Control Procrastination

Yes! But it takes time, effort, and self-awareness.

First, it's important to understand why you procrastinate. People procrastinate for all sorts of reasons -- a feeling of being overwhelmed, boredom, and habit are some of the main reasons for many students. But each reason for procrastinating may require a different approach to reducing procrastination. See Understanding Procrastination to identify why you procrastinate, and in what contexts. 

If you would like some quick and easy ideas for reducing procrastination, see 8 Ways to Get Started and Short-Term Solutions.

Sometimes motivation is really the issue, not procrastination. We have some ideas to help you stay motivated, especially when you're learning online, in Motivation for Online Learning. We also have strategies for improving your concentration and dealing with distractions in 7 Steps to Better Concentration and 7 Strategies to Manage Distractions.

You can also book anappointment for individual assistance, tailored to your needs.

One of the most common reasons why people procrastinate is because they feel overwhelmed. When you have a big assignment to complete or when you don't even know how to get started, you may find it easier to procrastinate. So, what can you do about it? 

The best thing to do is to start small, by breaking down that overwhelming task or assignment into small pieces.

• Some people prefer to start by writing a list of all of the steps involved in completing the task. Don't try to put the list in the best order or in great detail; just write out everything as quickly as you can. Once you have many of the steps in place, you might feel that you have a better idea of how to get started.
• Others may find a list to be overwhelming or demotivating. If that's the case for you, spend 5 minutes on any part of the task. Reading the assignment directions or starting to organize your notes in sequential order are two common ways to get started.