The end of Thanksgiving break signals the beginning of the end of Fall Semester. We only have a week and a half of classes before dreaded final exam period. Some Brandeisians are, no doubt, totally on top of their end of semester work, already drafting final papers and outlining study guides. I, on the other hand, am still frantically finishing midterm papers and haven’t even started to think about finals. If you’re more like me, procrastination is probably second nature to you. You’ve probably even learned how to procrastinate on your work by doing other work. While procrastination in excess is definitely dangerous, a little procrastination can actually be a good thing. After all, we all have to take some to time to surface and breathe during this hectic time. So, why not turn your procrastination into something positive and productive? With that in mind, here are five ways to procrastinate a little more wisely:
1.) Exercise:
This is probably one of the healthiest ways to procrastinate. Hours spent sitting on one’s butt in the library can turn anyone’s brain into mush. Taking an hour at the gym can help refresh your mind and body by alleviating built up stress and tension. Plus, exercise is known to help improve mental cognition and sleep, making it the perfect way to procrastinate productively and healthfully.
2.) Organize your space:
I absolutely cannot study unless I have a clean and organized study area. If the same goes for you, spending a couple procrastination hours on a nice clean will only make the time you actually spend studying more efficient.
3.) Take some “me” time:
Some people know how to power through days of work during the final crunch of the semester. Others need time to decompress, lest they risk prematurely crashing and burning. If you belong to the latter group, some “me” time is an absolute must. Spending a couple procrastination hours doing something that you find relaxing, like reading a book, drawing, catching up on your favorite show, or taking an extra long shower, can do wonders for alleviating stress and giving your brain a rest.
4.) Make a playlist:
I personally cannot study with music on at the same time (too distracting), but I know many who need a good playlist to get them through long hours of paper writing and test cramming. For those that like spending hours curating the perfect playlists, this procrastination activity will come in handy in the weeks to come, ultimately making your study sessions more productive.
5.) Pack your bags:
The end of the semester is almost here, which means it’s time to leave campus. Whether you’re traveling to the next town over, across the country, or over the Atlantic, we all have to pack some stuff to take with us. You might as well start doing that early in between library sessions. What stuff do you absolutely need to take with you, what can you leave behind? You get the gist. Throw on your playlist from #4, and you’ll have yourself a relaxing and productive couple hours of procrastination.