Everyone who has been (or is now) at college remembers how many challenges, stresses, and daily troubles can be there. Student life can’t be called easy and every day, there can be a new obstacle for you to overcome.
From attending monotonous lectures and sorting out how to write a poetry analysis essay to try to balance out studying with a part-time job, all these issues can be rather hard to overcome. But, do you know what exactly is holding you back from success? We bet that the answer will be the same for the majority of you – an evil habit to do things at the last minute.
Why Is Procrastination No Good?
Whether you need to finish an annual report, write an exemplification essay, or just make a single call to schedule an appointment with your doctor, there is only one thing that can get in your way. It is procrastination.
In any sphere of your life, leaving things and tasks for the last minute is literally never a good idea. Why?
First of all, by leaving tasks for the last moment, you are losing your precious time and risk failing. At the same time, it can make you:
- not meet set goals;
- make bad decisions;
- harm your reputation;
- blow opportunities;
- harm your mental and physical health;
- get lower self-esteem.
All these are the dreadful effects of procrastination. And if you don’t fear them, be sure that there are even more issues that can arise from these. So, the next time you will need to write an essay, don’t set it aside. Start looking at “how to write a causal analysis essay”? and write it right away. The same applies to everything else you do.
7 Effective Tips to Stop Leaving Things for the Last Moment
Now that you know why procrastination can have a destructive effect not only on your work or studies but also on your everyday life, we bet that you can’t wait to learn what you can do about it. So, we won’t keep you waiting!
Here are the most effective and yet simple tips that will help you stop doing things at the last minute once and forever.
Set Measurable and Realistic Goals
Procrastinators really need to feel capable of attaining their goals. Otherwise, they won’t have enough motivation to get to their tasks early on and will resort to a paper writer service instead of completing their assignments themselves. Therefore, the first tip we have for you is to start setting realistic and measurable goals that you can actually meet.
Fairly Assess Your Abilities
As they say, “don’t bite more than you can chew.” This phrase can apply to pretty much anything you do in your life from work and studies to everyday chores. If you take too much on yourself, you risk losing motivation and failing the task.
Not being able to meet the set expectations always feels frustrating. So, be sure you are always being fair in assessing your own abilities.
Divide Big Tasks (or Goals) Into Smaller Ones
One of the most common reasons for procrastination is the fear of taking on large tasks. If that’s your case, it can really help to cut large tasks into smaller chunks. This way, you will see that you don’t need to make a sudden commitment and will get down to business more willingly.
Start Setting Your Priorities Right
If you have already accepted the fact that you are prone to doing things at the last minute, it can really help to change the general approach. If you haven’t heard of the Pareto Principle yet, be sure to study it.
In a nutshell, this principle states that you only need to make 20% of the commitment to get 80% of the result. It’s based on smart priority setting and careful time management. And, it can come in handy.
Start With the Right Task
When you have two or more current tasks that require your immediate attention, it is vital that you start working on the right one. Some people claim that the best tactic is to do the hardest thing first. The point is, once you are done with it, there will be nothing else to fear, and the rest of the work will seem nearly effort-free.
However, others say that they feel more comfortable starting with smaller and easier tasks. So, the tip is to try both methods and define which one is right for you.
Make To-Do Lists
Another helpful tip to set you on the right track with everything you do is making to-do lists. Just that simple. This trick allows you to see the scope of work and keep up with everything easier. Start making lists and be sure they cover everything you have to take care of, including work, studies, and personal life duties.
Plan Everything in Advance
Finally, one more tip that can help you get more organized is to always prepare a plan of action in advance. When you plan your duties early on and specify all the goals, deadlines, and other details for every task, you can see the big picture and have a better understanding of how you can organize your schedule so that you handle everything quickly and easily.
Final Thoughts
There might be a whole wealth of reasons that push you to leave your tasks for the last moment. Some of the most common causes include a fear of failure, excessive perfectionism, lack of skills or motivation, inability to see the reward/benefits of handling tasks faster, etc.
Nevertheless, while there are many possible reasons, there are even more potential consequences. And some of them might be overwhelming. But, luckily, this shouldn’t be your problem anymore!
Now, you have a practical guide on how to stop being the last-minute person. Follow the tips we shared with you and very soon, you will notice the first positive effects of not procrastinating!