School has started up again. Three weeks in and many of us are already sleep-deprived, living off caffeine, and fighting our battles with procrastination. It’s a stressful time. It’s also back to being fully in-person, at least here at DePauw. School is unfortunately no longer rolling out of bed and connecting to Zoom while still in our pajamas.
Not saying that we didn’t pay attention when we were attending Zoom University, but now that we are back to in-person our attention has to fully be on the professor standing in front of the room. Not only that, but we actually have to wake up a lot earlier to walk to class, rain or shine.
Procrastinating is inevitable. Anyone who tells you they don’t is probably lying to you (or maybe not, who knows). I know I’m guilty of it from time to time.
So here are a few tips and tricks I have to help fight against procrastination. Some of these may work, some may not. It’s all trial and error. It doesn’t hurt to try!
- Learn when to take breaks
Taking a break from homework is super important to keep you from burning out and feeling overwhelmed. Having a set time on the length of studying and taking a break can be helpful. It almost gives you something to look forward to because when the timer goes off you know you get however long to be on TikTok, watch Netflix, or do whatever you want.
I personally love to use an app called Focus Keeper – Time Management, which allows you to decide the length of studying time and break time. I tend to do 30-40 minutes (depending on subject) of homework and then take a 10-15 minute break. Of course, you have to be careful with this one because I have been guilty of ignoring the timer and ending up on social media for an hour.
- Make a list
Write down your assignments on a sticky note, whiteboard, Google calendar, or any place you know you’ll get reminders/see the list at. Keep the list visible! That is key to keeping you on track. Organizing your week is a great way to help ease some of that college stress and anxiety.
I have found that creating a small list of what assignments I have due on a specific day helps me stay on track. I love writing down 2 or 3 assignments on a sticky note and putting them by my mousepad so I can see what I have to get done during my first homework session of the day. Checking off the assignments when I’m done is also oddly rewarding!
- Eliminate Distractions
This can be going to a quiet place to study, putting your phone on Do Not Disturb, or whatever it is that you know distracts you. Maybe listen to some awesome music and find a comfy place to sit. Find what works for you! Hold yourself accountable to studying and getting things done.
I usually try to set my phone away from my desk, play a nice playlist I created or found on Spotify, and start getting stuff done. Sometimes I even text my friends that I’ll be MIA for a while because of homework just so they know why I’m not responding.
I know I prefer to study alone when I know I have too much homework, but studying with friends is also really fun. It can be motivating to study with people, but it can get distracting. Study groups can be beneficial, but just make sure you’re actually studying for at least half the time (but don’t forget to still have fun!).
- Change your environment
Where you study can also impact how much you procrastinate and how productive you actually are. For example, if you find yourself wanting to crawl into bed to sleep when you’re studying in your room that should be a sign you need to find a new place to study. Try out different places on campus. Julian is a nice building to study in and you can always go with a group of friends! There is also the GCPA, the UB, East College, and when the weather is nice you can always grab a lawn chair to study outside!
I know I love to study at Julian and the UB (especially at sunset because the view is beautiful). On occasion when I don’t have classes all morning, I go to study at Starbucks which is another great place to go. You just have to find the perfect spot for you and when you do you’ll notice a major change.
It’s very easy to get distracted now that everyone is on campus with school events, extracurriculars, friends, etc. Procrastinating is a normal thing and is something almost everyone does! Find the thing that works for you and I’m sure you’ll notice a huge change in your study and homework time.