Procrastination is most people’s favourite thing to do. You probably do it unconsciously, but when it’s midnight, you realise that you’ve got a whole tonne of work piled up and you can’t possibly make up another excuse. To be honest, people get weird satisfaction from not completing their own work. If you’ve procrastinated and haven’t learnt your lesson yet, here’s a perfect guide to ace your assignments and leave the habit of procrastinating behind. Let’s break down: how you can do it.

DON’T BE HARD ON YOURSELF

Everyone has procrastinated at some point in their lives. We’ve all been there, done that. Anger and frustration are draining emotions, which lead to unnecessary stress. Try to forget about everything that you have done before, and focus on creating a new lifestyle, a one in which you’re productive and focused.

WRITE DOWN AN AGENDA

You may have heard this a lot, but writing genuinely helps. The night before the next day, have a look at all the subjects you have tomorrow and all the tests and assignments you have the next week. Proceed to create a timetable and a lot specific time periods to specific subjects, while keeping in mind other activities and errands that you may need to do the next day.

Some Tips To Keep In Mind While Making Your Timetable

Before starting to write your agenda for everyday, on the first day of the month, just keep a blank page for all pending tests and assignments.

Give yourself a window period between different subjects, to finish unfinished things, and for breaks too.

Don’t study for more than an hour at a stretch. Give yourself at least 10 minutes rest.

Make a checklist on the same page for the things you weren’t able to get done, and a lot them for Sunday(only if you’re unable to complete it over the week)

STICK TO THE SPECIFIC TIME PERIODS

Stick to the time period that you have allotted to a particular activity. For example, if you’ve given yourself 4pm to 5:30pm, try to get it done in that span of time. If you’re unable to do that, use the window period that you’ve given yourself earlier, and try to get it done in that time. If you’re still unable to do that, write it down in the list of things not done. On another day, finish off the work incase you get more time. If you’re still unable to finish it, get it done on Sunday.

PRIORITISE

If you have to choose between working on a project due next month or studying for a test that’s scheduled for the upcoming week, you’re obviously going to choose the latter. Just like that, give more weightage to the things that you need to get done with sooner than others, that way, you’ll find yourself completing work with ease and you’ll never be in a hurry to submit anything.

KEEP DISTRACTIONS AWAY

This is a hard one but an effective one. Distractions are a huge factor that contribute towards your procrastination. Try to keep all your devices away from your work table, or switch them off during study periods. You’ll notice a visible difference: you’ll get a lot more work done in the same span of time as compared to when you had distractions nearby.

DO NOT MULTITASK

Multi-tasking can cause unnecessary confusion and stress, in which case you’re even lesser productive. You’ll find that if you write down a detailed daily plan, you’ll never find yourself in a situation which requires you to multitask. It’s one of the slowest ways of getting work done. Focus on one task at a time, be systematic and neat, and you’ll be done with everything in a matter of time.

TREAT YOURSELF

At the end of the day or the week, treat yourself for the hard work that you’ve done. Occasionally even give yourself an entire day off. Working hard for most part of the day for the entire week can be exhausting, so keep minor concessions for yourself that keep you motivated throughout.

At the end, if you stop procrastinating, you’ll notice a visible long-term change in your overall behaviour and lifestyle, and that is what matters the most. Getting your work done on time is an extremely rewarding feeling. Always remember that for the hard work and sacrifices you make in the beginning, always lead to something great. So work hard and get it done!