Writing a blog about procrastination seems highly ironic when I have been procrastinating writing it for some time now, but addressing that you’re putting it off is a key step to stopping it from happening.
As many of us start to approach study and exam time, it can be common for our inner critic to creep in, filling you with doubt and suggesting that you won’t be ready or won’t pass.
Whether you’ve lost the motivation and are struggling to get back on track, have been distracted by other things around you or the idea of studying isn’t enticing you in that moment, it can sometimes be difficult to recognise when you are procrastinating.
We procrastinate for different reasons and end up being counterproductive in the time when we most need to be studying, but throughout my Accounting Exam Accelerator Programme I will aim to help you persevere and maintain a strategic study plan.
Invariably this will slow down your progress and may even put you off starting your studies at all, but there is a quick three-step formula in order to set yourself up to tackle procrastination.
Firstly, set yourself up properly
Making sure you’re in the right mindset to learn is the first step to snapping out of your self-destructive dismissal phase.
There is a quick three-step formula you can use in order to set yourself up to tackle procrastination.
1. Less Is More
You need to give yourself less tasks to complete that aren’t related to your studies so the majority of your focus is in one place – learning.
Think about Pareto’s famous 80/20 rule, where 20% of our efforts in any particular endeavour is responsible for 80% of our results.
Essentially, this means that your exams are now your priority, requiring you to delegate other tasks to lighten the burden on yourself, enabling you to focus on your studies, efficiently and effectively.
My blog 7 Top Tips To Get The Right Balance Between Your Accountancy Studies, Work & Life is a useful read if this is something you particularly struggle with and offers some great ways to prioritise all aspects of your life..
2. Disconnect
We live in an age of continuous distraction where it’s virtually impossible (no pun intended) to remain focused on our revision without being tempted by technology and social media.
Do yourself a favour and switch off your phone, tablet and PC to avoid all temptations and assess the task at hand.
3. Stay Present
“You can’t escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today” – Abraham Lincoln.
There is never a better time to get working than when the thought first pops into your head, so don’t put it off any longer and prepare yourself for a study session.
Now to stop avoiding it
Once you’re set up and in the correct mind-set, take on board these practical tips to actually beat procrastination.
1. Assess The Cause
From being afraid of failing or feeling too overwhelmed with the workload, there are many reasons we procrastinate.
Ask yourself why you’re avoiding the task and once you know you can directly tackle the reason and begin working.
2. Focus
The key to beating procrastination is to focus, so start by choosing just one thing that you’ve been procrastinating about regarding your studies and make a commitment to focus and complete it to the best of your abilities.
That first step is difficult, but once you get going your mood will improve dramatically and you’ll be back on track in no time.
3. Revision Plan
Schedule a realistic revision timetable that you can stick to, including goals you want to reach, whether it’s by a certain time or just in general.
Adopting the correct mindset and putting a revision plan in place are perhaps the most important things you can do.
Have a read of my blog How To Create An Effective Study Plan For Your Accountancy Exams to learn more about how making a schedule and sticking to it is an important part of the revision process.
4. Size Doesn’t Matter
One of the best ways to tackle procrastination is to identify what action you can take in less than 15 minutes today that will make an improvement on your workload.
Once you’ve identified a small action, set a timer for 15 minutes and spend that time working on the task – research shows that once you start something, you’re much more likely to finish it.
Small action is still action and it is a positive start, so remember that 15 minutes can make all the difference.
5. Early Start
Wake up an hour earlier and have a ‘power hour’ where you utilise the 60 minutes for productive purposes, including studying.
Get in that extra one hour of study while the world still sleeps, especially when you are more fresh and alert in order to harness the optimal performance of your brain and body.
6. Optimise Your Time
If you’re at work on your lunch break, set aside 30 minutes of study time to make the most of any small sessions you can fit into your schedule, however busy you may be.
7. Power Through
Pick a procrastination power song that really gets you energised and play it just before you want to study something you’ve been procrastinating about – mine was “Photograph” by Def Leppard.
The brain likes to have a trigger to create a new habit, plus you’re more likely to achieve it when you’re feeling good in your body.
8. Gamble Responsibly
One fun way to tackle procrastination is to have a bet with a friend about what progress you can make in a given time and let your competitive nature shine through.
They must check in with you at that appointed day and time, so you best prepare yourself if you haven’t completed your task by then as you’ll owe them whatever you bet.
9. Reward Yourself
Another way to motivate yourself to complete a task is to create a reward that you will give yourself once it’s been completed.
It could be anything from a small present to a big token of appreciation to yourself as a sign of how resilient you have been.
A great way of creating a reward system is to complete 25 minutes of study time and then spend five minutes doing something else that brings you joy as part of a timed break scheme – you can learn more about this with my blog Curb Your Procrastination With The Pomodoro Technique.
Time to get going
Just think of how great it’s going to feel once you pass your exams and how much worse you’ll feel if you wait until the last minute and don’t give it your best effort.
Pull everything together for the final push – be efficient in your study sessions, sweat a little more over the next few days and get the exam technique perfect because it will all be worth it come exam time.