We’re almost at the middle of the semester. And that means scores of assignments and deadlines popping up (urgh!). However, for many of us (and I too have found myself guilty of this), it means playing video games and watching movies until the night before the date of submission. It’s very easy to put off onerous tasks till the very last minute and then pull an all-nighter, but this often leads to loads of stress (and coffee!). So why not work on the assignment/project from the very day it is given?
Here are 4 tips that will make “assignment-doing” a more friendly-looking responsibility:
- Small steps = A giant stride
No student has ever fallen in love with an assignment question. And validly so! Assignment questions tend to cover numerous pages and give loads of instructions in one sentence. One of the best ways to overcome this initial barrier is to take some time to read through the entire question, thoroughly understanding what is expected from you. Then divide your task into multiple, smaller ones and give yourself deadlines for each minor task (e.g. finish researching within 5 days, write 1 page of the intro during the weekend). This gives you a sense of accomplishment and makes the assignment seem much more manageable.
- No social media, no problem
From Facebook to YouTube, every social media app squeezes out a lot of our daily time. But, when you have an assignment deadline looming up, time is as worthy as gold. So ditch the “Like” count for a few weeks, and focus on the word count. Trust me, it will help a lot.
- Break time!
Working for 5 hours straight is just going to tire your mind out. Instead, working for 45/50 minutes (without any distractions!) and taking 10/15 minutes of rest is a great way to keep your brain active and fresh. Take things one step further by setting targets to achieve at the end of a particular hour. Offering yourself incentives (such as a chocolate bar or 10 minutes of leisure reading) is also a great way of ensuring you finish off what you’re supposed to do.
- Start with the hard, end with the easy
If the most difficult part of the assignment is done first, the whole thing doesn’t seem so burdensome anymore. This way, you don’t need to rush to complete the tougher parts as the submission date draws closer, giving you lesser stress and anxiety.
4 Tips to Avoid Procrastination