Decreasing Procrastination and Increasing Self-Discipline

I’m sure that many students like myself have found procrastination to be quite an obstacle throughout virtual learning. I’d like to think that I’m a professional procrastinator and online learning has only amplified this. When it comes to combating this procrastination, I’ve found it’s all about self-discipline. I’m sure you’ve found different ways to keep yourself motivated throughout the school year but overall, I’ve found these things to help me the most. Though they may seem like small changes, they sure have helped me and I encourage you to introduce them into your daily routine!

1. START YOUR DAY OFF RIGHT

This can mean different things for everyone, but I’ve found that if I want to start my day off right, I need to stay off my phone! It’s a goal of mine to stay off my phone for the first hour that I’m awake because this really helps me kickstart my day. Now that I don’t have to commute every morning, I have the extra time to make myself a nice breakfast and slowly get ready for the day. Not only am I able to fuel my body by making a good breakfast, but this also helps ensure that I am not running to TikTok first thing in the morning! It’s key to keep your phone out of reach every morning in order to really create a habit of this.

2. USE A TIMER TO START YOUR WORK

Sometimes the hardest part of studying is just getting started. When I struggle with getting started on my work, I set a 5-minute timer for myself. For these 5 minutes, I fully devote myself to my task at hand with no distractions. Once I get past those 5 minutes I am usually able to keep working and really get focused. This has been a really easy change that has helped me overcome my procrastination.

3. GET THE PROCRASTINATION OUT OF THE WAY

Give yourself the time to procrastinate and rest your brain before jumping right into studying. I know this may seem counterproductive but hear me out. There have been numerous times where I find myself in front of my computer telling myself I’m studying, but not actually doing anything productive. I’m always reluctant to give myself the time to do something relaxing before studying because it feels like that should be saved for after I’ve completed my work. I’ve recently found that instead of guilting myself over not being productive, sometimes it’s just better to give myself some time to clear my mind before I start studying. For myself, this can include watching an episode of New Girl, going on a walk or reading a few chapters of my favourite book. This helps me get all my unfocused energy out before I start studying. 

4. LEAD WITH SELF COMPASSION

It’s important to be understanding and accommodating to your limits. A lot has changed in the past year and it might have taken a toll on your studying habits. Your energy level and focus levels may have changed, and this may be hard to get used to. We all have off days and there’s nothing you can do about it except try and move past them. Finding the perfect balance between self-compassion and self-discipline is essential to pushing yourself to be a better student. 

I’ve found these 4 things to help me immensely in making sure I’m being as productive as I can be through this online school year. Once you’ve found what works for you, I recommend practicing these things regularly to help set yourself up for success. Now that you have your tips to get you started, all you have to do is get to studying! I recommend checking out Amanda’s post with tips on study techniques and time management skills!

Good Luck,

Sabrina :) <3