7 Ways to Beat Procrastination in College

Regardless of where we are in life, we always have some deadlines to meet. But what happens when we start procrastinating? Will this practice help us to succeed in life? The answer is quite obvious i.e. “NO”.
Mostly the college students deal with this habit- in terms of assignments, tests, or the other important tasks in their day to day life, but they forget that this policy is responsible for stress and lack of confidence in them.
Let’s look into the causes and measures that can be taken to avoid it.

The Question arises Why Do We Procrastinate?

• Lack of Interest:90% of the tasks are delayed because students find them boring. In spite of looking into the boredom factor and making it creative, students prefer leaving the mission and do something else.
• Distractions: It is easy to procrastinate when you’re having fun, and so it’s a lot easier to do the fun and immediate gratifications first. 90% students prefer mobile phones over maintaining their daily schedule which leads to procrastination.
• Lack of Motivation and Confidence: It is a commonly given reason for not attending to an unpleasant task. Most students believe that something is wrong with them if they do not feel motivated to begin a task. But one must keep in mind that "doing" comes first, and then the motivation.

The truth is, every single one of us procrastinates. Things that we hold no passion for would cause us to delay. However, making a habit out of procrastination can be very detrimental.

If you are trying to find ways to overcome delaying tasks, read on below for some tips.

7 Tips to Fight Procrastination

1. Keep a planner

You should write down about your assignments that are due and when they need to be completed. Looking at your planner and effectively using it will keep your work more organized, thus increasing the overall productivity. A planner is a great way to schedule your tasks in the most systematic manner. It will help you to understand that what really needs to get done over the temptations of procrastination.
If not a planner, then you can also write on the sticky notes and paste it near you and after the completion of that particular task, you can remove them. This will help you to keep a check on your work and will help allow you to count the tasks left.

2. Prioritize Things: One Thing at a Time

If you have a plenty of work, then question yourself: what task is the most important one? Just choose the task that will save your day because of its satisfactory results. If the answer is yes – start doing it and stop worrying about all other things.
Also, try to make a schedule and plan to do the tasks in the most creative way. Take it as a challenge and compete with yourself rather than thinking about the performance of the other.

Fear to do something causes one to create excuses as the day goes along and then the procrastination starts. Slowly that task is forgotten along with time and is saved for the last minute. But, doing it first thing in the morning prevents you from creatively making up alibis.
Additionally, the feeling of accomplishment in having done what you were dreading to do is incredibly rewarding.

3. Break your task into Segments:

Most of us delay because the task seems time-consuming which causes one to avoid it rather than struggling with it for hours with it.  It can be overwhelming to confront a large assignment thinking you need to finish the whole thing in one sitting.  If this occurs, break it down into parts and focus on one part at a time. If you still find yourself unable to do it, break it down even further until it is simpler enough for you.

Take some time to assess each large assignment you receive, make a note of everything you need to do in order to complete it. Next, pull out your calendar and give yourself deadlines for completing each task. You should complete all tasks a few days before the entire assignment is due so that you can check your work and make sure it’s cohesive. Make enormous and difficult tasks manageable to do with systematic and skillful approach.

4.  Put Down the Screens:

If you are procrastinating too much, then maybe it is because you have made it easier for yourself to procrastinate by surrounding yourself with things that distract you. Finding yourself browsing social media for hours at a time, or watching television/ playing video during the study time is a topic of concern.

You’re less likely to procrastinate when you’re focused. If you find you are spending too much time on social media, temporarily disable your account(s) while you’re working on a particularly challenging project. Put your phone away or switch them off when you’re working on an assignment or studying. Also, it is very important to choose an appropriate (and quiet) study spot.

5. Plan/ Organize your Tasks:

Before starting up with your scheduled tasks, it is very important to plan that particular task in a proper way because ignoring the minutest details can hinder the best results. For Example: If you are planning to prepare for any test, will it give the best results if you will not plan in accordance with the important topics or segregating the difficult and easy ones? No! because planning part plays a very important role in such cases and certain strategies are a must.

So, organize everything and plan your task and try to work according to your rules and strategies.

6. Make Yourself Accountable:

Before starting up with any task, one must keep in mind that they are liable for the tasks they are provided with. One cannot be ignorant especially in case of important tasks that need to be completed before the deadlines. Instead of ignoring/ delaying them, one should look for the innovative and unique ways to bring front the best outcomes.

As a college student, you should learn your responsibilities and should always remember that your present will affect your future. So, for a brighter future, hard work and passion for your work is the primary step.

7. Just do it- Stay Focused and Determined:

No need to waste your time on thinking much about any task, you just have to remember what your goals and dreams are and stay focused. At the end of the day, it all comes down to how badly you really want something and how determined you are to achieve it.

Just focus on the consequences, like what will happen if you will not be able to complete it and how it will affect you. Also, think about the brighter side of it- what will happen if you will accomplish your goal in the best possible way.
If you have enough load then obviously you will feel stressed and demotivated to do that work. One can prefer taking short breaks like-  mind-clearing walks between study sessions, taking a nap or hangout time with friends. You’re less likely to procrastinate if you’re feeling happy, healthy, and motivated.

Procrastination is not only counter-productive, it is deadly. By putting things off, you don’t really benefit yourself. You live under the constant shadow of undone work. A life that can be spent happily and productively is wasted in frustration and worry. Don’t let this happen!
Stress causes so many problems, and believe it or not, college does not have to be stressful. In fact, done right, it shouldn’t be stressful. So, stay calm, focused and motivated.

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