Have you ever put off an assignment to the last minute and had to sacrifice your sleep and grade? Well, you’re not alone; 80-95% of students are chronic procrastinators and procrastination is notoriously common among academics. Procrastination isn’t just avoiding or delaying a task, it almost always includes an element that is unnecessary and counterproductive. Of course, procrastination is normal, and we as humans need to be unproductive at some times. Still, there are many ways in which we can use procrastination to our advantage and also find ways to mitigate it.
Why do we procrastinate?
Procrastination is an irrational behavior, and much of the reason we do it is that we have trouble with self-regulation. We find “difficult” and “boring” tasks like schoolwork overwhelming, and because of this, it becomes easy for us to avoid it and carry on with being unproductive. To dig deeper into the scientific aspect of procrastination, the phenomenon can be explained by the conflict that arises between different parts of the brain when obligated to complete an undesirable task. Due to this, you put off doing work for the future, which offers temporary relief. This process is automatic, pulling you away from tasks that you find unpleasant.
How to Control Your Procrastination: Using Mindfulness
If you find yourself stuck in the cycle of being unproductive, there are ways to outsmart your habit and train your brain to act differently when given an unwanted task. You can use the trigger, behavior, and reward method, giving yourself rewards for finishing a task. For example, by finishing some work, you could reward yourself with playing video games or watching a new episode of your favorite T.V. series. This method will help you complete your coursework earlier and access rewards.
Another great way to control procrastination is to remove any distractions, like your phone, and put it in another room to avoid using it. You could also turn off social media and try not to sit anywhere near a device. You can also ask someone else to check up on you; it could be your parent, sibling, or friend. Having someone there to remind you to finish your task can also help because it could prevent you from getting distracted. If you don’t feel comfortable asking someone to check up on you, you can find a study buddy and hold yourself accountable in our discord server!
You can also mitigate procrastination with time management. A great way to do this is by timing yourself. You can do work for about 20-40 minutes and then take breaks that are about 5-15 minutes. Also known as the Pomodoro method, the promise of a break acts as a reward and can help you get your work done in a timely manner while also conserving your energy. This is also an effective way to break the habit of multitasking and improve your time management skill.
Another way you can aim to eliminate procrastination is getting the task you find most unpleasant done first. This gives you time to concentrate on the work you find more enjoyable. This method also helps you feel more accomplished as you’ve already gotten the most challenging part out of the way and can now relax and finish up your smaller/easier assignments.
Setting small deadlines is another way you can mitigate procrastination. For example, when you have a lengthy assignment that requires a great deal of time, you can create small deadlines for different parts of your assignment after you determine when they need to be completed. This will help you pace yourself in finishing your work and reduce stress from lengthy tasks.
Another simpler way is to find enjoyment in your work. Find ways to modify a project to let it spark motivation in you. If you try becoming genuinely interested in what you need to complete, you would feel more driven to complete the work. While it may seem like conventional advice, being optimistic makes a huge difference.
How To Use Procrastination to Your Advantage
Although it seems like the complete opposite, procrastination can sometimes improve productivity and your overall well-being. For example, if you have a list of things to do and you don’t feel like doing all of them, your impulse is to finish all the easy tasks first. This impulse is a plus point, as you are still getting work done and actively pacing yourself.
Another pro of procrastination is that it places pressure on you to do well quickly. For example, instead of studying for an exam for months, you study intensely for a few days. For some people, it works in getting a better score since you’re in complete focus without distraction. Procrastination also helps you with better decision-making. While you are actively avoiding a task, you’re thinking about it all the time, giving you time to think and reorganize thoughts.
Procrastination also makes more time for you to enjoy life. When you procrastinate or avoid doing something stressful, you take time for self-care and do creative things that you enjoy. Although there are a few plus points of procrastinating, that does not mean you shouldn’t make a total effort to avoid it. Remember that having a good productivity schedule is just as important as having good mental health. It’s important to not sacrifice one of them for the other and to have a healthy balance in your life.
tl;dr
Procrastination is always something that everyone resents. It decks people’s productivity and work ethic. However, if you find yourself doing it too often, it is never too late to incorporate these techniques and thought processes. Understanding yourself and why you have these habits is essential, and you can use procrastination as a tool for success.