Procrastinating is a big problem for many high school students, particularly during this period of quarantine. They generally want to start their homework or important assignments but tend to put it off without realizing that it will eventually catch up on them. Below I will list five tips to help students with this tricky issue. 

1.Counting Down.

Before starting homework, students could try counting down from 5 or 10 to get their mind in the right place. Counting down can clear a student’s mind and eliminate it from distractions, making them more likely to do their work. As a result, your schedule and day can start off on the right note and you will have a productive mindset. 

2. Set Small Goals.

One technique that worked for me was dividing multi-week projects and assignments into more manageable goals. For example, when I had to write 7 pages for my research paper, I planned on doing 1 page for 7 days to make it more manageable. This technique is perhaps one of the most underestimated, but setting small goals can truly make a big difference in completing long term assignments while still allowing you to enjoy yourself and prioritize things you love doing most in your free time. Rather than doing large chunks of the assignment in one sitting, smaller goals are definitely more efficient. 

3. Have a schedule that that includes many breaks!

Another technique that worked for me as a student was making an organized schedule to help keep me on track with my many assignments. With so many classes to keep track of through online learning, creating a schedule that helps me work smartly was very important. However, remember that breaks are important after a set amount of time doing work (30 minutes, 1 hour, etc.). Just be mindful when figuring out what to do during a break. Stretching, lifting weights, or reading a quick news article or two should be fine; However, watching “just one” episode of the latest show on Netflix could last several hours.

4.Reward yourself. 

While brief productive breaks while working from home are generally more helpful than long relaxing activities, feel free to do what you want when you finish your assignments. Watching a television show you really enjoy or reading a good book when you finish your schoolwork is also a good incentive to finish your work in the future. Something that I like to do is no matter how much homework I have in a day, I try to leave at least an hour and a half before I go to sleep to read a book or watch television.

5. Meditate

While it might sound ridiculous, meditating can improve your overall mood and attitude. It can also clear your mind of unnecessary distractions and relax you. During these uncertain times, YouTube has become a great resource in finding videos that can calm you and make you feel happy. There are many channels dedicating to making content that allows students to practice mindfulness and meditation for a short period of time before starting the day. While it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, the benefits are numerous and have been proven!

While you are at home with your families and continuing your final month of learning, try these five tips to help avoid the procrastination bug!  While avoiding procrastination during a pandemic is challenging, remember that our situation is temporary. We hope to return to normalcy soon, but until then, stay positive and stay productive!