Do you put things off? Are you facing a long list of things to do? Are you overwhelmed with the list? Do you know how to stop procrastinating?  Students face many challenging tasks in everyday life and especially in college process. They deal with boring lectures, demanding schedules, social stresses and looming due dates and test anxiety.

The University of Calgary conducted a study that indicated that about 75% of students labeled themselves as procrastinators. Out of that number, 50% mentioned that procrastination was a consistent problem. Procastination is a productivity killer! 

Everybody has their way of dealing with procrastination. Some people are lucky enough not to have this challenge, while others try hard but still find it difficult.

How can you deal with procrastination? These tips can help:

1. Organise every aspect of your school life AND your college admission life. When you organise your school life, you get an orderly framework from which to work. They should go hand in hand. So, to minimise the issue, organise your school life to include college admissions tasks.

● Use a planner. Plan out your week on a physical or digital calendar. This COLLEGE Admissions calendar/planner from Mrs. Pam is perfect for college bound students!

● Work backwards. If there are homework and exams, indicate them in the planner. Keep track of not just the assignments but also their deadlines.

2. Minimise distractions. Distractions make us lose sight of what’s essential. They turn us from people who get things done into people who don’t do the things that we know are necessary.

• • • • • Read Emails at 10 am and 4 pm ONLY. Respond to things that are necessary. 
        • Avoid/Ignore texts while you are working/studyiing(especially group chats)
        • Time phone calls especially chatty ones that last for more than 15 mins 
        • Ignore social media. Turn off notifications.
        • Be social but separate from the group politely after 5 mins. 
        • Remember that this practice is temporary, but guarantees your success, so hang in there. 

3. Prioritize. It’s easy to get distracted. It’s easy to think that the only way to get things done is to do them all simultaneously. That won’t work. You have limited time, and you can’t do everything at once.

• • • • • Check your calendar often!
        • What’s due now? Address the most important tasks first which will make it easier for you to do everything later.
        • Work in small manageable bites. 
        • Study harder topics daily so that you don’t need to cram.
        • Plan papers before you begin to write so that you avoid “writer’s block”
        • Set a time to read and stick to it so that you are prepared for tasks.

4. Use rewards and incentives to beat procrastination. Everyone procrastinates for a reason. If you have a lot of work to do, and you wonder why you won’t do it, there’s a reason. Maybe an assignment is too dull or too rigid.

• • • • • “Once I finish this study activity, I will watch a movie.”
        • “I will take a walk once I read and annotate this chapter”.
        • “I will create a TicToc after I finish my math homework”.
        • When I finish my college applications, I will spend a weekend playing the game”.
        • Rewarding yourself for being productive makes it easier for you to achieve more than if there were no reward at all. 

5. Keep yourself accountable. Remember you “WHY”.  You must have a goal in mind and if you don’t reach your goal, there is a sense of waste or disappointment that you must avoid; that’s your “why”. Accountability is one of the essential factors in beating procrastination. Don’t rely on other people to hold you accountable because it’s not easy to find someone else willing to keep you accountable. Others are busy and don’t have enough time to supervise what you do all day. Remember you WHY and stay focused.

● One way around this issue is setting up a threat. For instance, you can tell yourself that if you don’t finish an assignment on time, you’ll continue to use public transportation because you won’t earn money for a car. Or, if you don’t apply for enough scholarships, you won’t be able to afford your top college pick. 

● You can also become accountable to yourself. Think about the implications of procrastination. You could fail your exams, lose your grades, and not be able to graduate. The thought of all the negative things that could happen will likely be enough motivation to get you started.

Parents, allow your child to determine his/her best study / planning habits. Helicoptering over them is discouraging as well. When you see them studying or working, support them by leaving them alone. Or, provide a snack. Or, give an encouragement as you walk past them. Just letting them know that you see their progress without adding any pressure will motivate them to keep going. 

Juniors, by organising your time and schedule early in your college process allows for greater success and more options. Starting early often yields results that you are proud of.

 Seniors, if you are just beginning this process, you must focus and get it done. Focus. Also, know that asking for help is a sign of strength; not weakness. Use your resources. 

We all face procrastination every day. It’s a source of stress and frustration, especially if you have a big assignment or a big deadline due soon.

Always remember that you are entirely responsible for your actions. The consequences of procrastination are often too serious to ignore. Follow these top tips and say goodbye to procrastination.

Instead of putting things off, schedule them. Prioritise your long list. Celebrate crossing things off the list. Make up your mind to stop procrastinating. Life is so much easier when you control it.