Procrastination. A student’s nemesis. Just like a credit card, it can be the source of fun… until you get the bill.

It’s no secret that people procrastinate. Linked to deficiencies in self-regulation, lack of motivation, perfectionism, fear of failure, anxiety and low self-confidence, there’s plenty of reason why we do it. But does that mean we can’t avoid it? No!

Everyone has a reason for procrastination; too busy, too stressed, too inexperienced, too uncertain, too disruptive, too time consuming. Occasionally these reasons are valid, but most of the time they are nothing more than excuses that stop us from getting those difficult tasks done.

In short? Procrastination generally comes from fear. Fear we may miss out, fear we may injure our pride, fear that a task is not the best use of our time. But why put off something until tomorrow if it can be done today?

If you’ve ever been to a party or gone for drinks instead of studying, you’ll know that it’s hard to fully absorb yourself in the fun. Why? Because you know you’re going to pay for your procrastination. Now, imagine going to that party without an assignment hanging over your head. Wouldn’t your night have been so much better? We think so, which is why we’re offering our favourite tips for limiting procrastination. These tips are so easy; you’ve got no excuse not to apply them.

1. Eliminate distractions

The space in which you work can make a big difference in how you perform. Study in a clean, uncluttered space and consider this – everything in your eyesight subtly pulls at your attention. The more you remove, the less visual stress and distraction you experience. The same goes for digital clutter. Notice the desktop icons, open programs, and other distracting notifications and ruthlessly remove them. Also turn off smart phone notifications.

2. Complete one-two minute projects immediately

Dive into your mind and we bet it’s filled with tiny little unfinished projects like paying a bill, a household chore, an unanswered message etc. Having these in your head causes you to live life distractedly. To live with less distraction, adopt a 1-2 minute rule that sees you complete quick and simple tasks immediately.

3. Identify your personal rhythms

Accepting and understanding your natural rhythms to the day provides healthy motivation to remove distractions during our most productive periods. Discover when you are at your most creative and perform creative tasks during these times. Learn when you are most focused, when you’re most distracted, when you’re most social, and organise your study schedule accordingly.

4. Lay a good foundation for the day

Henry Ward Beecher once said, “The first hour is the rudder of the day”. He was right. That first hour should be your time and no one else’s. Wake first, develop a distraction-free morning routine, and lay the foundation for a more productive day. If you struggle to wake early, try setting your alarm ten minutes earlier each day to wean yourself in.

5. Care less about what people think

So your friends all want you to join them for drinks at 7pm, but you won’t get back from campus until 5pm. Would it really be the end of the world if you met them an hour later? That gives you one extra hour to complete a few tasks, and it’s unlikely you’ll miss anything too exciting in the first 60 minutes. You’ll be able to better enjoy yourself knowing you ticked a few things off your list.

6. Help effectively

When people tell you their problems or ask you for help, try not to take them on as your own assignment. Instead, ask them their next plan of attack and offer solution-oriented feedback they can apply themselves. You don’t have to do it for them to be a good friend.

7. Align unpleasant tasks with pleasant ones

Rather than sit down to a day of unpleasant tasks, slot them into your most enjoyable moments. Make a list of five unpleasant but necessary projects you’ve been putting off and align them with something enjoyable. Going for dinner with friends on Sunday? Lock yourself into one of these projects before you go. Having light at the end of the tunnel may be the ticket to achieving it faster.

8. Understand what fear is

Fear as an acronym is False Evidence Appearing Real. If you remember this, your fear suddenly isn’t so powerful. Ask yourself ‘why am I avoiding this task?’ and ‘what am I afraid of?’ and answer honestly.

9. Start your day over

What’s more irritating than witnessing your morning fly by without having tackled your to-do list? Watching the afternoon roll along with it.

Try to separate your days into two sections, offering yourself a reboot at 2pm. Assess your morning, check to see what you’ve accomplished, remind yourself of what is critical, and then start afresh with the most important task.

10. Take baby steps

When you’re faced with an almighty task, it’s perfectly understandable why you’d want to run away from it. Try breaking it up into a series of smaller tasks, however, and the job suddenly seems more manageable. Don’t just see the forest; see the trees the forest is made up of. Cut down one tree at a time and if you can’t manage that, just cut a few branches.

11. Apply positive pressure

Letting yourself down isn’t exactly the biggest motivator, but letting a friend, a sibling or your parents down is. Make yourself accountable by sharing your goals with others and ask them to check in on your progress after a certain time period.

12. Use trial and error

Each person has their own study method – a technique that seems to work better than anything else. Discover what this method is using trial and error, and once you’ve found it, incorporate it into your studying routine. It doesn’t matter what others claim is effective, what matters is what resonates with you.

13. Reward yourself

Set your self-manageable and trackable goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Instead of saying “I need to write 5,000 words by the end of next week”, break it up by saying “For each 1,000 words I write, I will watch an episode of my favourite TV show”.

14. Eat healthy and exercise

Studies continually show that exercise and a healthy diet positively impacts cognitive performance. Not feeling motivated to study? Try sneaking in a quick jog around the block and see how you feel after that. Don’t turn to sugary drinks and junk food to help motivate, as this will only lead to blood sugar levels spiking and then falling fast. The idea is to get motivated and stay motivated, not crash and burn.

15. Surround yourself with motivation

Help yourself to visualise the bigger picture by reading posts like this one or by pinning a few inspiring quotes on your study wall. Give yourself a positive mantra, list three positive consequences of achieving your goal, and then start.

Starting is the very best thing you can do to beat procrastination, so what are you waiting for?