By: Derek Dong
I’m sure many of us struggle with procrastinating, but here are some quick tips to help you stop so you don’t let your peers down.
Firstly, it’s important to recognize that although procrastinating isn’t great, everybody does it. Therefore, don’t be too hard on yourself if you accidentally do it from time to time, and don’t feel too bad if it happens. In fact, feeling bad will probably just waste your time and accomplish nothing.
Secondly, a great idea is to tackle your tasks for intermediate time periods, instead of trying to grind through them hours at a time. If possible, spreading out your tasks in short intervals, like 15 minutes, is scientifically proven to make you more productive. Also, it is imperative that you do not split your attention either. It is better to just watch TV and do homework separately, rather than trying to do both at the same time.
Third, starting your day with the hardest task first may be a great plan as well. If you save your most difficult task for later in the day, you may already be tired and less productive before even starting the hard part of your day. By doing harder tasks earlier, you are making it easier on yourself later in the day, meaning it is less likely that you put off the task. Afterall, the easier the task is, the less likely you are to procrastinate when you are exhausted.
Finally, the Pomodoro Technique may come in handy as well. The Pomodoro Technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. You break down your time periods into 25 minutes, with short, five minute breaks in between. This way, an hour would look like 25 minute work, 5 minute break, 25 minute work, 5 minute break. All in all, it is a great strategy if you really struggle with ordering and organizing priorities, and is easy for anyone to pick up.
