Procrastination is a massive thing when it comes to students! With all the deadlines, revision and your exam season creeping up on you, it can be very easy to start giving up with your revision – or not even getting started with it. The definition of procrastination is to delay something, and I am sure we can all say we have put off revision at some point! So, check out these pointers below which will help you stop putting things off. There are a few simple steps you can use that can help you overcome these issues and get you going with your work.
Use a timer
This is something that I find extremely useful and it definitely helps me get my work done so I hope it helps you too! All you need to do is use a timer. You can use it for a few different reasons: to help you start your work, to help you get through your work or to help you stay on track with your work.
For example, if you struggle with getting started with your revision or coursework, and you keep putting it off (this has happened to me lots of times), then set a timer for around 10 minutes when you know you have time to study. Then when it goes off at the end of 10 minutes you have to put your phone down or stop what you are doing and get started.
The next thing you can do is set the time for anywhere between 15-30 minutes. Get 15-30 minutes of work done and then you can have a break. Or find a time that suits you, you may only be able to concentrate for 15 minutes or you may be someone who can go a little longer.
Again, set a time of around 10 minutes for your break where you can go back on your phone or taker a little walk around, refill your water bottle, etc. Then when the timer goes off, you have to sit back down and get back to it.
Using the timer is much easier than just saying you’ll do 20 minutes of work, as it counts the time for you and keeps you on track. It means you do not end up getting carried away on your phone or on Netflix.
Take breaks
As mentioned earlier taking breaks is very important in helping you stop procrastinating. A lot of people lose concentration and can easily become distracted which is what makes people procrastinate.
A good idea is to find out how long you can go until you lose attention, this could be 15 or so minutes or you may even be able to go for longer. Then all you need to do it make sure you take a break when you need to. Schedule these breaks in.
In your breaks you can take a walk about, make some food or simply move to a different space to use your phone.
You could even break up your day with some other activities that get you out of the house or out of the library. You could get yourself to the gym, or even simply go for a walk around town. This will help you take your mind away from any work and it means when you return you are returning with a fresh mind.
Put your phone away
The next thing to talk about is your phone. This is one of the biggest distractions for most people. A good thing to do is to remove your phone from your working station and move it somewhere else. This could be a different room, or in your bag. Just having it on silent next to you is still a major distraction.
Only let yourself use your phone in your breaks.
Make your targets achievable
Another one of the reasons people procrastinate is because they know the work they have to do is a lot, which can make it very overwhelming. So, to overcome this, you need to make your workload more achievable. You can do this by creating a plan and making sure you have a manageable amount of work to do each time you revise.
What are the negative effects of procrastination?
If you let procrastination get the better of you it can massively affect your work ethic. It can make you completely lose your motivation to get anything done and when you do try it can affect your productivity. You won’t be able to give your work the full attention it needs.
Demotivation can affect your daily life and can move onto small tasks such as making the bed and doing the washing up.
Of course, these issues are easy to overcome if you make small changes. Start with one change each time you try to revise and this way you will find what works best for you.
Try some procrastination books
A great thing to do is to read some procrastination books which give you great tips on how to overcome it. They also help you become more motivated which is exactly what students need help with!
Books are a great way to get some motivation, so you are all ready to do your work.
Study groups
Now study groups can be a great thing, but they can also be massively distracting so it really depends on what type of person you are and if this is right for you. Study groups can be a great way to meet with your classmates and work on the same topics together. They can be good because if there’s parts you don’t understand then you can teach each other.
The thing is that you all need to be motivated and focused on your tasks. Group work can sometimes lead to lots of chatting, so it depends on what type of people you are working with.
Alternatively, you can study with friends that are not on the same course as you. Sometimes when your see your friends working it makes you feel like you need to get on with your work too.
Final Thoughts
Procrastination is a massive problem when it comes to revision and studying but there are many things you can do to make your work easier for you. These changes only have to be little but can makes such a big difference.
Try leaving your phone in a different room or in your bag while you are revising. Or make a little plan before you dive in to split up your work more.
