How to Battle Procrastination.

Every college kid is all too familiar with this term, anyone at any age level really. Procrastination is becoming more and more dominate, and it’s taking control in ways it shouldn’t be. I know in elementary and middle school I hated doing homework and studying, but my mom always instilled in me to get it done first (or chores) and I could do all the things I wanted. So, for me, this wasn’t a terrible thing to overcome, until I got into college; I don’t have it as bad as some people though. College has so many exciting and attractive things and events happening, that doing homework or studying first seemed like I would never get to have fun, because of how much there was to actually do now. Starting off as a Bio/Chem major was not my smartest decision…hours of homework each night, compiled with more hours of studying, seemed never ending. I missed a lot of opportunities, and when I didn’t, my school and grades suffered (so did my sleep). 

It can be so hard to miss out on things for the smallest reasons, studying, or completing homework, or having to clean, it seems horrible. But the fact of the matter is, is it worth it? Is it worth losing sleep to do something you have more than enough time to do, or to get in trouble for not doing something you should have. If it truly is, then live a little, it won’t kill you. But, you must lay in the bed you made. Meaning, you can’t be mad and upset when you get your grade and it’s not the one you wanted, or mad when you get in trouble for not cleaning when you should have. You made the choice to not prepare properly or to clean first. You have that memory from a unique opportunity, and will have that for life. You just can’t be mad or beat yourself up over the choice you made. You can’t stress yourself out over these things or be so consumed with cleaning and doing work, that you miss out on living, there just needs to be a healthy balance.

There are so many ways to make sure you get all your things done, and you still have plenty of time to have fun. Listed down below are ways to balance life and play...I mean plan accordingly:

1) Have a planner, calendar, list of some sort

-Having a planner/calendar/list will keep you on track and up to date. It can be very hard, and see, time consuming. However, it is very rewarding and once you get the hang of it, it is very easy. 

2) Color Coordinating - you read right

-This will make planning, scheduling, timing, life in general, flow more smoothly. When everything is written in the same color, it’s hard to make things out, see when what is happening, and so many others.

                -You don’t have to put every single in a different color, but each child (if you have any) should have their own color, work trips/functions should have a color, and you get the idea here.

3) Get easy things done first

-Tasks that take a minimal amount of time. This will help you accomplish more, and when you see how much is getting done you’ll be more inspired to do other tasks. Plus this frees up more time to other things as well.

4) Plan accordingly

-When you have task, assignments, jobs, that you know of in advance, do them little by little. Taking them in bite-size pieces make them so much easier and doable. 

                -Set aside five to ten minutes each day to work on them and get them done before hand, so you don’t have to worry about them! It’s not hard, you just have to get into the habit of it. 

5) Cleaning

-Everyones least favorite thing. You don’t have to spend every weekend cleaning. Do small things, or fast cleaning tasks each day, that way the weekend can be yours.  

                -Again, spend five to ten minutes each day doing something, or multitask; while dinner is cooking or laundry is going, do something while the time is passing.

Now I know all this is easier said than done, and if you have children it is even harder. But you can change, improvise, and rework where necessary. The main point is, if you plan and think clearly, you can do it all (or most of it). You don’t have to slave away at life, or not put your best foot first. Learn to make sacrifices, on both sides. Learning all this is apart of growing up and maturing. With that comes a new set of rules and responsibilities. You can have your cake and eat it too, just not every time.