Procrastination might as well be my middle name. I’m not proud of it, but it’s one of my most prominent skills when it comes to school and getting work done. Assignments that feel like they’ll be a lot of work, intellectually and mentally, can be quite overwhelming at first and for me, being overwhelmed and procrastination go hand in hand. But both of these become even more taxing than just doing the assignment without these added factors. I know we can’t just make them disappear, but here are some steps to help stop procrastinating and start an overwhelming assignment.
The first step is simple; read the assignment instructions and outline. The only way to start is to understand the task you have to complete and what the outcome should be. Once you have processed the material, break it down into basic steps. Physically write down each thing you have to do in a list. This next part might sound like an unnecessary step but break down your already broken-down list. Figure out every task that needs to be done to fulfill the bigger steps. For example, if one step is to write summaries for a bibliography, look at what components need to be included in each summary. It might seem like extra work, but trust me, it helps a lot.
After you have determined a plan of action, it’s time to dive in and start. I start by deciding what the easiest part of the assignment is that I can do first. Even if it’s the simplest thing, you’re still starting, which is the hardest part. Once you’ve officially started, make a plan of the order you will go in for the rest of the steps. Knowing what’s coming next and where you’re going is helpful as you move along. Once you start getting through the steps and checking things off your list, everything will start to flow and it won’t seem as daunting as it did in the beginning.
Another benefit to having lists that are broken down into smaller lists is that it’s in chunks for you to manage your time. Working in increments is better than doing a ton all at once. Your task list plans it out perfectly for you, so you know what to work on during each session. When working this way, I like to make it more interesting and create a game. I give myself a task to work on and a time I’m going to work until and see how much I can achieve in that timeframe. I often use half hour intervals for this so that it’s not a terribly long time but it’s still enough time to get a significant amount done. Once I see how much I achieved in the first time slot, I challenge myself to beat that on the next round. Having said that, do make sure to take your time to be sure you’re doing your best work.
I know this might seem like a lot to implement all at once, but following it step by step will allow it to feel easier. Just focus on each part as its own thing and worry about the next step when you get there. Obviously, the overwhelming feeling of starting an assignment isn’t just going to be fixed by using these methods, but they truly did help me. Yes, procrastination still sometimes sneaks its way into my assignments, but having a plan to meet it is game changing.