The end is near! The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter…and so are the projects, papers, exams and quizzes. This is the point where everyone wants to give up and throw in the towel. Procrastination easily starts to creep up like the winter night suffocating the daylight and Netflix grows increasingly appealing as the days go on. So how do you stop this nasty cycle from consuming you and letting your grades slip just as you are inches away from the finish line? Check out these foolproof tips to help battle the inevitable end of the semester procrastination.
Make A New Checklist Everyday
Make a list of the top 3-5 things (keep it small) that you need to accomplish in that day and do those things before you do anything else. “But what if I have a 10-page paper to write that will take me more then a day?” Break it down. Perhaps you will find five research articles that day or draft an outline and type up the bibliography! Just make sure you aren’t transferring any checklist items to the next day. Make your list accomplishable in that day.
The Pomodoro Technique
This was introduced to me by a friend my junior year and I wish I’d discovered it sooner! This technique gives you a time limit of 25 minutes. During that time you must focus on the task at hand and nothing else- no distractions. When the time limit is up, I give myself 5 minutes to do whatever I want: Facebook, walk around, text, anything. Once those 5 minutes are up, I have another 25 minutes of focused study. Repeat this cycle as long as you need. I think the reason this technique works so well is because the built in breaks let you know that an end is very near. I don’t feel the need to look at Facebook because I know I will be able to check it in a short time. Try it out for yourself!
Utilize Organizational Calendars, Tools, Apps and Reminders
Personally, I LOVE using Evernote. It allows you to create virtual notebooks and post individual notes inside each notebook. I like to have notebooks for all the classes and create study notes inside them. It stays way more organized then actual notebooks and helps you to see things clearly. I also take advantage of the sticky notes (these are already on your computer if you have a WSU laptop!). This is where I keep my daily checklists that I mentioned above!
Get A Focus Boost With Meditation
I know this one may seem a little funny, especially if you don’t really know what mediation is! While there are many different forms of meditation, the most basic form is finding a comfortable seated position and focusing on your breath. In, out, in, out, in, out and so on. So how does this help with procrastination? Most of the time, procrastination happens while we are unaware. We check Facebook and suddenly an hour has passed without you realizing it. Meditation allows you to become fully aware of the immediate moment. Doing this before the start of your homework helps you to get in the zone and allows you to focus better on the task at hand.
If You Can Do It Today, DO IT TODAY.
Perhaps the biggest, most important tip to take away from all this is to GET AHEAD! Start now. Get things done early. You would be amazed at how much time you actually have when you don’t waste it.
Just remember, your professor is not the enemy. Laziness is! Now that you have some tools for getting things done, I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes on this subject: “Procrastination makes easy things hard, hard things harder.” –Mason Cooley
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*Written by contributing author, Anna Butler