If you often wait until the last minute to complete your task, here are 8 tips to solve this procrastination habit in college.

More than 80% of college students procrastinate often. Nobody ever teaches us how to avoid it or what are the best practices for it.

What is Procrastination?

Procrastination is delaying or postponing a task or duty. In other words, not doing what we have pending when we should do it. We’ve all been at a point where we say, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” But tomorrow comes, and we suddenly realize we keep saying the same thing.

Why Should We Stop Procrastinating?

Here are some reasons why we should stop doing it:

• Late delivery of assignments
• Starting tasks late creates stress
• We seek to acquire better habits
• It most times leads to more problems

If any of these points sound familiar to you, you are part of a huge group of students who also want to improve.

How Can We Change?

1. Control Your Stress

The main reason people procrastinate is because of stress. Although we might often neglect this factor, it is most times present without us noticing it. It is common to postpone things because we think we will fail a task or it will take work.

 The immediate response of our brain is to move away from danger. That happens when we say, “I’ll do it later.” To solve this, we must strive to relax our minds and be more realistic about what we must accomplish.

2. Make a Schedule

A goal is a dream if we don’t have a plan. It can seem overwhelming, but it will be hard to work efficiently if we don’t organise ourselves. Consider this:

The night before, write down your plans for the next day (include assignments here). Write at least 3 things to do. Categorize activities by time and priority and check them off as you complete them.

You can always write your schedule in less than 5 minutes. Sticky notes are great for this purpose. You can also get a planner and use it to stay organized.

3. Use Reminders

Believe it or not, this is the most effective tool for students to stop procrastinating.

Use the reminders on your smartphone, even for minor tasks. Remember to start studying at a specific time or take breaks during homework.

The ultimate goal is to reduce your stress when completing tasks and studying. A timer can help you remember when to take breaks.

4. Create a Routine

Creating a routine is a proactive way to get our work done on time. A routine differs from a schedule in that the former is a set of daily habits we are used to following (even if our plans change).

This way, you can have a routine where you do your homework same time every day. It will rewire your mind so that you feel the need to complete it now and not later. You can also stick to a certain study pattern or work out your schedules at a specific time every night.

5. Study With Friends

Sometimes, we need a little push, and friends can greatly help. With friends, there is more motivation to complete their tasks on time.

For some people, this helps them nail down their assignments. Also, friends can make studying an enjoyable experience. Just make sure you do it with the right friends (the ones that won’t keep you procrastinating).

6. Start With Easier Parts

Try breaking tasks down into more digestible chunks to learn how to stop procrastinating. The point is that you start. Otherwise, you will do it at the least propitious moment. Of course, feeling motivated is hard when you attach little importance to something. However, we must focus on the ultimate goal.

7. Acquire Useful Habits

Along with a daily routine, habits are given. Our habits also incline us to study or do homework. We share some:

• Get your homework out right when you get home
• Put it on your study desk
• Complete 1 question or page before doing anything else
• Gather the materials you will use before starting work

All of these may be enough to get you started, and that’s what matters.

8. Turn Work Into Fun

Here are some ways to turn work into fun:

• Listen to music
• Give yourself a small reward when you complete a task
• Study in a didactic way or as a game
• Expect something exciting when you’re done

Simple things like these will determine your success in the study. When our brain starts to see something potentially boring as fun, it’s easier to turn procrastination into productivity.