This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bucknell chapter.
Procrastination is a disease. It’s really a terminal illness. It can hinder your ability to do well in school and at work and make you seem like you have lost control. Here are some time management techniques that might cure you if you’re one of the many suffering because of procrastination.
- Google Calendar
- Google Calendar needs to be your best friend. Use it all day everyday. Put all of your classes and major commitments there so you know where to be when. You can also schedule out when you are doing your homework to keep yourself accountable and get reminders. When you do this you can hide it from public view so people don’t see that part of your calendar. Google Calendar is a great resource and I don’t know how I did work without it in high school.
- Go to the library (or any quiet study spot)
- It is almost impossible to focus and study in your room. There are so many distractions: your bed, your TV, your phone, your video games, etc. The best study spot is free from those distractions and gives you room to spread out. I recommend the quiet floors of the library so you won’t get distracted and start talking to your friends. You would be surprised how much work you get done during an hour in the library – meaning you make the best of the limited hours in the day.
- Study on the weekend
- This is the most difficult one. Instead of studying only on Sunday, spread your work out across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Your stress will be significantly lower and you will find yourself less busy on Sunday. A great way to start this is to do a little homework Friday after class before dinner, some homework when you wake up Saturday, and some on Sunday morning. The amount of work you get done will increase tenfold and you will have more time to be with your friends and family on Sundays.
- Turn your phone off and take your earbuds out
- TikTok and Instagram are the biggest drains in your schedule. It is so easy to spend an hour plus on either of these apps. However, this is not a productive way to spend your time. It is okay to spend a little time on your phone (like when you wake up, go to bed, or are walking somewhere) but spending hours on your phone leaves less time for homework, extracurriculars, and quality time with people.
- Delegate and outsource tasks
- Doing everything yourself is inefficient and unprofitable. If there is a friend who can help you with a project, do that! If you lead a club, spread the responsibilities among the club members. Not only will you have more time for yourself, but you will be able to make sure everyone has a vested interest in the club and how it’s doing! Asking for help is never a weakness and everyone should do it more.
- Set boundaries and say no
- I saved the best for last. Say no! If you are too busy don’t agree to go out or do something just to make other people happy. That will just increase your stress. Your time is sacred and don’t let anyone take advantage of it.
Happy working!