Quit Procrastinating

Procrastination is a terrible habit that a lot of people struggle with. Procrastinating can be one of the first things that can hinder a college student from being the best that they can be. Create good habits early in your college career so that you can get ahead and stay ahead.

First: Become aware of the things that make you procrastinate.

• Awareness —Reflect on the reasons why you procrastinate, your habits and thoughts that lead to procrastinating. 
• Assess —What feelings lead to procrastinating, and how does it make you feel? Are these positive, productive feelings: do you want to change them?

Second: Create a system of time management.

• Create a schedule — It is important to create a weekly/monthly schedule that includes all of your classes, assignments, activities, and study times.
• Make time to study — If a class syllabus says that you will be covering chapter 4 on a certain day, you need to write that in your calendar along with an appropriate time to read that chapter. When there is a test coming up, it helps to plan to start studying for that test at least 3 days in advance.

Third: GO TO CLASS.

• Don’t be dumb — You are paying a lot of money for college so get your money’s worth and go to class. Attending class is not always a requirement but I can promise you that attending class is the single most important thing you can do to be a successful college student.
• Staying up to date — When you attend class, you not only get a review of the material that you should have read but you also stay up to date on assignment due dates and test dates that often change from the syllabus date.

Fourth: Plan ahead.

• Deadlines & Due Dates — At the beginning of the semester write down everything that is due in every class and when it needs to be completed. This includes tests, quizzes, assignments, and deadlines for things such as scholarships, registration opening, and other important dates.
• Goals —Focus on what you want to do, not what you want to avoid. Think about the productive reasons for doing a task by setting positive, concrete, meaningful learning and achievement goals for yourself. 

Fifth: Find motivation.

• Self-talk —Notice how you are thinking, and talking to yourself. Talk to yourself in ways that remind you of your goals and replace old, counter-productive habits of self-talk. Instead of saying, “I wish I hadn’t…” say, “I will…”
• Outlook —Alter your perspective. Looking at a big task in terms of smaller pieces makes it less intimidating. Look for what’s appealing about or what you want to get out of an assignment beyond just the grade. 

·