We all hate that guilty feeling whenever we’re procrastinating on something that we know we should be doing at the moment. We’re constantly thinking, “Oh, I have to prepare for finals”, “I have to work on this project”, etc. I usually get to a point in the semester where I start making plans and writing down all the things that my ideal and perfect self would do. Then I’ll get all pumped up and motivated but eventually end up doing nothing. After failed attempts at scheduling, I try to re-motivate myself, watch videos, read self-help books, etc. Finals are looming and I start cramming, stressing, pulling all-nighters, and finishing my semester in the most stressful way. If this sounds any similar to you then hopefully these tips I’m about to share might be helpful.
In my opinion, the first step to productivity is figuring out the cause of your procrastination. I used to think it was because I was addicted to social media, or I just liked watching movies too much, or something else. But even when I removed those items like watching Netflix, and social media. I noticed that my procrastination was just as bad. I was instead doing things like organizing my files, cleaning out my closet, exercising more, etc, and obviously all those things were a lot more productive than spending time on social media but I also noticed that I was using them as excuses to not do what I needed to do. And I still had that guilty feeling of me not studying. Most times, the problem is not what we do but actually when we do it. After digging into my head, I realized that all of my procrastination was coming from fear. I knew the classes that I was really comfortable with like Calculus, and I was always already well prepared for the exams. But for other classes, I would always end up procrastinating and avoiding them. Whenever I had too many things on my plate, I would just freak out and end up doing nothing.
Another problem I had was perfectionism. Whenever I was doing a project, I would feel like every single component had to be absolutely perfect before I could move on. I’d spend hours upon hours doing just one part of the assignment and still having the other parts undone. But after some time, I realized that it would have been better if I spread my time out. From experience, I think we tend to procrastinate on things we fear. You might have had an experience where you were really stressed out about something, then when you did it you realized that it was a lot easier than you thought it would be. I always find that once we become aware that we are dreading something, there are more chances that we could get motivated. The best way to start something is by just starting. I know that sounds pretty obvious but that’s where the problem lies most times. Our brain tends to make things seem harder than they actually are so once we start and ultimately finish, we realize that they weren't stressful in any bit.
Make a list of the things you need to do e.g projects, studying for finals. Decide which one you dread the most and why. The most difficult part is actually starting. Just focus on how much you can achieve during a particular period. You can also use the reward method and from accomplishing baby steps, you can reward yourself for the progress you’re making. By encouraging yourself in bits, you’ll get the overall feeling of gratification and the urge to do more.
There was a study done, a hospital study on 100 elderly people facing death close to their last breath. They were asked to reflect on their life’s biggest regret. Nearly all of them said they regretted not the things they did but the things they didn’t do. The risks they never took and the dreams they didn’t pursue. I hope we all can take a cue from this and strive to do the things we ought to do before it gets too late. Time is the only thing that was given to everyone equally. Both young and old, rich or middle-class, black or white. What differentiates us is the amount of will we have to be productive with our time.
I hope this helped a bit. It worked for me and I believe it can work for anyone too. If you learned something new from today’s blog post, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe. I’d also encourage you to share this with someone who might need that little motivation and comment down below any other tips you know that have worked for you. Have a great day… Bye!
it's as if you are watching my every move and writing a solution on your blog. That part about the reason being fear and when you just do it, you realised you were scammed by your own brain, so undeniable relatable. I like your post and it helps a lot. Thank you :)
so much!!!!