You’re stuck at procrastination station; here’s how to hop off

By Claire Hutcheon

Moving to university from high school was a surreal experience. No more daily school routines to keep me on track, no parents or teachers to constantly remind me of assignments and tests. I was finally an adult, making my own decisions and keeping track of my own time. Unchained from structure, I was liberated.

That feeling lasted about a month until I became so distracted by my freedom that I put off studying for a midterm for weeks when suddenly… it was the day of my midterm, and I completely forgot. I missed my test and had to drop the class, which went on my permanent transcript.

Whether it is a late email response, cramming for a test at the last second, or delaying an assignment, almost everyone has found themselves locked in the all-familiar cycle of saying, “I’ll get to it eventually.”

Starting university might bring about your first encounter with procrastination, or you’re familiar with it and know the struggle too well.

Unfortunately, procrastination can be detrimental to success: lower exam scores, slower job promotions, increased anxiety and self-esteem, and it might even make it difficult for you to finish school. It is important to catch the cycle of procrastinating before it starts, and if you can’t do that, to know how to escape it. But we can’t begin to find the solution without first understanding the cause.

Procrastination is not just delaying tasks or actions intentionally; it is an irrational process that occurs despite the negative consequences because, to your brain, procrastination is rewarding.

When we decide to procrastinate, all of the stress and pressure we once felt waft away, and the body’s reward system, which has no concept of time, is happy because its job is to make us feel good right now.

In turn, you continue to procrastinate and optimize ‘good feelings’. That is why you might find yourself putting off an assignment until later, and then tomorrow comes, and you do the same thing every day until the day it is due.

Another form of procrastinating is doing smaller tasks that are less significant compared to something else. For example, washing the dishes instead of studying for a final exam. This way, you avoid the major task by distracting yourself with something productive so it feels rewarding.

Procrastination is the struggle with self-control, and it is no different than picking at a scab or eating even though you’re full. As it becomes more of a habit, procrastinating is harder to overcome. Hence the saying, “Old habits die hard.”

So, how can you change your procrastinating ways?

In all fairness, I’ve never gone cold turkey on my procrastinating habits. But, after years of learning my lesson time and time again, I’ve gotten much better and even developed a handful of tips to fall back on when I feel myself losing the battle.

Here are some of the ways you can delay your procrastination in university and just do it later (pun intended).

Eat the Frog

As Mark Twain said, “if the first thing you do each morning is eat a live frog, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’re done with the worst thing you’ll have to do all day.” In other words, if you tackle the biggest, most important task of the day before anything else, you’ll beat the temptation to procrastinate.

Eating the frog will take some adjustments to your mornings, but it is an effective way of making sure you start your day off right and don’t begin to prioritize smaller tasks over the hardest and most important tasks.

Or do nothing!

I know this sounds counter-productive. Shouldn’t I be saying “just start your task”? However, the majority of procrastinators aren’t lazy, they simply do less important and more immediately gratifying tasks to avoid the more important and anxiety-inducing tasks.

The “or do nothing” method entails setting aside a certain amount of time in the day to work — 90 minutes let’s say. During that time frame you don’t have to work on the big scary task, but you can’t do anything else. No scrolling on your phone, no sleeping, no cleaning your room or washing the dishes, just sitting there and doing nothing.

Eventually, you’ll find yourself slowly starting the thing you wanted to work on and when you find yourself drifting, simply stop and stare at the wall. Doing nothing will feel like a break from your work but not enough of one to distract you.

Plan your day before it starts

Planning your day after you wake up can take hours out of your day and away from the time you have to actually work. By planning your day the night before, you’ll cut down on the amount of decisions you have to make in a day. This way, you can start your day feeling accomplished and already knowing what the first thing you have to do is.

Make a list and cut it in half

When you’re actively procrastinating or about to procrastinate something, it is common to get swept up in completing smaller tasks. Even having too many things to do in a day can be overwhelming and cause you to procrastinate.

As you’re making your list of things you have to do in the day, write out everything that you can think of that you want to get done. Then, take that list and start crossing off tasks that are the least important and that you have more time to complete. Leaving only the most important things that need to be completed on the list.

In doing so, you have more focus on those few tasks and are less inclined to be distracted by smaller, more rewarding tasks.

Adjust your environment

As a procrastinator, I also have major FOMO and insecurities about my procrastination habits. So, the number one thing that I always do when I am at my wits end with an assignment is leave my house. I have always found there to be way too many distractions when trying to work in my room or at the dining table. Most importantly, there is no one there to shame me if I’m not working.

By leaving my house and going to a cafe or the library to get my work done, I actually utilize my own insecurities of someone judging me for not working into completing my assignments. The societal pressure of other people being productive works wonders for me.

If you’re someone who can’t work in public places because of the noise and constant movements, then find somewhere quiet to sit down and focus. Take away any possible distractions, turn all of your devices onto ‘Do Not Disturb’. Sometimes you need to tune everything out, before you can really tune into your work.

Procrastination is a persistent struggle for many of us, especially in university where newfound freedom and independence can quickly lead to missed deadlines and stress. I still struggle with procrastination but with some self-reflection and strategies, I’ve gained more control over my life and so can you.

Managing procrastination isn’t easy and these tips are not a guaranteed pathway towards never procrastinating again. They are, however, a crucial step in developing more self-control and motivation in your university career. The first step is always difficult but continuity is key so embrace these tools and remember, it’s about progress, not perfection. You’ve got this!

You’re stuck at procrastination station; here’s how to hop off

Eat the Frog

Or do nothing!

Plan your day before it starts

Make a list and cut it in half

Adjust your environment

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