Procrastination is an affliction that affects all students at some point. Procrastinating can influence relationships, employment, and grades. At The Trend, it is our belief that procrastinating is harmful and students should take steps to avoid it.

Procrastinating can stem from many things–– no consequences, intimidation of the assignment, fear of failure, laziness, and distractions, to name a few. All can and should be avoided.

The Trend recommends these simple steps to help Drovers overcome the pitfalls of procrastinating.

Get Organized. It’s hard to sit down and work unless you’re organized. Use a planner or calendar app on your phone. This makes it much simpler to track assignments and due dates.

Set a Schedule. Use a calendar or smartphone app to keep track of when assignments are due and create timelines for working on assignments,

Create Goals. Set goals for yourself. Look at the assignment. Discuss it with your professor if you have questions or are unsure of any part. Then establish goals and checkpoints that you need to meet in order to get the assignment turned in on time.

Talk about Goals. Tell a friend, roommate or family member about your goals. This will give you someone who will check on your progress and provide encouragement.

Set a Deadline. Decide when you’re going to have this assignment ready with enough time to proofread and compare to the syllabus or other instructions from the professor. Many professors will also let you turn in drafts of assignments early for some critiques and suggestions. Use that resource. It could be the difference in letter grades.

Avoid Distractions. Log off all social media accounts unless required for the assignment. Put your phone on airplane mode and find a nice quiet place to get to work. Headphones and music are a distraction also, especially if a DJ is talking or there are commercials.

Take Breaks. Don’t burn yourself out. Take breaks often and have some snacks but get back to work.

Reward Yourself. Tell yourself that if you work for two hours each day, you will watch your favorite Netflix show, or you will give yourself one hour on Tik-Tok, or whatever leisure activity you enjoy. Hold that activity hostage until you have completed your set goal.

Most Importantly, sit down and get started. The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step and, let’s face it, that essay for Dr. Simpson isn’t going to write itself.