How to Avoid Procrastinating

Procrastination is putting off tasks or assignments that need to be accomplished. Think of a larger assignment that you know is due in a few days and you are avoiding getting started on it. Procrastination can lead to feelings of stress, and can oftentimes result in incomplete work, missing work, or work that doesn't show your best effort. When you can push yourself to become motivated to do well in school, you can also work to avoid procrastinating on assignments.

Here are a few suggestions to help you avoid procrastination from Mount Saint Vincent University:

1. Make it meaningful:

It is important to have clear goals and realize how this particular task fits into your goals.  Remind yourself that this assignment is part of your class, in which it is important to do well.

2. Pace yourself:

Some students' delay doing work because they don't know what to do or where to start.  It is also easy to put things off when due dates are weeks away.  If you delay studying or reading your book for your book blog, all of a sudden everything is due at once.  It is best to pace yourself on long-term tasks by breaking big assignments into a series of smaller tasks.  Make a list and cross off each section as you complete it so you can see your progress. Your planner is a great place to keep this list!

3. Avoid perfectionism:

Students who feel like their work has to be absolutely perfect may avoid doing work because they fear they won't be able to achieve their goal.  Keep in mind that as a student you are here to learn.  If you already knew everything there would be no reason to go to school. As your teacher I am only looking for serious effort and steady improvement.  Helpful feedback also gives you the ability to learn from your mistakes. 

4. Reward yourself:

A reward may give you another reason to do your work.  Do not reward yourself if you do not complete the task.  For example, do not use spending time with your friends on the weekend as a reward if you plan to hang out with them anyway. It can also feel rewarding to tackle that particular assignment that you want to keep putting off, and then be able to enjoy working on other assignments that might require a little less effort.

5. Make a schedule:

Making a schedule helps you keep organized and it solidifies your intentions. Again, this can be done with the help of your planner.

6. Do it now:

There is no better time than the present.  If you notice yourself procrastinating jump into the task.  Think about how good it will feel later if you get it done now.

7. Do not be a catastrophist:

Assuming that you will fail will only increase your chances of procrastinating.  Focus on the present and what you can do now to reach your goal. 

So let's start using these strategies to avoid procrastination now, to ensure academic success later! 

"Anti-Procrastination." Anti-Procrastination. MSVU, n.d. Web

Procrastination Quotes. Digital image. Flickr. N.p., n.d. Web. <https://www.flickr.com/photos/prabakarant/18545109304>.