Overcoming Procrastination
Now for what we all have been waiting for 😁. After identifying what you are procrastinating from, and what some of your reasons may be, you are in a good place to figure out how to overcome it! Below is a list of some anti-procrastination strategies recommended by Unis and internet productivity experts. It’s important to note that some of these strategies will work better than others depending on your situation. It's all about finding out what works best for you 🙂
Acknowledge the Fear:
If fear of failure is pushing the brakes on that assignment it might be helpful to acknowledge what some of these fears may be. It may even be helpful to say some of the main fearful thoughts aloud or write them down on a piece of paper, crumpling it up afterwards.
Reassure Yourself:
This involves reminding yourself of all the times you have successfully done a similar assignment before, and how doing it was not as hard as you first thought. It may also be helpful to give yourself gentle encouragement like “you are doing the best you can” and “ you are putting in the effort - that's good enough!”
Minimising Distractions:
If you are finding yourself easily distracted it can be helpful to minimise or remove distractions. Classics include turning your phone on silent, putting your phone in a place you can’t see and working in a quiet room on your own.
Breaking it Down:
This involves breaking the task down into manageable smaller steps that fits around your schedule. What helps me is writing down what I need to do for each of the weeks leading up to the assignment deadline, then I distribute the tasks into what days and times I can do them.
Looking for tips on time management? Here some helpful RO article on time management:
- https://au.reachout.com/study-work-and-money/exam-stress/how-to-manage-your-time-while-studying
- https://au.reachout.com/mental-wellbeing/setting-goals/10-ways-to-get-stuff-done
- https://au.reachout.com/study-work-and-money/problem-solving/how-to-prioritise-and-get-stuff-done
Having an Overall Time Limit and Taking Multiple Breaks:
This strategy involves having an overall time limit on doing the task, where you have regular work and break blocks. This technique is quite helpful as having regular breaks and a definite end to the work session can help you stay motivated. A popular work and break method is the Pomodoro technique, which involves working for 25 minute then having a short 5 minute break. This break/work cycle is continued until your overall work session is done. For example, if you have a 2 hour work session, you would then have 4x work/ break blocks. You don’t have to stick to 25 minute blocks either, you can adjust the work block to a time that suits you like having a 50 minute block with a 10 minute break. If you are keen to give this technique a try, here’s a link to a Pomodoro timer: https://pomofocus.io/
Another method is the 10 minute rule. This involves doing the task you are putting off for 10 minutes, with no pressure to do more. Some people find that after 10 minutes, they want to keep on working. This might be because they have overcome what's often the hardest part of a task- actually starting it!
Make it Fun!:
Finding ways to combine things you enjoy with the tasks you have to do can make doing the work all the more bearable. For example, if you enjoy watching movies, it may be fun to listen to movie scores while powering through that assignment. As I enjoy watching anime I found that listening to anime openings helps me stay motivated without getting distracted. Some other ideas may be eating your favourite snack whilst working or rewarding yourself with a fun activity afterwards. The idea here is to find out what you enjoy and see if you can fit it in with what you need to do.
Here is another Reachout article that provides more tips on staying motivated:
Over to you!
I would love to hear from you guys! 😊
- What type of tasks make you more prone to procrastination than others?
- What sort of things do you do when you are procrastinating?
- Do you have any tips that help you break away from the procrastination trap?
What to find out more about Overcoming Procrastination? Here are some Further Resources to Check Out:
- https://services.unimelb.edu.au/counsel/resources/study-related-issues/procrastination
- https://aliabdaal.com/how-to-stop-procrastinating/
- https://jamesclear.com/procrastination
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arj7oStGLkU
About Me:
I have been a Builder in RO since November 2023, and most recently have become a RO Peer worker 🙂
I am a 3rd year Uni student who has had their fair share of study stress and procrastination!
