You May Wish You Had Started Today

“A year from now you may wish you had started today.”

-Karen Lamb

It's no surprise that procrastination is prevalent in school.  The last-minute seems to be a huge driver for getting stuff done.  However, every time you procrastinate, you'll wish you hadn't (believe me, I know).  Procrastination leads to late nights chugging coffee, furiously typing up an essay due in 2 hours, or straining your eyes trying to get that last reading in.

A procrastinator's nightmare

It's hard being productive when there are so many distractions out there.  The internet is the worst for procrastinating because it literally opens up the world to you.

Here are some tips for turning procrastination into productivity:

1. Set your own deadlines.

I work well under pressure, and I physically cannot start something until about 4 hours before it's due.  Obviously, this is really bad.  The way I've overcome it is by setting my own deadlines.  If I have a paper due on Sunday night, I'll write down in my planner that it's due on Friday.  This way, I'll trick myself into thinking it's due Friday and I'll have most of it done by then.  This leaves Saturday and Sunday for revision and perfection rather than starting my essay.

2. Set realistic goals.

If you have a lot of reading-heavy coursework, it's good to be realistic about how much you can get accomplished.  If you have 100 pages to read in 2 days, decide how much you're going to get done beforehand.  This way, you'll feel like you've done something when you reach your goal.  If you surpass your goal, then you feel extra productive.

3. Take breaks.

Breaks are so important when you're bogged down with work.  Short breaks, about 15 minutes or so, are great for reading articles, taking a quick walk around the block, or picking up an instrument and playing a few songs.  These short breaks keep you productive while not actually doing anything too intense.  Longer breaks, about an hour, allow for power naps or watching an episode of your favorite television show.  Basically, try to step away from work for a little bit every so often so you aren't overwhelmed.

4.  Get SelfControl.

SelfControl is a phenomenal app that allows you to "blacklist" certain websites that you're prone to going to.  For instance, my list includes Facebook, Twitter, and JCrew.com.  You set a timer for how long you want these websites to be blocked.  This timer is also useful for letting you know when it's time for a break.

This blog post is actually my form of procrastination... so I should probably get back to reading about the Russian Revolution of 1917, or something.



Rachel