Procrastination Guide

Guide on How to Better Waste your Time

by Echnaret

So, you have a problem with procrastination? Don't worry, I'm not here to try to correct that. The purpose of this guide is to try to help you utilize your free time so you don't beat yourself up the next morning when you realize you just wasted the night checking out friends on Facebook.

If, when you sit down to do your homework, you feel the urge to jump on Facebook, now would probably be a good time to take a look at the following list:

1. Do you know what exactly is due tomorrow?

If your answer is "no," now would probably be a good time to figure it out. Use your organizer (or whatever system you use) to write down all of the homework that is due the following day. This may help you realize that you don't have nearly as much free time as you first thought you did.

2. Don't spend all your free time on Facebook.

If you're going to spend free time you don't have, at least do something worthwhile (see tip 3). I have spent many-a-night on Facebook, and many-a-morning cursing myself on how I wasted the entire night. You may feel guilt about wasting time you don't have. If you use your free time to do something productive, then you won't feel so mad at yourself.

3. Are there other ways you could better use your free time?

Whenever you get the urge to do something non-homework related, write it down. Go and prioritize this list. Then, whenever you have time to take some free time, you'll be able to use this time to get something done. You will still have wasted your time, but you will have done it more efficiently.

4. Try to figure out at what point you stop being productive.

Although your intentions may be good, there will comes a point on Friday night that you cease to be productive. You now have two options. You could continue to struggle along with your homework, not actually getting anything done. Or, if your schedule allows, you could call it a night. If you've lost all motivation, chances are good that no matter what, you probably won't be doing that homework for much longer. Accept that fact, promise yourself you'll work on it tomorrow, and go take some free time. If all goes well, you'll have some fun tonight, and have a clearer mind tomorrow.

5. Sleep is more important than wasting time.

Don't stay up till 2 in the morning wasting your time. Especially if it's on a weeknight. You'll curse yourself in the morning, and you'll spend the next day being tired. It might be hard to do the first couple times, but the more you can convince yourself that sleep is more important than staying up late doing nothing, the easier it will become to just go to sleep.

6. Keep a list of all the things you want to do.

Keeping a list is beneficial in several ways. First, it will help you keep track of all the things you want to do. Second, once you know you it is safely written down, you may find you have an easier time getting back to your homework.

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