Your good friend procrastination will always creep up on you at some point during the semester – unless you're some sort of superhuman being. However, there are techniques to tackle it and work around it, all the while making sure you get rest and you destress from all the work you have to.
1. Listen to music.
Writing notes after your lecture or doing tedious, repetitive homework becomes a nuisance pretty early in the semester. It's boring and time-consuming in the most monotonous ways possible. Thus, any minimal effort you make to spice things up will make a difference! Having music play in the background while you do your work is a simple yet effective way of adding an element of "excitement" and taking out some of the monotony associated with tedious homework.
2. Take "Netflix breaks".
If you plan on pulling an all-nighter at the library or studying/doing homework all evening, think about incorporating "Netflix breaks." Rather than pausing every five minutes to check Instagram for twice as long as you've been doing work (yes, we all do it), commit yourself to certain, more prolonged break times that will allow you to clear your mind and decompress more thoroughly than a five-minute social media break. Stopping for half an hour after two or two and a half hours of thorough studying will do you more good than the letter.
3. Go on a walk or take a jog.
This method is pretty awesome because, if you love to exercise and get a breath of fresh air before or in between long periods of studying or homework, this is a great option. Devoting ten minutes before, twenty or thirty minutes in-between, and a few minutes after your study session is really refreshing.
4. Talk to a friend.
Study groups or "study sessions" with your best friend are fun. Everyone loves company, especially when they're doing dreadful work. The unfortunate reality is that many times we find ourselves spending more time talking with the people around us and distracting from our work. Instead of spending twice as much time at the library with a friend, consider going by yourself and instead of taking reasonable breaks to text or call a friend. It can even be established into a "study system" everyone in your friend group can benefit from.
5. Acknowledge your weaknesses.
The best possible way to deal with procrastination is by getting to the root of why it is a problem for you in the first place. However, it is the matter of fact that simple human nature tends to avoid the acknowledgment of weakness.
Take time to list weaknesses and things that affect your productivity and your ability to fully concentrate. Do you tend to work with friends who encourage procrastination? Are you maybe not taking time to relax in other instances during the day and so it becomes a problem when you have to study and do homework? Ask yourself questions that might help you better assess why you're procrastinating.
