Dear Alex,
I have a bad habit of procrastinating, and I want to start next semester off right. Do you have any tips or techniques that would help?
Sincerely,
Three Weeks Overdue
Dear Three Weeks Overdue,
The start of the semester is a great time to try and turn around bad habits, but the trick with any sort of resolution is to be persistent and focussed on making a change. Procrastination is really common among students; I know I’ve definitely experienced it. I find that a large part of avoiding procrastination is finding a balance between school and the other aspects of your life, like work or hobbies, since it’s still definitely important to make time to do things that you enjoy as well as keeping up with school work.
Something that has helped me is to make lists of things that I need to do and prioritize them, and plan ahead to see when I will or won’t have time. Setting reminders on your phone or using a planner may also be beneficial. Ms. Bauer in the library suggested to “remember to be flexible with your plan. Sometimes things happen that will throw off your plans.” She asks students, “What are you going to do to change your plans and still meet your goals?” I’ve seen other people set up some ways to motivate themselves, such as with a break from school work if they meet a certain work quota.
If distractions are what’s causing the problem, then you could always go someplace else to work so as to distance yourself. You could make a point of going to the library or a classroom at lunch so as to maximize your time inside of school where it would be easier to focus, and then you’ll have more time to relax when you get home. Just keep in mind that once all your work is done, you’ll have all the time to enjoy yourself without worrying about assignments.
Sincerely,
Alex