As every student knows there are a number of ways to put off having to do your assignments and essays; these range from idly raiding the fridge or pantry, even though you’re not hungry, to actively playing computer games to stave off that report due in two days. But if we are all honest with ourselves, it is quite clear that time spent on such activities is neither productive nor helpful in the long term. Luckily there are many tips out there for assisting those who procrastinate.
- No gaming – as someone who thrives on wasting time playing computer games this is probably the hardest one for me to adhere to. That said, if you just play one more game then call it quits, I’m sure you’ll be able to focus much better.
- No television – it may be a shock to some of you, but television just drains your life away. Except for some series like Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, you shouldn’t be in front of the T.V. Furthermore why bother watching such things on T.V. when you’ve got the internet! – not that I would advocate doing anything illegal…
- No procrasti-eating – we all know what it’s like to be so against doing any work that idly raiding the fridge or pantry seems like a good idea. However, not only are you wasting valuable time, you’re eating food that you are unlikely to need, aka excess energy. Which means it’s going to negatively affect your health. Although, this is not a hard and fast rule and doesn’t apply to corn chips.
- Exercise – although it may be time away from your studies, exercise is one of those things that is actually not a waste of time. Not only does it burn off all that unnecessary energy you ate earlier and it will help you focus later. You could pump weights at the gym or go for a brisk walk, everything is good. Personally I enjoy a nice swim, especially with all this heat we’ve had lately.
- Planning – if you know you are the type of person to succumb to your vices, perhaps it may be a good idea to create a timetable. If you find it hard to make time to study, you could allocate time to sit down and do your work. If you’re very busy, it may be good to give yourself some time to play games or watch T.V. or do whatever hobby takes your fancy.
- Reduce distractions – lastly, if you actually spend a lot of time at your desk, but not getting much work done, chances are you’re too distracted. Close your door, turn off Facebook, get rid of those game icons at the bottom of your screen and put on some easy listening tunes to get you in the mood.
I hope these tips help and don’t put off implementing them!
– Matthew
