Defeating the Procrastination Monster

With the school year coming to an end in less than three months, students at FCHS need to complete work efficiently to maintain good grades and pass classes. For some, that’s easier said than done, as many students struggle greatly as procrastination can cripple or even kill their motivation.

Procrastination is the habit of delaying a task or an activity until a later date, despite the consequences. An example might be if a student has a major assignment due in the next hour, yet chooses to lounge on their couch scrolling through TikTok until the last minute, maybe even failing to complete the assignment at all.

Here are symptoms of procrastination able to be pointed out:
feeling overwhelmed
having difficulty concentrating
being easily bored
being afraid of failure
setting unrealistic goals
frequently delaying important tasks

According to solvingprocrastination.com, studies show that procrastination has a plethora of dangers such as stress, anxiety, depression, poor time management, and many more. One of the most important dangers for students is damaged/decreased academic performance. This website states that as far as academic procrastination, it can lead to bad exam scores, worse grades, course failures, and course withdrawals.

While procrastination is hard for everyone, a senior at FCHS, Molly Pace shared her say on procrastination, stating, ”When I get lazy I have to remind myself that I only have nine weeks left,” she said. ”I just have to remember that in the long term it [hard work] will benefit me,” she added.

As a student, procrastination can hold back a variety of opportunities and growth. Here are a few pointers on how to manage procrastination:
Break up tasks into smaller, manageable tasks
For example, if an essay has been due for completion and you feel that it’s too much work, start with the small tasks that take less time and energy. Figuring out the title and thesis would help you get a great start although they’re small tasks. Once you’ve completed the base of the essay, you could move on to the body paragraphs feeling more confident/accomplished. Take little steps.
Give yourself a reward after completing a task
After a long day of turning in assignments, or after a study session, give yourself something to look forward to. Whether it be food or a little down time, make the hard work feel worth your while. For example, you could promise yourself that if you study hard for an hour, you can spend an hour playing video games.
Set planned breaks
If you do happen to take more time off completing a task by scrolling on social media or wandering around your house, try to set a timer to remind yourself that playtime is over and it’s time to get back to work. While most students spend more than five hours a day on social media, a timer could help you split your time between what you want to do and what you need to do as far as studying. Giving your school work the same amount of time you give social media could boost your grades and help you fight off procrastination.
Switch your environment
If studying in your room fogs your brain, try to sit in a place that will eliminate distractions and help you feel more motivated. Research shows that studying in certain places, mainly messy and disorganized, can cause a negative effect on students. To eliminate distractions, maybe play some music that will help you concentrate– or if your phone in general distracts you, turn it off and study away.

Addressing and being aware of procrastination is a big way to put those bad habits to a halt. For more information about procrastination and how to manage it, (or elaboration of this article) visit solvingprocrastination.com
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. (for the photo)