Fighting Procrastination While in Quarantine
On the 18th of March, Boris Johnson ordered the first nationwide shutdown of schools in British history to try to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Exams were cancelled as schools and nurseries prepared to shut their gates indefinitely from Friday 20th March, with only the children of key workers and vulnerable pupils able to attend basic facilities. Pupils were left in limbo as Boris Johnson took the unprecedented step and indicated that grades would be awarded through an alternative system but failed to set out details.
So now that we’re all at home we’re now responsible for our education and making sure that we keep on top of our schoolwork so here are some tips to help fight procrastination while at home:
Get Organised:
You can’t do any work if you don’t know what assignments need to be completed. Take advantage of your school planner or start using the calendar app on your phone. This makes it much easier to keep track of individual assignments and important due dates.
Set simple, achievable goals:
Part of the reason we procrastinate is that the task at hand seems too ‘Long’ or ‘boring’. It’s a lot easier to get started on a project when you establish simple, reachable goals rather than a big, vague plan. Instead of telling yourself, "I'll study biology tonight,” say, "I'll study chapter six tonight." This makes your goals less intimidating and more attainable.
Set a deadline:
It’s important to set a specific date for when you want your goals to be accomplished. If you have an assignment due, aim to have it completed one or two days in advance. That way, if something unexpected happens, you still have time to complete it.
Get rid of distractions:
It’s important to get rid of potential distractions before you begin working so you don’t get distracted halfway through your task. So if you spend too much time on Snapchat or Instagram when you're doing schoolwork, try to turn off your phone to help you concentrate.
Take a break:
It’s important to take breaks from school work. So try taking 10-15 minute breaks; listen to music, take a walk, anything that allows you to relax.
Written by Nicole Stoby
