Written by Farid Arrisyad

Have you ever felt like you needed to get something done, but end up avoiding it by doing something else? Then you feel guilty, depressed, and decide to eat. Before you know it, you gain a few kilograms and people start calling you tubby. And, still, you haven’t finished what you’re supposed to do. So now not only are you lazy, you’re also overweight! Life sucks, I know.

Well, you’re not alone.

Procrastination—it’s a universal epidemic, especially for us, students, with raging hormones and the overwhelming desire to NOT work. Procrastination may kill our bright, fashion-designing or business-managing futures. Close your eyes and you may just end up singing LFO’s Girl On TV (acapella of course because you never did complete your piano homework) at the Wheelock underpass to qualify for employment just so you can fulfill your tuition grant bond! Just because of procrastination! But, don’t fret! I have five tips to get rid of procrastination. I would tell you now but Opera van Java is on:

. . .

What a hilarious show! Sorry. Um. Anyway.

This time it’s for real—five tips to avoid procrastination:

Breathe and Imagine

We tend to get paranoid once we hear the word ‘assignment’ or ‘exam’. The world seems to rotate 180°, and our idea of fun is flushed down the toilet. So, the first thing we need to do to counter that is to take a deep breath. That’s right, do it with me:

Breath innnnnnnn………………

………………………….Breath outtttttttttt.

Then, close your eyes and imagine all the good things you will receive if you finish your assignments and get good marks. Mainly generic stuff like praises from your lecturers or increased allowances from your parents, but my favorite will always be the ability to brag to your friends for the rest of the semester.

Identify

You need to identify your energy level per day to be able to schedule correctly. Create a simple table or a chart and estimate your energy level from the hour that you wake up to your sleeping time. Here’s an example:

Plan and Prioritise

Planning or scheduling will help you to keep on track and, at the end of the day, get at least something done. This is because you don’t need to think about what to do, which may take hours and will eventually lead to you ending up procrastinating and get nothing done.

Here, your energy level chart helps you to identify when your most productive time is. Schedule it for your assignment or studies; if it is a big project, divide them to several “check points” per day. Remember, you don’t have to finish everything in one day.

You also need to prioritise your assignments. Many experts advise people to do the simplest and easiest assignment first. This way, you will actually finish something and you can move one to your next project without worrying.

Be Traditional

And, I don’t mean to live like you’re a boring, conservative 40-year-old with a mortgage, two kids and a midlife crisis. The thing is, technology gives us more ways to procrastinate. How many times do you find yourself watching Opera Van Java on YouTube while you’re supposed to write an article?

So, “simplify” your technology. I suggest you turn off the TV and the internet when it’s time for you to study or do assignments. If you need to use the internet for research, use a “website blocker” system or a software to stop yourself from opening unnecessary websites when you’re supposed to work.

Reward Yourself

Hey, who doesn’t need a pat in the back once in a while? Reward yourself when you have accomplished something—train yourself with a dog biscuit if you must. Just reward yourself to refresh your mind and get ready for the next challenge.

Now, try it! If these tips don’t work, I say GOOD LUCK! It’s time for me to reward myself for finishing an article. Even if I did watch Opera van Java first.