People have been getting distracted since forever. Medieval monks and classical philosophers both complained about distractions.
Luckily, that means we've had time to discover how to overcome procrastination. I'm a professional tutor. I have helped dozens of students develop better study habits and excel in their AP classes.
Read on for time-tested strategies you can use today!
Five Effective Ways to Stop Procrastinating
Care For Yourself
Procrastination is often caused by an unmet need. I find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning when I'm not getting enough sleep. I am also find it hard to concentrate when I'm hungry, thirsty, or bored.
Your body tries to protect you. This means that it will try to course correct when something is going wrong. Treat this like an emergency. It's like the emergency light on a car's dashboard. If you ignore it, you wind up with a bigger problem that's harder to fix.
You need food, water, shelter, love, and rest. To be clear, most people don't have all these things during all parts of their life. Sometimes, they might be out of reach.
The point is that it's unhelpful to ignore or downplay the importance of these issues. Olympic athletes get a full night's sleep, eat healthy meals, and drink lots of water. Don't stay up late, ignore your friends, or skip meals to study. It's counterproductive.
Set Reasonable Expectations
Unreasonable expectations lead to procrastination. It's impossible to see the end of a task when it is too daunting. This can cause procrastination if you can't image there ever being an end to the task once you start. This also true if you can't imagine ever solving your problem.
Unreasonable expectations can also set up for failure. When you can't achieve your goal, you won't get the satisfaction of completing a task. This prevents you from seeing your work as meaningful. From there, your brain can start telling you that you failed. Then, motivation to try the task goes out the window.
Don't be too hard on it. It's trying to keep you safe. Our brains are sensitive to unpleasant experiences. Back in the day, that helped our ancestors avoid being a lion's dinner. Today, we don't usually contend with lions. Our stressors are more subtle, but the same process can cause you to avoid things without knowing why.
One solution is break down tasks into smaller pieces. Some people can study for hours. If you haven't built up that habit, then that goal is unreasonable. I put off weightlifting for a decade because the whole prospect was overwhelming. When I finally got momentum, I started with the goal of doing one stretch and three exercises daily. I didn't even use weights. It worked! Doing the "easy" version helped me build up a habit and prove to myself that it was something I could do. Now, I've increased my weights and added new exercises. It's not scary any more!
I ask the following questions when I help students develop new study routines. They may help you find something that helps you.
What's the smallest step you could take towards your goal right now?
Can you make that goal smaller so there's less friction?
What is one thing you can do every day to reach your goal?
What obstacles might you face? Can you do anything now to avoid or overcome those obstacles?
Can you add something enjoyable to your plan?
Don't be afraid to try new things! A failed experiment still gives us data. You only lose if you quit.
Reward Yourself and Celebrate Every Win
Our brains also like rewards. This is one of the oldest and most studied areas of psychology. Rewards are the most motivating when they occur close to the behavior that we want to encourage. If there is too much space between the behavior and the reward, then it won't motivate us. That can look like procrastination.
Here's an example I see when working with students in AP classes. They only reward themselves after they get a good grade on an exam or test. This causes problems for several reasons. First, there is too much space between the behaviors that led to the grade and the reward. There are dozens of behaviors that contribute to earning good grades. This makes it difficult for your brain to connect specific behaviors and rewards. Then, when you need to do the behavior, your brain doesn't expect that there's a benefit to doing so.
The other problem is that rewards for things we can't control can backfire. You can't control your test grade. It would be a lot easier if you could! Your teacher decides what your grade will be. You control your behavior, and that's it. Again, you are not making a connection between an action you take and a reward. Rewards that relate to outside factors often feel arbitrary. They can send a message that what you do doesn't matter.
Luckily, there is a solution! First, make a list of all the things you can do that increase the likelihood that you will get the outcome you want. Remember, none of these things are guarantees, but we can tip the scales in our favor. Here are somethings to consider for a good grade on an exam in an AP class.
- Studying and Preparation. You'll do better on the exam if you don't wing it. Consider pre-learning vocabulary.You can also use the blurting method to review.
- Health and Well-being. Eating healthy meals and going to bed at a reasonable time improve attention. They also help you form new memories.
- In-School Activities. You're in class everyday. May as well make the most of it! Taking notes, asking questions, and going to class all improve the odds that you do well in a class.
One last thing: Rewards can be overdone. As noted above, don't reward yourself for things you can't control. Most experts also agree that you should not reward yourself with food. It's not a good idea to use rewards that are distracting, compulsive, or difficult to stop doing. For many people, this includes using their phone and social media. This website has a great list of reward options to consider.
Finally, don't reward yourself for completing tasks that you enjoy. For example, if you love reading novels, don't reward yourself for reading a novel. This can lead to less motivation to do it. AP Psychology students will recognize this as the overjustification effect.
Accountability
Teaming up with other people is a great way to overcome procrastination. Social support can help you in several ways. First, supportive people can help you problem-solve and encourage you to do your best. Second, many people find it easier to get started when they know that someone else is counting on them.
One type of accountability can come from an accountability partner. This is a person who wants to achieve the same thing you want to achieve. A classmate would be a great choice. A friend or sibling could also work, even if you work on different classes.
Adults can also help with accountability. Coaches, teachers, mentors, counselors, and your parents may all be willing to check in with you. Some people find it more helpful to check in with someone who is "ahead" of where they are. These adults may have experience or insights that people your age don't have yet. You can save yourself time by getting help from someone who has already been in your situation. They can give you advice with the benefit of knowing the outcome of their choices. Some people hire tutors for this purpose.
There's nothing saying you can't have many accountability partners. Whatever you decide, check in with your people on a regular basis. If you pick another student, this check-in can double as a study session. Phones, Zoom, and social media make it easier to connect than ever. Check-ins ensure you have someone who will know if you haven't kept your commitments. Many people find this very motivating.
Consider Deeper Causes
The roots of procrastination can be more complex. Task initiation and decision-making are both executive function skills. If we are unable to start things or commit to decisions, it can look like procrastination.
Everyone struggles with executive function at some point. It's part of being human. Often, we can address these problems on our own. Sometimes, executive function is a symptom of a health condition. In this case, treating the underlying condition can help resolve procrastination.
A variety of health conditions can impact executive function. Sleep disorders and traumatic brain injuries can influence how our brains work. Post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder can impact executive function. Developmental disorders are often characterized by challenges with executive function. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders are two examples.
Many people specialize in supporting people who have these conditions. To be clear, I do not have that kind of specialized knowledge. Doctors and therapists can help you determine if there's more in play. They can also help you develop new skills and strategies.
It is important to get information and support from credible, credentialed sources. Scammers often target people looking for information on these conditions. There is a significant amount of misinformation on social media. Some of this information is dangerous and harmful.
I help ambitious students improve their skills and master their AP exams. Learn more here!
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