1. Start with the easiest thing to get started.
This is one of the most important tips I can share with you. Getting started with easiest tasks is one of my favorite techniques to learn and master things quickly and prevent procrastination.
2. Use the powerful Pomodoro Technique to make your studying easy, fun and focused
Pomodoro Technique is one of my most powerful and favorite techniques to beat procrastination and become laser-focused.
This technique is very popular and widely used in the professional world to increase focus and productivity. I used this technique to get good grades in university and to pass my professional certifications. It has helped me tremendously to get the career I dreamed of.
Here is how you can get started:
- Step 1: Choose your task
- Step 2: Set your timer to 25 minutes
- Step 3: Be laser focused and work on your task until the time is up. Do not get distracted with anything else.
- Step 4: Rest 5 minutes
- Step 5: Do as many of these session as you feel is needed and comfortable
- Step 6: Track how much of these you can complete a day, week and month.
I noticed that keeping track of my Pomodoro sessions kept me consistent with my work and study efforts. Research also shows that by tracking and checking your progress, you increase the chances of your success. I highly recommend you use this free Pomodoro Tracker tool to keep track of how many of them you complete.
If you are procrastinating, or you don’t know where to get started, start or begin with the easiest study task you can do.
For example, it could be as simple as spending 20 minutes to collect your study material, and put it in a folder. Once you get started, you can move to the next easiest task and so forth.
3. Forgive yourself for past procrastination.
Forgive yourself for the past procrastination. Not forgiving yourself can make you more resentful and discouraged when you are trying to study. Research shows that when you forgive yourself for past procrastination, you can reduce procrastination and reduce negative feelings.
4. Beat stress and procrastination by taking small steps
As Jeff Bezos says, the reason we get stressed is because we have not taken the necessary action that is in our control in the direction to solve the problem.
Focus on taking small steps in the direction you want to go. It doesn’t matter how simple the step is (i.e. studying for each course for 10 mins each day). Subsequent steps can be figured out after.
5. Create “Study Chunks” to stay focused and motivated
Chunking involves breaking down larger sets of information to more digestible pieces so it can be systematically studied. Chunking helps reduce cognitive load and makes it easier to understand and remember information for later.
Here is how I used chunking to make my studying process more digestible:
- I would create a study chunk to review 5 lecture slides in 30 minutes. During this time, I would spend time reviewing and mastering all the concepts in those 5 slides. I consider this to be a “study chunk”.
- Once I felt comfortable with the material, I would move to the next 5 slides for another 30 minutes. This system fits nicely with the Pomodoro Technique.
This process will help you become less overwhelmed and stressed out when you are studying. Remember, stress and overwhelm comes from not taking simple actions towards the direction to solve the problem.
6. Reward yourself & Mix fun breaks into your studying
You know what they say, “All work and no fun make Jack a dull boy”.
Mixing fun activities with your studying can help you stay motivated and focused. Also, it provides you an exciting and enjoyable break from studying.
It could be as simple as taking a break to watch Brooklyn 99 or Friends. Or, it could be to work out a little or play basketball. Either way, know what makes you happy and mix it up into your studying.
You can also treat yourself with movies, parties and sports events. I think these are very important valuable experiences offered in university life for a student. It helps students to be more better-rounded and learn to build connections with others.
But get what is needed done, done! Attend the movie, party or the game if you have completed your work. Don’t delay your studying to have fun all the time. Enjoy but understand why you are in college.
7. To beat procrastination, practice “reverse-procrastination”.
Reverse procrastination is essentially getting everything you should get done as soon as possible, and doing whatever you want the rest of the time.You practice “reverse-procrastination” when you finish your study activities as soon as possible so you can relax after. Top students get their study tasks out of their way so they can be free after.
This is in contrast to procrastination; where a person who suffers from procrastination would wait until the due date to get closer in order to begin the studying process.
I used reverse-procrastination for my exams and assignments in university and had tremendous results. For example, I would often get started on my exams and assignments right away, as I was never sure how much studying was actually required. With this method, I realized that I have plenty of time to do my work and relax. This made me feel so much more control over my studying and my life.
8. Use task- and time-management apps.
I highly recommend you task management app or time management app to keep track of your tasks. There are numerous apps designed to help you to be more organized, such as Trello and Toggl, for example. I personally use Trello pretty extensively.
9. Understand how you procrastinate.
You may also be procrastinating if you are:
- Putting things off without a valid reason
- Believe you work better under pressure
- Fill your day with low-priority tasks.
- Leave an item on your To-Do list for a long time, even though it’s important.
- Read emails several times over without making a decision on what to do with them.
- Start a high-priority task and then go off to make a coffee.
- Fill your time with unimportant tasks that other people ask you to do, instead of getting on with the important tasks already on your list.
- Wait to be in “right mood,” or wait for the “right time” to tackle a task.
We all do at least a few of the above to procrastinate. Your best bet to solve procrastination is to act. To and act now. You can continue ot site around and complain about procrastination or or do something no matter how little about it.
Be kind to yourself and others procrastinate. It is harder on them than you think.
10. Help others thru there procrastination
People procrastinate because they feel lost and scared. If you how to remove somebody else’s obstacle. Find a way to do for them.