Procrastination

If you have a big project or paper due in a month or two, break it down into small tasks and give yourself weekly - or even daily - mini deadlines.  Be very specific about what you will do that day and when you will do it:  instead of “I will go to the Library today and do research on my topic,” commit to “I will spend from 9:00 to 10:00 am in the Library, and will find at least three good articles on my topic.”  The next day’s commitment might be “From 10:00 am to noon, I will read and take notes on the articles I found.”  Most people find that it helps to work backward in time from the finished project to figure out when each piece needs to be done.  We recommend doing the task you are procrastinating about most first each day. This will make the rest of the day’s work seem easier, and you should feel less burdened. One last tip:  Once you’ve done something you’ve been avoiding, reward yourself!