Feature Story: How to Beat Procrastination
(Hammond, Louisiana) — Procrastination is an extremely common thing among everyone. College students know this all too well. Turning in assignments last minute has become a ritual for many. Social media is a big problem that ties into procrastination. Apps such as Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram among others are a huge problem for kids especially when trying to do schoolwork. These apps are proven to be addicting. With each click of the screen, your school assignment becomes farther and farther away from being done. What can be done about this?
The number one thing to stop procrastination is to just do your assignments. Easier said than done, but it is a must. First you must identify that you are indeed procrastinating, then figure out why? Is it because you don’t want to do the assignment? The longer you wait the worse the procrastination becomes until finally you attempt to do something minutes before it’s due and get a terrible grade. Let’s ask some Southeastern students what they do to avoid the dreaded procrastination. Student A says this, “I deal with my procrastination by starting my assignments the day they are assigned. I work a little each day and pace myself. That way when the due date rolls around, I’m practically finished with the assignment.” Good advice from student A! There is reasoning behind this. Once you jump into the assignment the rest usually will come fairly easy. As a wise man once said, “Starting the assignment is the hardest part.”
What makes procrastinating such an issue? Grades are the real issue and are the biggest sufferer of procrastination. Grades don’t make themselves. It just makes sense to do your work sooner if you want to make better grades. You will have more time to complete the assignment which will result in a better quality assignment. This will then reflect positively on your grade. Not to say that just start early and you’ll get straight A’s. Effort is required. This is the case with everything in life. At least with things that are worth something. Grades are very important in college because they lead to better job opportunities. The better your grades the more opportunity and exposure one will receive. It’s a pretty simple concept. Procrastination just doesn’t affect your grades it affects your life. Habits are everything. Whatever you are used to doing is what will continue to happen unless you seek out and look to change it.
Don’t worry student B was not forgotten in this piece and would like to remain anonymous along with student A. Student B had to say this, “Procrastination is an issue we face as a society. We deal with it in our everyday lives all the time. To defeat procrastination we have to first start the project and gradually keep working on it day by day. No matter what it is you must start it first, secondly, be consistent with your time management, and lastly put your all into it.” Well said by student B. Truly wise beyond their years.
Another tip to avoid procrastinating is to keep a record of your progress in a journal or a calendar. This is proven to be helpful as it reinforces your good work and makes you want to continue it. Positive reinforcement is a good strategy when working to defeat procrastination. Friends can also help. Schedule a study date with your friend and help each other with your assignments. If you are a social learner this will be of help to you. If you are better at getting your work done in peace, then make arrangements for that. Go somewhere secluded and get to work. Tell your friends that you are busy. No shame in that. However, no matter what you decide to do, nothing is important as starting your assignment. The single most important step can’t be stressed enough. Try it out for yourself and you will see a world of difference in your every day habits which will translate to this crazy thing we call life. Hope you enjoyed.
