As college students, it can often feel quite stressful to manage shifting and overlapping deadlines, waiting until the last minute to start assignments that should have been done weeks earlier and balancing a social life outside of school. Midterm season may have concluded for many students, but this stress can still compound through the remaining semester.
Procrastination — delaying something you need to do, though it is understood it will only cause more stress later — is a problem many students deal with daily. If this is something you have struggled with, don’t worry — there are several ways to get out of the slump and face procrastination head-on.
Several Oakland University students troubled by procrastination shared their insights in overcoming the avoidance, along with listing some useful tips that may help to lighten the load.
Carlee Morgan, an OU student majoring in journalism and mass media with a specialization in broadcasting and digital media practices, struggles with procrastination.
“Sometimes, I’d just rather be doing other things,” Morgan said. “When I put things off, it stresses me out, and I end up rushing to finish assignments. Even if I get them done, it doesn’t always feel like my best work.”
She shared that to limit her procrastination, she finds it helpful to use her free time between and right after classes to do schoolwork rather than leaving everything until the last minute. Morgan keeps a to-do list with her digital calendar and checks things off when they are finished so she can keep track of each assignment.
“Planning things out makes the workload feel way more manageable,” she said.
Nazaria Jackson, an OU student majoring in public relations and advertising, said she tends to get distracted when thinking about various other things she could be doing with her time.
“It definitely affects me as a student because it can make me fall behind or feel stressed, even when I know I’m fully capable of doing the work,” Jackson said.
Jackson finds it beneficial to reward herself after finishing schoolwork, whether it’s hanging out with friends or grabbing some food.
“It helps me stay motivated and makes the work feel more worth it,” she said.
There are many healthy strategies for managing procrastination and the accompanying stress. All that the following suggestions take is dedication and proper planning.
Keep a planner
Yes, something like the agendas your teacher made you write in during elementary school could still benefit you as a college student. This could include a wall calendar, paper journal or online calendar. By having your days planned out and assignment deadlines easily visible, you are less likely to forget about things that need to be done. It could be as simple as taking it day by day — if you find yourself free between classes, take that time to update your planner or start an assignment.
Start assignments when they are given to you, and break large assignments down for consistent progress
Although you may be presented with assignments weeks — or even months — before it is due, it is likely that you are given so much time to complete them because they will take more time to finish than typical assignments. Completing a 10-page essay two days before you need to submit it may likely prove much more difficult than setting aside time every day or two to work on it. You can lighten the workload and reduce stress by working periodically over time as the deadline approaches.
Write a to-do list
By writing a to-do list for the days or weeks ahead, you can see exactly what needs to be done and give yourself the satisfaction of crossing things off once they’re complete. Much like writing in a planner or agenda, it will be difficult to forget about schoolwork as updating and checking each assignment off the list becomes part of your routine.
