Procrastination is an endless cycle that many of us find ourselves stuck in, and when it comes to why we do it, the answer is simple: we don’t want to do something. Whether that be homework or some other everyday task, we would rather not do it—so we put it off. I have definitely been guilty of this, but here are some techniques that I’ve used to combat the issue:
- PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY! Our phones are probably the biggest distraction when it comes to being productive, so when you plan on doing work, put your phone in another room and put it on silent. It’s so easy to pick up our phones and mindlessly scroll through social media, but we have to resist the temptation.
- Use a to-do list. This has been a complete game changer for me in high school, and I have found that when I see everything I have to do in front of me, it all seems more doable. I highly recommend Notion for to-do lists, and I also suggest making due dates for yourself. If you’re the kind of person who always puts things off until the last minute, put them off to an earlier due date. For instance, if you have an assignment due on Tuesday, your personal due date can be Sunday or Monday night. This is a great way to get things done on time and not feel overwhelmed by your workload.
- Learn how to prioritize. I always say that the key to success in high school is prioritizing, and it really isn’t that difficult.
Here are my most important rules for prioritization:
- The earlier the due date, the more priority it has—always do the assignments that are due earlier first.
- Start with shorter assignments—in my experience, when I do a thirty minute assignment first, I already feel more productive because I got something done, and I have more motivation for a two hour task ahead.
- Studying for a test never has priority over homework, unless the test is the next day—this one might be a bit controversial for some people, but I always give priority to things with concrete due dates.
4. Use the Pomodoro Technique, which is a great way to increase your focus levels and productivity. To do this successfully, set a timer for about thirty minutes and only do work during that time. Don’t use your phone (which should be in another room) or play games on your computer—only work. Once the timer goes off, give yourself a five minute break to do whatever you want, whether that be grabbing a snack, stretching, or checking your phone. However, I do warn against going on social media because it’s really easy for that five minute break to turn into one hour when you get hooked into it. Once that break is over, time yourself for another thirty minutes and repeat the cycle. This technique is great for rewarding yourself for being productive and getting your work done efficiently.
Those are some of my best tips for avoiding procrastination. Don’t worry if you ever still find yourself feeling unproductive or unmotivated—we all do sometimes, and as long as you start making an effort, you will see a difference.
One final thought: Don’t be hard on yourself if you didn’t get as much done as you wanted to. There is always more that could be done, and if we focus on those things instead of the things we accomplished, it’s easy to feel like a failure. Always remember how hard you’ve worked and that it’s okay to give yourself a break.
Hope this helps, and if you have any more questions, the link for submissions is below!
