With fall semester classes kicking off, we’re beginning to get that “back to school” feeling in full swing. With CSU’s Week of Welcome (WoW) festivities past us, it’s time to put our heads down and focus on passing our classes. However, it can be very hard to “dial in” and get used to practicing good daily habits to stay ahead of the schoolwork that can so easily pile up. We’re all about wellness and wellbeing at the CSU Rec, which is why we compiled a list of 8 ways to kick procrastination and make this semester one of your best!

  1. Get organized. Planners, reminders, and the calendar app on your phone can come in handy if you have a difficult time keeping track of dates, times, locations, and assignments. With the ability to repeat certain reminders on a certain day and time, they can be the deciding factor between an assignment that’s on time and one that’s not.
     
  2. Set simple, achievable goals. A lot of the time we procrastinate because we see a task as too big for one sitting. Usually this is the case, but if you break a project apart into smaller goals and milestones, it becomes less daunting, more easily accomplished, and can reduce project anxiety. You can even take it one step further and create SMART goals for your projects. These are goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely, and provide clear direction and deadlines to keep you on track.
     
  3. Create a timeline. After setting your goals, whether it be for the day, the week, or even the semester, it’s beneficial to create a timeline to help keep you on track. Give yourself ample time to sit down and focus on the task at hand, however big or small. This will help you achieve the small goals you set and make a big project/task much more manageable.
     
  4. Set a deadline. Achieving your goals in a timely manner will help reduce anxiety and stress as due dates approach. Giving yourself a deadline one or two days before the actual deadline will give you time to relax or edit a project before it’s due.
     
  5. Eliminate distractions. With constant notifications on every digital platform, it can be easy to find yourself scrolling through social media or texting rather than focusing on the work in front of you. By keeping your phone in another room and away from your workspace, you guarantee yourself less time being distracted and more time working.
     
  6. Time yourself. Setting a time limit for your work allows you to focus more on certain tasks and be productive while doing so. Getting projects done in this timeframe gives you an opportunity for a break/downtime to relax and reset. This helps you to balance your productivity time with your leisure time and make projects more manageable.
     
  7. Start with the hardest task. Even though it may be the one you’re dreading the most, once you have it completed, it’ll make the rest of the tasks feel quicker and easier to accomplish. Waiting to complete the biggest tasks until their due dates causes more stress and anxiety when you have to finish them all at the last minute. Getting them out of the way first puts them out of your mind and gives you a nice sense of satisfaction.
  8. Tell someone about your goals. This a good way to keep yourself accountable and “speak your goals into existence.” The person you tell will also be able to hold you accountable, collaborate and share ideas, and support you when you find yourself losing motivation, making it so both of you can celebrate the positive things you achieve, no matter how big or small.

    With this small list and the right amount of motivation, you can accomplish your best semester yet. Want to tell us how it’s going? Find us on social media @CLEStateRec and let us know