2 Questions to Stop Procrastinating

It's 11:30 p.m. and you are typing an essay faster than you can think to submit it before the midnight due time. Luckily, you finish minutes before the deadline and choose to celebrate by not studying for the next few days; sound familiar?

An external reason for procrastination is a cluttered workspace.

According to Tyler Thompson, a counselor at Southeastern University's Jacksonville campus (SEU JAX), "a good 60-70% of students … struggle with procrastination." Procrastination doesn't just affect your schoolwork either; it affects every aspect of your life. If you do procrastinate, don't be discouraged; Tyler says, "Procrastination is 10% external and 90% internal." While some of us can change our surroundings, all of us can change our behavioral thoughts -- after we answer two questions:

Do I procrastinate?

Before overcoming procrastination, you must determine if you procrastinate. While the question sounds obvious, if you cannot identify an issue, you cannot address it. This question requires reflection: Are you barely keeping your head above water with your schoolwork? "[Generally], It's not because the coursework is heavy," says Jayden Barnes, a Class Lead at SEU JAX. While you could be taking challenging classes, consider that the issue may not be the coursework but rather how much time you invest into studying. Once we admit to having a problem, we can ask the next question.

Do I want to stop procrastinating?

To Tyler Thompson, the issue of procrastination is mainly an issue of character, "do you care to change it?" Some brush off procrastination by admitting they have it, occasionally joking about how they put off completing assignments. The issue with accepting procrastination is that you make it a part of your identity rather than a problem that needs fixing. Tyler adds, "If someone has a nature to procrastinate, it's because they do not … prioritize." You will not see improvements if you do not prioritize getting rid of your procrastinating behavior. After considering the two questions above, if you can answer "yes" to both, you are ready to take the steps toward better discipline.

Tyler Thompson continues by saying, "Once they realize [they procrastinate], and once they want the change, what's often done then is accountability." When you decide to stop procrastinating, you need to surround yourself with a productive environment and community of people; you will procrastinate less if you are in a study lounge than if you're in a dorm with a roommate playing video games. The environments and people we surround ourselves with influence our thought processes.

Keeping track of the time helps you stay focused. (Photo courtesy of Wix)

Organizing is another important aspect of building a productive character. "I put everything in a calendar," Jayden says, "It helps keep me accountable." By seeing what you must do and setting goals to complete your assignments early, you can understand what to do and when. Organization can even go down to the minute; as Jayden attests, "Let's say you'll study for four hours. An effective use of your time would be 45 minutes of doing homework, 15 minutes of taking a break, 45 minutes of homework … and so on until you hit that four hours."

The road to productivity looks different for everyone; a method that works for one may not work for another. We all learn and focus differently, but the underlying truth beneath all techniques is that one must first acknowledge that procrastination is a problem and then want to fix it in an environment of accountability; once that happens, as Tyler says, "then everything can be done."