Procrastination is a disease almost every college student has.
Some people get it in high school; others catch on once they enter college. Regardless, it’s highly contagious and it spreads fast, so WATCH OUT!
College students have such hectic schedules with endless assignments to complete and exams to study for. Hardly anyone starts a 10-page paper a week before it’s due; it’s started the night before, which then turns into an all-nighter. Not only do students procrastinate from completing their academic duties, but also their basic everyday activities. College also consists of going out and doing other daily, mundane tasks like brushing your teeth or cleaning your room. Though so easy to complete, they are a struggle to get done.
From these observations, one can conclude that the difficulty of the task is not what causes one to procrastinate. So then what is it? It seems to be a mix of distractions and a whole lot of laziness. Some distractions include the Internet, Netflix, social media, or really anything but the task at hand. On the other hand, some people are just plain lazy. Unnecessary movement becomes painful to even think about. Cleaning your room requires the exertion of too much energy, which is why everyone puts it off until parents weekend.
College is different than high school. During the first week of classes (syllabus week), your teachers hand you a syllabus that lays out the entire semester, telling you when tests will be and when assignments will be due. This means there should be no reason to start the night before something is due. On the other hand, some people work better under pressure. Completing an assignment or studying for an exam the night before or even an hour before it is due makes you perform better.
So is there a cure? There doesn't seem to be a definite and successful fix to procrastination, but here are some tips on how to avoid it in certain situations:
1. When you have a test to study for or an assignment to complete, shut off your phone and put it out of reach, because we all know you’re not going to get up to go get it. Out of sight, out of mind.
2. Shut off your Internet. This means no Netflix, no online shopping, and no Facebook creeping. If you need the Internet for an assignment, there are app's you can download that will block distracting social media site's for a set period of time.
3. Put on some music to help you stay in the zone while you do work. It will stop you from losing yourself in your thoughts and it makes the task more enjoyable.
4. Give yourself rewards. For example, every time you read five pages, allow yourself to check your phone or have a mini snack. Food, though not the best option, is a helpful and tasty motivator. If you have a big assignment due and don’t have time to go to the gym, make your award 25 jumping jacks or 20 push-ups. Note: choose your rewards creatively and based on your personal goals and lifestyle.
Unfortunately, for the everyday tasks like getting out of bed, taking a shower, cleaning your room, going to the gym, or even just getting out of bed, I have no real advice. My only suggestion would be to follow Nike’s motto “Just do it.”
