So How Do You Fight Procrastination?

Okay, so we’ve made it clear that procrastination is a part of life. But with the right strategies, you can train yourself to get better at prioritizing. Some of these tips may be helpful, some may not work for you. It will likely take some trial and error — and practice — to fight procrastination when it rears its head.

Plan rewards for yourself

Think about what you’d rather be doing — then hold the things you want hostage.

• Choose a way to reward yourself after you complete the task you’ve been avoiding. It can be ice cream, time with friends, watching the newest episode of a show you love — anything that will fill your bucket.

• Withhold what you want to do until your more stressful tasks are completed.

• That way, desirable tasks become a motivating reward.

• It’s much harder the other way around. We all know how easy it is for one episode to become a binge session. Suddenly, your to-do list is out the window.

Get organized

As early in the semester as you can, make lists of all the tasks you need to accomplish and the dates by which they need to be done.

• Add these dates to your calendar or planner.

• This will help you split your time so you aren't forced to choose between completing one task or another.

• Besides due dates, try to plan backwards and mark when you should start studying, writing, or gathering research. This will help keep things from sneaking up on you.

• You can also make a daily or weekly to-do list to help you keep track. Think about everything you need to do, then prioritize them.

• Whether it's answering an email, calling someone, reading a report, or writing a paper, your goal should always be to do your most difficult tasks first.

• When you lift the burden of a more difficult task, it eases your stress, leaves you feeling accomplished and good about yourself, and gives you motivation to do the next thing.

Eliminate distractions

We know, this is easier said than done! Distractions used to be far less of a problem, but our phones and other devices make it so that we can be distracted anytime, anywhere. Plus, if you live on campus you never know what noise or hijinks will pull you from your work.

• When you want to be distracted — from a stressful task, perhaps — you will be.

• Shut off push notifications on your smartphone.

• Keep your web browser closed. Some software programs will even prevent you from using the internet at set intervals if you find you can't resist it.

• You can even set your phone to airplane mode.

• Once your study period or task is complete, then open up your texts and other messages.

• Wear noise canceling headphones to keep it quiet, or listen to music or sounds that help you focus. Try searching your favorite streaming platform for “study music” or “focus music” if you need suggestions.

Be a detective

It might take some digging, but one of the best ways to battle procrastination is to understand why you don't want to complete a task.

• The reasons we do things — and don't do things — may seem obvious, but our conscious minds can cloud reality to placate us. 

• Our conscious minds come up with reasonable explanations that aren’t necessarily true, and we accept them so we can move on and feel better.

• Keep asking yourself: Why don't you want to make that phone call? Why don't you want to write that essay? Why don't you want to go to class?

• It may be helpful to talk it over with a friend or therapist.

• Whatever the underlying reasons, when you are aware of them, they'll lose some of their power.

Consider why it matters

Sometimes we need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. A reminder of why it’s important to get the task done can be a helpful reality check.

• Remind yourself why a task is important.

• What are the positive outcomes?

• What are the worst consequences of not completing it? 

• Too much anxiety can be paralyzing, but a little can be motivating.

• If your anxiety is making you feel overwhelmed, reach out to someone for help. Yes, you’re an “adult” now, but adults need support, too.

• Often, not doing an assignment can be more uncomfortable than actually starting and finishing it.

Eat well

We’re sure family members are already bugging you about whether you’ve been eating your fruits and vegetables — but they have a point. A nutritious diet helps you function at your best.

• Eating well releases serotonin, which helps to regulate your sleep, helps you think more clearly, and helps to boost or regulate your mood.

• Eat enough to feel satisfied, but not so much that you become sluggish.

• When you study, bring snacks and drinks to stay energized and hydrated.

Get enough sleep

This is a tough one for many college kids, but the benefits of getting enough sleep are immense! Ensure you have adequate energy to get everything done.

• It’s much harder to concentrate or think well if you are tired.

• When you’re sleep deprived, even simple tasks can take twice as long.

• Get at least 7–8 hours of sleep each night.

• Set a consistent bedtime and morning routine to help get this in motion.

• Silencing notifications on your phone after a certain time can help.

Picture it

Thinking about not only what you need to do, but how you will feel when you complete it, can be a surprisingly powerful tool. Call it manifesting. Call it positive self-talk. We call it worth a shot.

• Before you go to sleep, remind yourself of what you want to accomplish tomorrow.

• What are the steps you need to take?

• Then, envision yourself getting those tasks done.

• What are the positive outcomes? How does it feel?

• When athletes and other professionals rehearse what they need to do to be successful — both in their minds and physically — it helps them to achieve that success.

Set a schedule

Many people find routines super helpful. So if there's a task you tend to habitually procrastinate, try making it part of your routine.

• If you put off doing laundry until you have no clothes left, choose a laundry day and stick to it.

• If school work gets pushed to the side, schedule a regular study time. It can be alone, with a tutor, or with a group.

• Put it on your calendar or reminders app.

• If you do the same thing at the same time every week, it becomes habit and much easier to do over time.

Make yourself accountable

Once you’ve come up with a plan to stop procrastinating, don’t keep it to yourself! Tell other people. 

• If you have a hard time holding yourself accountable, ask someone else to help.

• If they see you playing video games in the common room when you had planned to study, they can give you a hard time and motivate you to head to the library.

• Or if a friend is struggling with procrastination, become accountability buddies. Check in with each other or set study dates to keep each other on track.

• Many people in college feel like they’re on their own, but you don’t have to feel that way. Chances are, you and your peers may be able to work on the same assignment together.