By Mia Maddock '23
Procrastination. This is something I am extremely good at, especially judging by the fact I am writing this only a couple hours before it is supposed to be turned in…Yes, I was told by Sejal to write this almost two months ago. Oops!
I know I am good at procrastinating, but I am not necessarily proud of this skill. I am really good at pushing off things until the last minute, or not even starting my homework until late at night (by late I mean 10:30-11 PM). I stay up way too late most nights and my average amount of sleep is probably around 5-6 hours. Recently, I have gotten slightly better at being productive. Now, for my fellow procrastinators, I would love to share some tips on how to be more productive from the eyes of somebody who struggles with procrastination:
1. Give yourself a break when you get home from school, but make sure to set a designated time for when you will start being productive. I usually get home around 3:30, so I try to give myself free time until around 4 when I try to start my homework and chores. In this time, I will usually have a little snack, and watch YouTube or TikToks. Just relax for a little bit! You deserve it, but make sure you know exactly when you are going to get up to get stuff done.
2. Make sure you have a good work environment to get your homework done and/or anything else you need to do. My ideal work environment is a clean room. I work better when I have my bed made, my clothes folded and put away, and my desk clean to work at. Play music and just relax so you can clean. It can take as little as 10 minutes if you really just focus. I think this is one of the most important steps because when my room is clean, I feel like there are less things I have to think about. This way I can really dial in and focus on my homework.
3. PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN!!! I cannot stress this enough. Phones are so addictive! I love to go on my phone, but it really creates a struggle when I am trying to be productive. Go charge your phone across your room and try to finish at least one assignment before picking it up again.
4. This is my last step: make sure to give yourself breaks every once in a while. I have found that I get more accomplished and stay focused if I give myself breaks where I don’t have to work on homework. Try to work for 30 minutes, then 10 minutes on your phone, or getting food. By doing this, you are designating 30 minutes to strictly be productive. Hopefully you will come to realize that in 30 minutes, if you have less distractions, you can really get a lot done!
I know it is easier to push things off until the last minute, but this usually can lead to more stress than anything. I really hope this was helpful for anybody who is like me, those of us who are really, REALLY good at procrastinating!!!