Advice

Helpful Tips and Tricks to Avoid Procrastination

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A typical college student at UCBA has a busy life. Most are full time students, work part time or full time jobs, volunteer, spend time with friends and family, and do extra-curricular activities. So it makes sense on that end why students procrastinate. But, even on a lazy day, students still manage to do absolutely nothing.

As a fellow procrastinator, here is a list of tips and tricks to avoid procrastination that have helped me and hopefully that will help you live a less stressful life!

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  1. Shut off your phone completely and put it far away in an inconvenient location. 

The number one distraction for college kids are cell phones. It is my main distraction. Common phrases are “I just need to check Snapchat” and “I am just checking my email” Three hours later you realize how much time you wasted. Leaving your phone next to you while you study is a distraction. Turn it off completely and put it far away, and make a goal to finish an assignment then use your phone. Another suggestion is to give it to a family member, so that you can’t just grab it.

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2. Avoid Netflix and YouTube

Netflix and YouTube are death traps. Saying one more episode and one more video, over and over again till you realize you finished a full season, it’s 4 a.m., and you haven’t done any studying. Cancelling your Netflix subscription is a huge step, but it’s worth it. If that’s not possible, avoid watching YouTube and Netflix until scheduled break times or after you finished everything. Try to limit one episode or a couple of videos if you need to be productive. I work well with many small breaks, it helps my brain stay fresh. If you are also that way, watch a short YouTube video every 30 minutes.

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3. Schedule, Schedule, Schedule!

UCBA college students having busy schedules, it is important to have everything written out. A lot of students use agendas and calendars for homework, work, and assignment due dates. So try scheduling in break times. This will help you relax and be productive at the same time.

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4. Stop saying “I can do it tomorrow”!

When a professor gives a student a week to complete an assignment, the student usually does it the night before. Given a week to do an assignment means that the assignment needs time and full attention. Even though we have crammed many assignments due to lack of time management, we still continue to do it. As soon as you get an assignment, do it as soon as you possibly can. You will feel so good getting it done.

a bookshelf at the UCBA library
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5. DON’T STUDY ON THE BED

As soon as your mind sees a bed, it automatically relates it to relaxing, sleeping, and chilling. Sure a bed is a comfortable place to do work, but it can also cause a ton of procrastination. Just laying down on the bed and reading notes, causes laziness and sleepiness. Do homework on the kitchen table or on your desk. Even better, go to a library or a cafe to study, you will feel more motivated to be productive.

About Divya Joshi

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