With so much technology consistently available to us, it is difficult to avoid the need to pick up our phone, check messages, scroll Instagram or TikTok. This is especially when we are faced with more difficult tasks like our homework or study. Scrolling seems so much easier. But the reality is, it isn’t. It is delaying your work and making it harder for you further down the track. So here are some tips I’ve found to help me stop procrastinating that I think you will find useful too.

The first one is to just start. Which sounds obvious, but sometimes it isn’t. If you are feeling really unmotivated just start, set a timer for 5-10 minutes and tell yourself you will only work up until the timer goes off. Chances are you will continue to want to work as you have now already started. Secondly, break your work into bite-sized and manageable pieces. Write a to-do list with all the small tasks you are required to complete for a bigger project. This makes the project or task feel mentally more manageable and it is a lot more motivating to do a small task rather than a whole assignment. Thirdly, remove the distractions. There are many apps available such as forest app, which allow you to lock yourself out of your apps. If you leave the app, you lose something, such as a virtual tree that grows, or in some apps a money incentive. Finally, reward yourself. After you complete a larger task, assignment, or study session, give yourself a small reward such as a coffee or treat. This is called positive reinforcement and increases the likelihood you will continue to study as you have an incentive.

Procrastinating doesn’t mean you are lazy. Sometimes when you are exhausted it feels so much easier. But remember it will make it harder for you down the track. So next time you feel like picking up your phone, try some of these tips.

Isabella Mackay