Picture this: You are in the build up to the exam season and you have yet to catch-up on this weeks lecture notes. You wake up early, go for a morning run, eat healthy and sit down to work. Maybe you get an hours work done before you decide to take a 10 minute break. Before you know it, that 10 minute break has turned into half an hour and then an hour. Before you know it, it’s the end of the day and you have done minimal work and not accomplished half the things you had planned for the day.

For many of you reading this, the image painted above is one you can relate to. A recent study outlines that 80-95% of students have struggled with some form of procrastination. This number is no surprise, with the exponential growth of social media and increased distractions each day– sitting down and and studying is now harder, than ever, to do. The aim of this blog is to help all of you who struggle with procrastination and below you can find X tips that we feel is most useful to you – our fellow Atozmedics!

1.       Realise you’re procrastination

Now this may seem obvious, but it’s eye-opening to see how many people procrastinate without knowing that they’re procrastinating. Now, if something urgent comes up and you are forced to put a task aside temporarily, or simply you have to reprioritize your workload, this may not be procrastination. However if you find yourself putting a task aside because you’re anxious and want to avoid doing it then that may be a sign of procrastination. For more detail, these are key things to look out for that may help “diagnose” your procrastination:

–          You fill your day with low-priority tasks.

–          You leave an item(s) on your to-do list for a prolonged period of time, even though you know it’s important.

–          Read a task several times over and over again without understanding what to do with it.

–          You start a high-priority task and go off to “make a coffee” and never come back!

–          You wait to be in the “right mood” or for the “right time” to do something (hint: it’s never the right time!)

2.       Work out why you are procrastinating

You have diagnosed your procrastination – well done! You are well on your way to a life without any procrastination! Now what? Understanding why you may be procrastinating can help you understand what it will take for you to stop. You wouldn’t give paracetamol to cure cancer! An example may be that you are putting off a task because it is boring or unpleasant. Let’s be honest, as medics – we’ve all been there! Try and find a way of doing the tedious tasks first and fast to get them out of the way and into the fun stuff. Poor organisation can also be a cause this can be solved by having to-do lists and schedules! Top-tip would be to write a to-do list every morning.

Whether you are fearing failure or success, these can also be massive reasons for your procrastination alongside perfectionism – yes sometimes perfectionists aren’t perfect!

3.       Prescribe yourself with Anti-Procrastination Strategies

See what I did there? Now you have diagnosed the issue, found the cause what do you prescribe. We at Atozmed have just the list of tips for you! Please see below a list of anti-procrastination strategies that can help tackle the issue we all hate so much:

–          Forgive yourself:  Studies show that self-forgiveness can help you to feel more positive about yourself and reduce the likelihood of procrastination in the future.

–          Commit to the task. Focus on doing, not avoiding. Write down the tasks that you need to complete, and specify a time for doing them.

–          Promise yourself a reward. If you complete a difficult task on time, reward yourself with a treat, such as a slice of cake or a coffee from your favorite coffee shop.

–          Ask someone to check up on you. Peer pressure works!

–          Act as you go. Tackle tasks as soon as they arise, rather than letting them build up over another day.

–          Rephrase your internal dialog. The phrases “need to” and “have to,” for example, imply that you have no choice in what you do. This can make you feel disempowered and might even result in self-sabotage . However, saying, “I choose to,” implies that you own a project, and can make you feel more in control of your workload.

–          Minimize distractions . Turn off your email and social media, and avoid sitting anywhere near a television while you work!

–          Aim to “eat an elephant beetle” first thing, every day! Get those tasks that you find least pleasant out of the way early.

We hope this blog has helped you and provided some tips on how to tackle procrastination. My key takeaway for you is that it’s okay to procrastinate. Just understand change must take place and you can do it!