For those of us on the quarter system, we are currently in the midst of the dreaded “Week 5.” Where have the previous four weeks gone? I have no clue, but I do know that along with midterms (and any kind of responsibility, really) comes procrastination. I’m not here to rant about why you shouldn’t do it, nor am I here to help you change your ways because old habits die hard, right? Instead, I’m writing to help you learn to embrace the concept because it can actually be helpful. Maybe you won’t complete that take-home essay in a timely fashion, but hey, at least your laundry will be folded. Below are activities you can do to procrastinate, but still technically get things done:
1. Laundry
We’re all guilty of it – putting laundry off to the side for a week or so and lying to yourself that your jeans still look decent after four wears. You know you’re not going to get any work done at the moment, so instead of refreshing your Instagram feed for the fifteenth time, perhaps relieving your laundry basket of two pounds of dirty clothes is a better option.
2. Re-organizing
This task will leave you feeling like a brand new person! You have an endless amount of options here. You can reorganize your closet, dressers, bedroom, or even consider de-cluttering your study space if you do your studying at home. You’ll give yourself a clean area for all your test-prep needs, which will allow your brain to focus on your next essay prompt instead of the twenty empty water bottles piled up beside your bed.
3. Exercise
Speaking of water bottles, you’re going to need one for this procrastination activity. By exercising, you’ll get your blood flowing and endorphins pumping through your body, which puts you on the right track for studying. It can be as simple as taking a walk. Think of this as a break for your brain – a way to gain mental clarity- that way when you return to your task, you’ll feel rejuvenated, relaxed, and ready to continue studying.
4. Sleep
Ok, this may be counterintuitive, but as long as you’re reasonable with this, you’ll be fine. If you’ve only been sleeping four hours a night for the past few days, sleep! I know sleeping is often associated with laziness, but it’s also a really big factor in how well you perform academically. How are you going to ace that midterm exam if you pass out half way through? Caffeine can only do so much. Catch some Z’s in the bedroom so you can catch some A’s in the classroom.
5. Shower
Time to get personal everyone. When you’re studying for three exams and still have a paper to write, hygiene might be the last thing on your mind, but put down the perfume and dry shampoo and hop in the shower. You’ll feel less sluggish when you’re done and smell a whole lot better too.
6. Switch assignments
Writer’s block is no fun, and neither is banging your head against your desk because you’ve spent the past hour staring at that one math problem you can’t figure out. Spending too much time on one difficult task will no doubt leave you frustrated and in a bad mood, overall. If you have a novel that’s supposed to be read by the end of the week, pick that up and put your tougher assignments down for a while. Taking these kinds of “breaks” from other assignments will allow you to use your time more efficiently when you get stuck on something.
7. Treat yo’ self
It goes without saying that if you put in work and are actively studying, completing assignments, and staying on top of things, you need to reward yourself. Go out to eat with your friends for an hour or do some online shopping and buy that cute pair of shoes you’ve been wanting – you’ll slay your midterms and look good doing it (wink, wink).