Study Smart: Beat Procrastination And Improve Your Study Habits

By Lachlan Haynes


Are you a procrastinator? Do you like to sleep in, half-complete tasks and leave everything to the last minute? Well join the club! 94% of people worldwide are in the same boat as you. And 94% of people also love saying the following four words: "I'll do it tomorrow". We say these words to ourselves knowing that an assessment date draws closer and closer or the list of chores gets bigger and bigger, but we just keep on saying it anyway! Unfortunately, this doesn't help us in the slightest because it results in well, nothing! And that's the point, nothing is getting done.

Unfortunately, tomorrow doesn't literally mean "tomorrow", it actually means "never". But in the now, nothing can stop you "tomorrow", because "tomorrow" is the first day of the rest of your life, tomorrow you can do anything! Tomorrow you are committed, strong and determined and the world is a different place, a place where you work so hard and fast that you complete everything in mere minutes let alone hours (in your mind anyway). But when that doesn't happen you think, "But tomorrow it will happen! Tomorrow I will be strong!" Do you notice the delusion that is happening here?

Do You See The Problem?

Tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes and you just keep thinking, "Well maybe tomorrow I will do the work!" One day makes no difference anyway does it? Each day you face the same dilemma and each day you make a decision that tomorrow is the best option.

The 'truth' in all of this is simply that postponing anything for a day or two isn't really that big of a deal at all - so don't fret if that's all you do in this situation. The big problem is when one day becomes two days, two days becomes four days, four days becomes a week, one week becomes a fortnight, a fortnight becomes a month and then a month becomes a year. This trend can literally last forever. Unless of course your exam is today and you didn't study! Then procrastination isn't your issue anymore anyway - your bleak future after failing is! Also figuring out who to blame will be another thing you will need to work out.

Get Ahead Of The Game

First of all, don't beat yourself up, you're human after all. We're flawed. That's life. If we weren't you wouldn't be reading this. Everything will be OK! We promise. In fact, most people are just like you - so you are actually 'normal' (if there is such a thing). So please drop any guilt you may feel about it right now because it really won't help you - it will only make you feel sorry for yourself. And feeling sorry for yourself is not the way to deal with procrastination.

Instead, just take a moment and think about it. Think about what the payoff is for you. Think about what it is that reinforces why you should procrastinate. There has to be a payoff. No-one does anything they don't want to do without a payoff being involved. So what's yours? Is it because you don't like being told what to do? It is because you want to be in control - even if that means failing? Is it because you fear what your friends will think if you get your work done and act like a good student? Is it because you think it will be too hard? Is it because you don't know where to start and are hoping someone will help you? What is making you believe procrastinating is a desirable action? Think hard here. What could it be?




About the Author:



No comments :

Post a Comment