This semester I’ve been trying to procrastinate less and so far, I have been successful. In previous semesters, I would procrastinate. A lot. I would always get my work done on time, but there was a lot of rushing and unnecessary stress that is possible to lessen. In high school, my schedule was jam-packed to the point that I could not procrastinate on my work. There was no room for procrastination because of how structured my life was. Once you start college, you still have many things to do, but there’s more freedom to organize your life how you want. Which is a blessing and a curse.  

I was procrastinating so much last semester and I was so miserable. Granted, that was partly due to the fact that I was drowning in class and homework unlike any semester thus far, but there were things I could have done to help myself.  

There are many reasons why people procrastinate. The first step is pinpointing why you, specifically, procrastinate. You can look up articles and other sources about the psychology of procrastination. For me, it was mostly a combination of craving perfectionism and fearing failure while struggling with my mental health. After you’re conscious of the why, you are aware enough to combat those negative thoughts. You have to rewire your brain to think in a different way, which is helping me the most. This doesn’t happen overnight and is something you must continually work on. Instead of fearing failure, affirm to yourself that you are capable of producing quality work and that you will not fail. Instead of focusing on being perfect, recognize that it does not exist, and you can only do your best. Really whatever works for you. It’s all easier said than done, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to try.      

Secondarily, we procrastinate because we don’t care to look out for our future selves. This is harder to help because you just have to do the task in advance by planning exactly when you will do that task and sticking to it. For me, I get myself to not procrastinate by remembering how horrible I felt last semester when I did procrastinate on an extreme level, which is enough to help me look out for my future self and stick to my schedule.  

Overall, it’s about being conscious, intentional, and finding what works for you. Sending you all positive energy!  

B