Create a to-do list.

This might actually be the simplest tip on this list but, write down everything you need to do for the day, week, etc. You can then highlight what are the things that need to do right away or that have a due date. This will give you a good overview of things you need to accomplish and empty your mind of all these tasks.

Get rid of distractions.

Distractions are a big issue when it comes to procrastination and productivity levels. In this day and age, the biggest distractions are our electronics. In a study conducted by Dr. Larry Rosen of California State University, he provides that “80% of students reported that they switch between studying and technology somewhat often to very often”(Howard, 2015). Technology can lead you away from what you are aiming to accomplish or have to do for the day. Outside of technology, people or our environment can also be distracting factors. This is why we should aim to get rid of them. When it comes to technology turn it off, put it on silence, or place it in other room. When it comes to the environment and people surrounding you, alternate your study location, ask your family members nicely to keep it quite.

Take breaks.

Take a break for 5 to 10 minutes. We are humans after all. It is no different from getting tired during a sports game and doing poorly. Studying or completing such brain involved tasks can have a toll on our performance. A break might be what you need to think of a brand new idea for that proposal you have to write. During that break stay productive. What does this mean exactly? This means making your bed or reading a book. This does not mean using your phone or watching television; do not fall into that black hole do something else. “But I get inspired after watching a video on Youtube or seeing a picture on Instagram.” This is a common answer to this tip and it is not a good one! You are setting excuses and steering away from productivity.

Have rewards.

Setting a reward is a great productivity boost for anyone because of its versatility. Possible rewards can be having your favorite snack, watching an episode of your favorite series, hanging out with friends, or watching some Youtube. Keep in mind this should not be something you do for every task but those in which you lack motivation on or keep procrastinating to do.

Take action.

This although obvious is one of the hardest things to do, take action. In order to make it easier look at the to-do list, you have created and think to yourself, “what is the simplest thing I can do right now?” For instance, for that possible article, you have to write the simplest thing could be to set up the document or type the header, etc. After the simple task is completed, think of others to complete. This is all to create a snowballing effect in which we find ourselves writing all or a partial amount of the article. In simple words, we want to build momentum.

Set a fake dealine.

This is a tip that can get you far when it comes to not procrastinating. Let’s say you have an essay due Friday. Think in your head the deadline is not Friday, but Wednesday or Thursday.  This will allow you to focus on that task and stop you from doing the assignment the night before. If this is too much to wrap your head around, set a deadline for example while working on that essay Monday night.  If you are don’t feel as motivated that night tell yourself , “Okay, I am going to work on this assignment from 4 till 5 pm.”  In this case, you are taking out a chunk of time for the task telling yourself you will be productive for only a one hour or maybe just 10 minutes.  Once time is up, see how much you have accomplished. At times, this hour or 10 minutes might be enough to get you to want to keep pushing and finish the essay or a big portion it. If it’s not enough, don’t beat yourself up about it and just reflect on what you did.

Do your work right when you get home.

Have you ever before getting home told yourself that you are going to finish your homework or tasks early and you are going to get to do everything you want right afterward. Everyone has probably thought of this at least once and it never really ends up happening.  If you are making yourself feel guilty about this, don’t. To stop this a good tip is to do everything right away. When you get home do not take a ‘break’, do not go on your phone, etc. Instead, go straight to your work area and do a task you know you have to do for at least 20 minutes. Do this and then take a short break. If you are wondering why it is because this allows the time gap between school and homework to lessen or the time between productivity and your ‘break’ to decrease.

Start with simple tasks.

This is quite a simple tip but it really helps. Start with the long and extensive or boring tasks. Once you have completed these move on to the others. It makes way more sense to do so because you won’t have the motivation to do the boring tasks after completing short and easy ones. This way you will be more productive with your time and stop procrastination.

Slip up your tasks.

For the long tasks or tasks that required a lot of steps, it might be helpful to break it down. By this I mean, if you have an essay to write don’t just simply write that on your to-do list. Rather, write down that you have to write an introduction, gather evidence, paragraph #, and so on. This make the task less daunting because you are looking at smaller ones to complete.

Are there any tips I didn’t mention? Are you going to implement any of these tips? If so, which ones? Comment below, speak your mind.