The holidays are here! During this time, it can be easy to procrastinate. People tend to procrastinate due to the fear of failing, feeling overwhelmed, or getting distracted. Here are a few tips on how you can avoid procrastinating no matter what time of year it is.
Time Management
Managing your time well is an essential way to avoid procrastination. There are countless benefits to having good time management. Some of those benefits include being able to complete your work faster, reduce stress, and prioritize what is most important.
At the start of the day, block out time for your tasks and set aside time to relax. This will help motivate you and keep you accountable!
Hard to decide what to do first? Try organizing your tasks by urgency and importance. For example:
- When something is important and urgent, do it right away.
- If it’s important but doesn’t have a strict deadline, divide that task into pieces so you don’t feel pressured to complete it all at once.
- If it’s urgent but not important, reach out to someone else for help; delegating is often the best solution.
- If it’s not urgent or important, you might not need to do it at all. That’s your call depending on each situation.
Make a Routine
Create a routine that will allow you to form good habits and create goals. Having a weekly routine will help you remain productive during the school year. A weekly routine can consist of following a sleep schedule to make sure you get enough sleep each day, setting aside a specific day for rest, or setting the goal to study five days a week.
Routines make your life less prone to procrastination and encourage you to focus on setting goals and reflecting on your past work.
Create a to-do list
Many students find it helpful to break down tasks into smaller sections. This will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and will make the task more manageable. Start the day off by writing down everything that you want to complete that day. Place the easier tasks at the top of the list and the more difficult ones at the end. As you complete them, cross off each task to keep track of what you have done. You’ll be amazed how satisfying it feels to strike a line through a task, going from to-do to done!
Hold Yourself Accountable
The best way to avoid distractions and procrastination is to hold yourself accountable. When you’re about to pick up your phone or open a new tab on your browser, pause and rethink your decision. How important is it for you to go on social media or watch that video? The answer: those things can wait!
Focus on the tasks at hand then save those “distractions” as a reward for when you complete the goals you set for yourself.
After all that hard work throughout the year, we want to wish you happiness and relaxation as you wind down to celebrate with family and friends. Rest up and enjoy the holidays! When the New Year picks back up, be sure to visit GED.com for study tips, practice tests, study tools, and more.
Ese U. Marketing Intern. Pop culture enthusiast, movie aficionado, and music connoisseur.
