and tasks until the last minute because this is a detrimental practice to one's health and to their academic success. . I It is not an easy task to try to cram in a lot of workload all at once over a short period of time - you begin to panic whether your assignment will be properly completed and if you will even manage to finish it on time. As a result of the flood of stress that is released due to procrastination, one may begin to experience headaches, develop insomnia, and become more susceptible to illnesses such as
the cold and flu.
That is why the only way to steer clear of the detrimental effects of procrastination is to stop
procrastinating. Here are a few ways to kickstart your journey to less procrastination:
1. Have a To-Do List
Writing out the things that you need to do on paper can make it easier for you to come to terms
with the need to stop procrastinating. A to-do list helps you organize all of your activities and
plan out your schedule for the day. It prioritizes all of the important things that you need to get
done and reminds you of the deadlines for each assignment. This way, you definitely will not
forget about that English essay due in a few days. It can also help inspire you to take on those
difficult tasks ahead of time, as you are constantly confronted with them on the to-do list.
2. Reward yourself for your hard work
If you know that something positive is awaiting you after you complete that 6 page essay, you
will definitely be more willing to endure that torture and get it done early. Make sure that you
plan a meeting with your friends or family, go shopping, or go on that trip that you always
wanted to take over the weekend as soon as you are finished with all of your major
assignments. This will have you associate the difficult tasks that you have to do with something
pleasant.
3. Have a trusty person monitor you
It could never hurt to have a friend or family member looking over your shoulder to make sure
that you stick to your “goodbye procrastination” plan. If you fail to stay on task and continue to
delay completing your assignments, your friends or family can put you back on track by
encouraging you to finish your work on time.
4. Get rid of those distractions
Most of the time students are too busy spending time on social media or doing other activities
that distract them from getting their work done. That is why it is important to make sure that you
put away your phone or other things that could possibly take your attention away from the task
at hand. Make sure that while you are doing an assignment, you completely focus on it and
nothing else.
5. Start working on assignments early in the day
Most students don't want to spend their evening sitting with their head buried deep into an
assignment. Students like to spend their time before going to bed doing pleasant things that
promote their relaxation. They just want to rest before another day of work or school begins.
It is difficult to force yourself to work on a difficult assignment at 8 pm. You will most likely end
up further procrastinating and leaving that homework for another day. That is why the best way
to avoid getting yourself into this situation is to work on important things early on in the day. As
soon as you wake up, make sure to start writing that essay in order to have your evenings allotted
for activities that bring you joy!
With these tips and tricks, you have the tools and plan to stop your procrastination and take charge of
your assignments this semester! Keep working hard in the upcoming months and let the WIB help you become the best version of yourself - professionally and personally!