How to stop anti-study procrastination (part 2)

If you’re currently writing your dissertation or summer thesis, then you will know how challenging it is to try and keep yourself focused. With so many distractions around, it can be too easy to end up procrastinating rather than actually doing any work!
So what to do?

Well, today we look at another set of useful actions and behaviours you can use to make the revision period more manageable!

Surround Yourself with Motivated People

Hang out with people who inspire you to take action. I’m pretty sure if you spend just 10 minutes talking to Steve Jobs or Bill Gates, you’ll be more inspired to act than if you spent the 10 minutes doing nothing. The people we are with influence our behaviours. Identify the people/friends/colleagues who trigger you – most likely the go-getters and hard workers – and hang out with them more often. Soon you will inculcate their drive and spirit too.

Get a revision buddy

Having a companion makes the whole process much more fun. Ideally, your buddy should be someone who has his/her own set ofgoals. Both of you will hold each other accountable to your goals and plans. While it’s not necessary for both of you to have the same goals, it’ll be even better if that’s the case, so you can learn from each other.

Seek out someone who has already achieved the outcome.

What is it you want to accomplish here, and who are the people who have accomplished this alreadyGo seek them out and connect with them. Seeing living proof that your goals are very well achievable if you take action is one of the best triggers for action.

Re-clarify your goals.

If you have been procrastinating for an extended period of time, it might reflect a misalignment between what you want and what you are currently doing. Often times, we outgrow our goals as we discover more about ourselves, but we don’t change our goals to reflect that. Get away from your work (a short vacation will be good, else just a weekend break will do too) and take some time to regroup yourself. What exactly do you want to achieveWhat should you do to get thereWhat are the steps to takeDoes your current work align with thatIf not, what can you do about it?

Just do it.

At the end, it boils down to taking action. You can do all the planning you want, but if you don’t take action, nothing’s going to happen. Whatever it is you are procrastinating on, if you want to get it done, you need to get a grip on yourself and do it.