Every once in a while, finishing your homework or studying for a test just feels like too much. You may not have even started your work before procrastination makes you put it off later and later. Here’s a look at how this habit can affect your life and what you can do to stop it. With a few simple tricks, you’ll get back on track and win the ever-present battle against procrastination.
Why do I procrastinate?
People avoid work and deadlines for numerous reasons; it typically depends on your personality. Stop to consider if you’re an easily distracted person or approaching your studies with a sense of dread. Psychologists have found that several factors cause the perfect storm for procrastination, like an impulsive nature or a tendency to lean into self-defeat. You may not have much confidence in your abilities, or maybe you view temptations in a positive light. Reflect on your surroundings, current mood, and mindset when you feel procrastination sneaking up on you again to narrow down your specific causes.
Related: How to Fight Procrastination and Find Your Motivation
How does procrastination affect grades?
There are a few ways procrastination affects your grades. Avoiding your work often leads to missed deadlines. If your teacher doesn’t give you an extension, you’ll get a zero on an assignment and it’ll tank your overall grade for the class. Students also tend to get worse test results because they don’t study for exams as much as they should. Procrastinating and not studying negatively affects the grades you’ll get on upcoming exams, and likely, the final results from your end-of-year testing won’t be what you want them to be.
How does procrastination affect academic performance?
Academic performance covers everything from how well you do on tests to how you work with classmates on projects. Procrastination makes it more challenging to contribute to teamwork in the classroom and prepare yourself for standardized testing. Without the ability to focus and push through your to-do list, you might jeopardize which colleges you get into and graduate with fewer accolades than you’d like—and you could end up bringing other students down in the process.
Related: How to Work on Your Academic Weaknesses in High School
How to stop procrastinating
Every student should know why they procrastinate and how it affects their academic lives, but it’s also crucial to learn how to stop doing it. Use these simple tips to conquer whatever you need to do.
Break down big tasks
Your latest research paper assignment looms over you. It’s the last thing you want to focus on because it requires so much work. Overcome this type of procrastination by breaking a project down into smaller tasks that are less intimidating. It’s easier to finish something big when it starts with quick steps like finding one resource or setting up a document outline.
Schedule future breaks
It’s also tempting to avoid studying when you’re facing a grueling, multi-hour block of sitting in one place and focusing on test material. Give yourself a bit of encouragement by scheduling breaks. Step away for five or 10 minutes after at least 30 minutes of studying to give your mind a chance to rest. You’ll get back to work with more energy and hardly worry about tempting distractions.
Related: 4 Interesting Podcasts to Listen to On Your Study Breaks
“Eat your frog”
No, you don’t have to eat an actual frog. Eat the frog is a saying used by experts who study productivity. Your “frog” is whatever task makes you dread getting to work the most. It’s likely the most important thing on your to-do list, so it might change for each class or week. Tackling your frog first promotes a deep work habit because you’ll feel less anxiety. Get it out of the way and you’ll finish the rest of your work with ease because nothing else seems like a big deal in comparison.
Reward your accomplishments
If nothing motivates you to keep working, you won’t want to work. Incentivize yourself by setting a reward for each of your accomplishments as you get through your tasks. It could be something as simple as watching an episode of a show you’ve been binging after a good study session, or maybe leaving your house for a bit to get some ice cream. You’ll become more confident and happier, which always makes your homework easier to handle.
Related: Top 10 Ways to Avoid Procrastination
Procrastination doesn’t have to mean bad grades and poor academic performance forever. Take control of your distracting thoughts and get back on track with your schoolwork. You can find the root of your procrastination and use these helpful tips so it becomes a thing of the past.
For more help getting through all your schoolwork, check out the advice in our Majors and Academics section.
