Procrastination at its finest; How to break the cycle

By: Caroline Geraghty

In college, a big challenge students face is procrastination. I know from personal experience, that it is not fun to have a big assignment with a small amount of time before the deadline. I have also learned so far in my college career is that you can’t just ‘stop procrastinating.’ I always found that I did well for a week but then I slowly just started falling back on my old habits. I’ve compiled a couple of my own tricks that have helped me throughout my time here at Ohio State. 

Start off with making a list

I personally like mapping out my week in some sort of planner. Some of my favorites are Google Calendar and a weekly planner spread on my iPad or notebook. Being able to visualize all the tasks for the week really is a strong start to getting it done!  An important note about the calendar though, remember to be realistic. Don’t schedule yourself to watch 4 hours of online lectures in one day. That’s a lot of information thrown at you and its hard to retain all of it.  If possible, try to split up that work over a couple days. Cramming a project last minute wont give you your best work either, it’s important that you have time to compile your work to your best ability and to check it over. A long to-do list on a busy day often leads to procrastination, so split it up!  

Start with the easier or more laid back assignments

If you find yourself having a long list of things to do during the day, start with the easier or more laid back assignments. This always helps me get the ball rolling and leads me to a strong study headspace. Getting started is always the hardest part, so start with a less stressful task, it’ll ease you into work and reduce your anxiety.  

Try to get out of your room/house

Many find that they are more productive outside of their living space. I always like going to the union, a coffee shop, or the library. When you’re at home, you’re much more tempted to take a break and plan to lay on the couch for 20 minutes which then turns into two hours. Getting out of the house reduces distractions and boosts your motivation. 

How do you find motivation in the first place?

I always try to look back at why I’m here. Why am I in college? What do I want to get out of my time here? Where do I want to be after I graduate? Don’t be afraid to remind yourself that you’re here to get your work done, graduate, and get a job that you enjoy after college. I tell myself that these goals will be fulfilled if I work hard where I am, right now. College isn’t easy. Don’t forget to remind yourself it’s okay to have off days and to not be perfect. Life has its ups and downs, but it’s important to know that all this hard work will pay off in the end.