Is reading this blog your procrastination?
It has come to that point of term where mid semester deadlines are looming. People are moving into Hallward to hide behind piles of books, pulling out their hair and wishing they had gone to lectures after a night at Crisis. The hard work of being a student is just about to begin.
Last week I uttered the words, ‘I am never leaving essays to the last minute. EVER AGAIN!’ It wasn’t the first time I have said that and it definitely won’t be the last. Unfortunately I am a chronic procrastinator. I will do anything to avoid writing 2500 words or reading a 500 page novel. So in order to conquer one of the vices of any student, I am going to come up with 10 ways to stop you from doing anything but get that word count going.
1. Tidy Room, Tidy Mind.
The washing up is done, the kitchen floor is mopped and the living room vacuumed: all are symptoms of chronic procrastination. However, it is important that your work space is tidy, well lit and is comfortable. Be productive with your time wasting, clean your room and you will be able to think clearly and the words will begin to flow.
2. Sit at your desk.
Do not sit on your bed. I am a firm believer that your bed is your sanctuary, so why take your lecture notes and highlighters there? You will not be in the right frame of mind if you sit on your bed because you will inevitably fall asleep. Keeping areas in your room specific for working and relaxing is important. You will appreciate it when you can crawl into bed without having to shove notes onto the floor.
3. Plan a night out for when deadlines are over.
Having something to look forward to will make everything just a little bit easier.
4. Exhaust all social networking sites.
Check every status update, flick through photos from parties gone by and check what’s trending on twitter. Get the social network diversions out of the way first before you start.
5. Avoid other procrastinators.
When a group of procrastinators get together, there is no hope for anyone. I escaped to the silent study section of Hallward to avoid the temptation of group tea breaks which end up being Twilight DVD marathons. Whilst support from your friends is great, sometimes housemates are the biggest distraction.
6. Take regular breaks.
Breaks are important! Don’t make them too long (or too short!). Watch an episode of Friends or go and have a cup of tea. Move away from your work area and think about something else for 20-30 minutes. Your focus will be revitalised!
7. Have 8 hours of sleep
Try to have a good night’s sleep. Forget about the essay writing, revision and looming exams and snuggle down for some well deserved zzzs.
8. Take a walk.
A daily dose of fresh air (albeit questionable fresh air here in Nottingham) will be good for your health. I never believe the scientists when they say you will have more energy after exercising – to me it was just illogical. But after a quick session in the gym, I had more energy than after a half hour nap. Madness!
9. Have good snacks.
I am a big fan of Graze boxes (www.graze.com). They send you a parcel of healthy snacks that are perfect revision nibbles. Seeds, nuts, dried fruits and the odd chocolate button are good to have on your desk to supplement your hard work. Have a chocolate bar at the bottom of your bag as a reward.
10. Make motivational posters for your room.
It might be a bit cheesy and not the coolest thing to have gracing your walls, but stick a few post-it notes up with messages to motivate yourself. For example, I have a post-it note on my mirror to remind me of the pain of pulling an all-nighter.
So get to work! If you’re reading this blog as a form of procrastination (as I am writing it!), it is time to leave the Internet and get down to it. It will all be worth it in the end. I promise!