Procrastination is a schedule buster. It’s easy to put things off until later, especially when you dread the task such as writing a term paper. But in college, this is a real problem. If you put off your assignments or studying for tests, you are only hurting yourself. Procrastinating leads to stress and anxiety not to mention poor performance. You CAN stop procrastination from affecting your schoolwork.

It can be difficult to start working. Most of the time, however, not starting seems to be related to fear of poor results or negative evaluations than it is to the actual difficulty of the work. Aim to subdivide tasks into small steps and convince yourself that to get started all you need is 10 full minutes working on a task. Often, the 10 minutes will elapse and you'll be right into the swing of things, prepared to continue on productively.

Sometimes you just don't feel motivated to do your schoolwork. It might help to realize that for many people motivation isn't a prerequisite to action…it is a result of it! Try working for a short time and see if you can "get into it." If your motivation problem seems more substantial, it might help to realize that when you aren't motivated to do school work, you aren't actually out of motivation…you're just motivated to do something else.

Make a schedule. Allocate specific times to complete tasks using daily planners. We have a whole chapter on that in this book. Your planner should always be handy and you should refer to it often. Once you make your schedule, follow it. Work with a roommate or friend to motivate each other. Remember always that once the work is done, you will have more time for yourself, so stick with that schedule.

Make two activity lists:  “Things I Like To Do” and “Things I Have To Do”. Mix up activities from both lists and work on each activity for a short period of time. Alternating between fun and work helps to maintain motivation and interest. All work and no fun is another schedule buster. You don’t have to be working ALL the time, but you do have to complete what needs to be done.

Sometimes, you may feel overwhelmed with large projects. This is a normal reaction. When you feel like this, it’s easier to put it off because you don’t know exactly where to start and have a difficult time envisioning the completed task. Divide these major assignments into smaller parts and work on one part at a time. Then put them together into the whole project and feel the satisfaction of a job well done!

Some people procrastinate because they have too much to do. You might have every intention of doing things in a timely manner, but time can move swiftly. There are only 24 hours in a day. Thoughtfully examine your obligations and responsibilities. Make sure your schedule is realistic and you aren’t involved in too many activities at one time. If you spread yourself too thinly, none of your projects will get the attention they deserve.

Some people are good at summarizing major ideas. Others write exceptionally well. Some people work well with others. Find out what your assets are. Then work them into everything you do. This will improve your confidence and motivation for tackling a distasteful job.

Reward yourself lavishly when tasks are completed on time. Make the reward appropriate for the difficulty and boredom of the task.

Remember that you're not alone. Some studies report that up to 40% of college students experience procrastination as a real problem. Many students tend to mass their practice. That is, do most of the work in marathon sessions near academic deadlines and fail to make appropriate use of various study aids and supports at appropriate times. Doing this only leads to more stress in your already stressful life. Why add to it?

But why do you procrastinate on tasks related to goals you want to achieve?  Procrastination often emerges as a means of distancing oneself from stressful activities. People allocate more time to the judged-easy task than to judged-difficult tasks. Dealing with the underlying stressful aspects of the activities can assist in reducing the extent of procrastination. We’ll address the problem of stress management a little later.

Here's one practical application. If the volume of work on your to-do list overwhelms you, you might benefit from making a "one-item list": re-write the top item from your list at the top of a blank page and work the task to completion, then repeat.

Some people have to overcome procrastination gradually. Studying, like drinking, is usually in binges. Almost no one has trouble studying (a little) the night before a big exam. But without the pressure of an exam, many students find it easy to forget studying.

I'd suggest breaking big jobs down into manageable tasks and working on "getting started," perhaps by tricking yourself by saying "I'll just do five minutes" and then finding out you don't mind working longer than five minutes. This is called the "five minute plan."

The key is to learn the habit of getting started on a task early, i.e. the procrastinator needs to learn to initiate well in advance studying and preparing for papers and exams. Practice starting studying several times every day. As with exercising, getting in control of starting and making it a routine are the secrets.

Other valuable suggestions include:

• Recognize self-defeating problems such as; fear and anxiety, difficulty concentrating, poor time management, indecisiveness and perfectionism.
  
  
• Keep your goals in mind and identify your strengths and weaknesses, values and priorities.
  
  
• Compare your actions with the values you feel you have. Are your values consistent with your actions?
  
  
• Discipline yourself to use time wisely: Set priorities.
  
  
• Study in small blocks instead of long time periods. For example, you will accomplish more if you study/work in 60 minute blocks and take frequent 10 minute breaks in between, than if you study/work for 2-3 hours straight, with no breaks. Reward yourself after you complete a task.
  
  
• Motivate yourself to study: Dwell on success, not on failure. Try to study in small groups. Break large assignments into small tasks. Keep a reminder schedule and checklist.
  
  
• Set realistic goals.
  
  
• Modify your environment: Eliminate or minimize noise/ distraction. Ensure adequate lighting. Have necessary equipment at hand. Don't waste time going back and forth to get things. Don't get too comfortable when studying. A desk and straight-backed chair is usually best (a bed is no place to study). Be neat! Take a few minutes to straighten your desk. This can help to reduce daydreaming.
  
  
• Decide you’ve had enough, and it’s time for change.
  
  
• Think about the activities that you use to procrastinate (email, TV, etc.) and set clear time limits on them.
  
  
• Set clear goals for each day (e.g., start CHEM problem set, do POL reading, go to friend’s recital) and stick to them. Then when you are done, you are free to do whatever you like.
  
  
• Break large projects into smaller pieces.
  
  
• Remember that procrastination is usually followed by serious academic stress.
  
  
• Recall how awful it is to stay up all night to write a paper. That can help you get started on the next one.
  
  
• Know that overcoming procrastination is sometimes easier if you talk out strategies for change with someone else.

Balancing classes, homework, working, and fun can lead to a great deal of stress for the average college student. It’s normal to feel stressed with so much going on. You may feel like your life has spiraled out of control, but rest assured, your fellow students are feeling somewhat the same way. In the next section, we’ll explore stress, what causes it, and how to lessen it.

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