This school year, I have decided I am not going to procrastinate anymore. Okay, so chances are I still will a little, but I am going to be conscious about it and try my very hardest not to.
So yes, this might mean that I don’t get to relax on a Sunday afternoon and watch a movie. It also means I won’t have a ton of time for blogging, at least not until about November! So far I have worked really hard to blog every third day or so, so I am hoping I can keep that up.
Here are a few tips for not procrastinating:
- Write it down! If I make a list of things I have left to do, it really motivates me to get it done because I want to have everything crossed off. I also can see everything I have to do in one place, which saves time!
- Do it now! Book report due at the end of the quarter? Start reading a chapter per night now and have it done a week or two early even if you skip a few nights!
- Plan accordingly! If you know one night you won’t get off work until 10, then don’t tell yourself you are going to come home and do a bunch of math homework and write an essay. It just won’t happen, and if it happens to get done, I can guarantee it won’t be your best work!
- Focus! If you have a study hall or some period during the day to do homework, focus during it and get stuff done! You will thank yourself later.
- Set a timer! If there is something I really don’t want to do, I will set a timer for 15-20 minutes and make myself work during that time. Once the timer goes off, half the time I will just keep working to get it done. Sometimes I finish before the timer goes off, which is also a great feeling! Other times I take a 5-10 minute break and then come back and set another “work period.”
- Write down ideas! This last one is a bonus one that relates to blogging. During the week I have zero time to spend on blogging, but if I get any possible ideas I ALWAYS write them down and keep a running list. So far it has worked great because I always have ideas to write about when I find time to blog, and I don’t have to sit there for 20 minutes thinking of an idea!
“Motivation is what gets you started, habits are what keep you going.”
What are your tips for avoiding procrastination?
