Overcoming Procrastination

As we begin the school year, make sure that you plan and prioritize your schedule.  If you don't, everything will quickly overwhelm you.  This post gives several great ideas for overcoming procrastination. ~ Scott

“Procrastination is the thief of time” – Edward Young

           

Procrastination affects everyone in life at some point or another.  But what is procrastination?  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines procrastination as “to put off intentionally the doing of something that should be done”.  Most people only think of procrastination as waiting longer than you should to work on something.  However, it can be more than that.  Rushing to finish assignments, hurried work, and stress over school work can all be symptoms of procrastination.  This can cause bad grades, unneeded stress, and feelings of anxiety.  So how can procrastination be stopped?  While it really comes down to the effort and the determination that you have, consider the following tips for help overcoming procrastination.

•      Make a list of common things on which you procrastinate.  This is as simple as it sounds.  Some school assignments are just more fun than others.  Write down the ones that you have trouble completing.  Your list can include assignments from difficult or boring classes, or even chores that you dislike.
•         Schedule your time.  This is a very important step.  If you skip this step, you will continue to procrastinate.  Don’t just mentally assign deadlines or state times that you will work on your assignments.  Write it down.  Write everything down.  Schedule times for school, chores, and other activities.  Make sure to prioritize things that you tend to procrastinate on.  Then stick to your schedule as much as possible.  Continue to tweak your schedule as necessary.
•         Break difficult things down into smaller portions.  Obviously, (unless you procrastinated) you are not going to write a major essay in one day.  Your schedule needs to reflect that.  Break large assignments down into smaller parts.  For example, in the case of the essay, perhaps write one paragraph one day, two paragraphs the next, and edit it the following day.
•         Eat your big frog first.  Pick the assignments that are the hardest and most boring to you to work on first.  Completing your hard assignments first will encourage you to work on other assignments.  Also, you are usually the most motivated when you first start working on your assignments.
•      Reward yourself.  This step is vital to keep yourself motivated.  If you do not practice this step, you will quickly burn out.  Rewarding yourself can take any form you desire. For example, after completing a task, reward yourself by spending fifteen minutes on Facebook, reading a chapter in a book, or eating a snack. 
•      Have others keep you focused.  Sometimes just knowing that someone is keeping an eye on you can motivate you to work.  Ask friends and family members to occasionally check up on you to see the progress you’ve made.  You will find yourself working harder to show them your progress.
•           Pray.  Procrastination is a major challenge to overcome.  Family, friends, and schedules all can help, but only you can defeat procrastination.  Praying about it will encourage you and enable you to continue.  If you do nothing else, at least pray and try your best.