Is your tolerance for all-nighters starting to slow down? Uh-oh. Sleep suddenly becomes so irresistible. Sometimes an all-nighter is good for some inspiration and fun. But when they begin to happen night after night after night after night, then it may be time to find another method to your madness. The procrastination must stop!
Start Now. Do you have some homework to do? The Internet might be your first mistake. What are the chances that you’re on Facebook, StumbleUpon, Tumblr, YouTube, Skype, or HerCampus, right now? Procrastinating can be a big problem! But how can they possibly expect you to stay away from your favorite sites all day? Well, good news! You don’t have to, as long as you use it in moderation and don’t ignore your work. When you want to get online, set an alarm for fifteen minutes. Give yourself that small amount of time to unwind before you get started on your homework! After an hour of intense work, reward yourself with another fifteen-minute break. Sometimes, all it takes is getting started. Let’s say the hour rolls around and you’re not needing a real break – wait another hour, then grant yourself half an hour – that’s enough for a coffee run, right?
Your new solution for boredom. It just so happens that you can always do something. Even if you are not in the studio, you can still be productive. Start thinking of that paper while you are on the train, or while you are going up to the 6th floor of Sarah Peter. Plan through your art project in history class, write a list of the supplies you’ll need in your studios. If you go through your work mentally in your spare time, then when it comes down to it, you’ll be able to get the work done more quickly and effectively.
Plan ahead and make approximations. You go to art school. Art equals studio time. So first off, know how much time it takes you to do such an amount of work. Give yourself that amount of time and a half, in case of problems. Have a six-hour project? Plan for nine hours of studio time. Place it into your schedule and stick to it.
Get into your work. This is the most important. Get excited. Art schoolwork is often about concepts. Talk to your friends about your projects and brainstorm with them. Be imaginative, and reach far. Make yourself excited to do the work so when classes are over, you feel ready and wanting to get the work done. Put passion into your work.