Author | Alex Woolf |
Do you have that friend or sibling who seems to get all their work done on time?
No?
Well, me neither.
Somehow the work always seems to pile up, for even the most diligent people, the task
of completing work is laborious, time consuming, and, of course, can be done later. Whether we plan for the task or not, that elusive spark of motivation to accomplish it just never appears. I cannot count the amount of times I’ve thought to myself, “I’ve got time tomorrow. I’ll just do it then.”
Sadly, we all suffer from this crippling condition called procrastination. This condition takes many forms, sometimes in the form of an inner voice telling you to read one more chapter in your new favorite book, or a force that takes over your hand and presses the “next episode” button. Whatever form you suffer, have no fear, there are techniques that not only have an instant impact on the condition but quite likely, a long term effect.
First, the most common but painful task of all, scheduling your day. Such a boring task right? I agree, but when the stacks of work start to pile up, this is when time scheduling becomes most handy. Fear not though, I have pared down simple steps to help those who have an allergy to planning.
Step One: Start with a cup of hot cocoa (or smoothie if it ever gets warmer).
Step Two: Find a place to sit, preferably in bed, where motivation is lowest.
Step Three: Grab a pencil and piece of paper
Step Four: List the things you have to get done and decide how much you can feasibly accomplish in a certain amount of time. (This is where the low motivation part comes in)
Make sure you plan out plenty of time for each thing, along with snack and distraction
breaks.
Second, this is an idea for only the most critical of patients and should be considered carefully before applying to your life. Put distractions away for a set time, such as your phone, earbuds, Netflix, book, or whatever is your kryptonite. If the symptoms of chronic distraction are something you struggle with, this practice has shown great results with many participants.
Step one: Put kryptonite in a safe but out of sight (and reach) area.
Step Two: Set a timer
Step Three: Take a sip of Hot Cocoa (from earlier when you were planning)
Step Four: Begin work until time finishes.
Step Five: When the timer goes off, commence a celebratory dance.
Third, is a principle that can be applied to many areas of life--- “If you don’t wanna do it, do it first.” As my grandmother used to tell me when I was young, “‘Bite the head off a frog in the morning and the rest of the day goes better after that.’” It is my hope that this is not the task you’re procrastinating, but you can see how the idea is applicable. This allows for many wonderful benefits like less stress, a happier future you, and free time to enjoy those tasks you had to put down.
Step One: When you start your day, begin with the task you hate the most or will require the most time, then proceed to the subjects that are less offensive.
Step Two: Take breaks between tasks.
Step Three: Enjoy your time when you can, as long as it isn’t hurting productivity, like music or group studying.
Step Four: Take a deep breath.
These simple treatments may seem daunting at first to procrastinators, but they will start your journey to freedom from the procrastination that grips so many. Perhaps, if all steps are applied in long term use, common symptoms from chronic procrastination can be fixed. Symptoms like the beginning signs of a twitch, bottomless cups of coffee, unbrushed hair or unkempt appearance, constant confusion, lack of cognitive function, and all-nighters.
“Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy.”
- Wayne Gretzky.
In all seriousness though, I do hope that the techniques I’ve used will help you in some way, shape, or form. Most people I know who procrastinate, myself included, are wanting to enjoy their time in other pursuits. After all, life is about living, not working right? Juggling time being productive versus time to relax and have fun can be daunting at times. If you are struggling with procrastination, don’t be ashamed or feel bad because you’re not alone in this issue. From personal experience, I can say that this is a habit that is easy to fall into and hard to break.
Perhaps the issue you find with procrastination isn’t about doing other things, rather it’s simply the lack of time in your schedule. Many Scholars Guild students can relate to this also because the time demands of academics are intense, then, if you add extracurricular activities or work, it becomes difficult to manage. In this case, I encourage you to find ways to become more time efficient and it is my hope that these steps above will help you do so. Time truly is so important, why spend it stressed out because of procrastination? Remember, when in doubt, drink hot cocoa and take that next step.
“Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”
-Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield.
*Disclaimer- For all those people who struggle with procrastination (as I have and do), I’m not making fun or trying to put anyone down. This is all jokingly meant for enjoyment of reading, with a message of inspiration behind the topic meant to encourage. *