The end of the semester (wahoo!) is only a few weeks away, and that means finals are about to be upon us. Â As a way to get a jump start on your studying and an easy A, here are 5 easy steps to stop procrastinating so you can open your text books and study on!
Step 1: Â Set realistic goals.
Only giving yourself 2 days to write that really important essay will result in a stress induced mental breakdown. Â You set yourself up for failure by setting unrealistic goals such as, reading all 5 chapters of your Psychology textbook in one day. Â To ensure your success and delete the risk of a panic attack, set manageable goals. Â Small successes are better than big failures.
Step 2: Â Make a list.
A feeling of satisfaction always comes from being able to cross off a task on your list. Â Invest in a cute organizer notebook and use colored highlighters to separate tasks such as school, work, and home chores. Â With everything you need to remember in one place, you can reduce your stress and make it all more manageable.
Step 3: Â Add in a workout.
Sometimes we need little motivators to get ourselves through the mundane tasks. Â Try adding pieces of your workout into your study breaks. Â Write a paragraph then do 10 squats. Finish a chapter and do 5 minutes of yoga stretches. Â This is a more effective form of multitasking if you’re the type of girl who finds it hard to stay focused on one task for too long. Â Plus this will force you to get your workout in, and you may find you prefer the studying more!
Step 4: Â Enlist in a group.
Often studying alone can cause you to be prone to distractions such as surfing your phone or deciding that reorganizing your closet is more important than studying for biology. Â By forming study groups you are less likely to get distracted amongst everyone else, especially if some of the people in the group aren’t your close besties. Â If you have a scheduled appointment to meet with a group, you are more likely to stick to your plans because you have other people counting on you, and not just yourself.Â
Step 5: Â Reward yourself.
Getting your work done on time or even before it is due deserves a reward! Â You can start small with sweet treats after you finish your rough draft or allow yourself to finish your Netflix season in one sitting, guilt free. Â Just make sure that your finished work is deserving of the reward you give yourself or you will defeat the purpose. Â The best reward of all: Â leaving your weekends as open as possible to do whatever it is you want!