How did I manage to take control over my procrastination?
During the holidays, I have noticed that the more time I have, the worse I use it. Procrastination related thoughts was mounted deeply in my mind. Why would I do it now, while with so much free time, I can easily do it later?
Step 1. Awareness
I knew what procrastination is, long time before I’ve experienced it, although I didn’t know about me being its victim from the very beginning. I was telling myself that holidays’ laziness is something natural, so I was not willing to fight with it. I just let it expand the territory which it was occupying inside my head. I finally realised that it would lead me down the wrong path and it would be harder and harder to escape from it. Fortunately, it wasn’t too late. I believe that this consciousness caused by allowing yourself to think about being affected by procrastination, is extremely important and the sooner we develop this self-awareness, the better.
Step 2. Create your own action plan
I believe that every person develop his own mind that differs extremely from everyone else’s. Following someone’s footsteps, it is extremely easy to come across these dissimilarities. Sometimes they can appear in the smallest things, but these tiny differences may kill our chance for victory. That’s the reason why I think, that we should consider everything on our own and don’t blindly walk by someone’s path.
It is important to be honest with ourselves. I have came across many opinions saying that loud music is definitely does not improve concentration and I should listen to peaceful lofi beats or listen to nothing at all. I knew that this theory won’t pass in my case. I can’t even imagine studying without a loud Queen’s song running in the background from time to time, so I wasn’t even trying to adjust to these opinions.
Honesty in small things is not a small thing
Find your little characteristics and personalise the action plan with them in mind.
3. Just stick to it and modify if needed!
I know that you may laugh reading it, because I wrote like it is something simple. Of course it is not. I will now describe what my action plan was and how did I win with most of adversities I’ve encountered.
I am a programmer, so I spend a lot of time in front of a display. Only one mouse move separates me from Facebook, Youtube or Discord and make myself a little break. Just as little also separated me from my bed, because I had my PC in the same room. Fortunately kitchen is downstairs and I don’t check every 5 minutes if something mysteriously appeared in my fridge.
I have created the following action plan:
- Check social media only once in the morning and afternoon
- Move my PC to the wardrobe, where is no bed in sight
Yes, it was extremely simple and equally bad plan. There was no way to stick to it — I failed the first day. It had to change multiple times before it became functional.
I came back stronger on the next day 😎 I told myself that I can check if someone texted me on Facebook or Discord, only during the break. When did I make breaks though? Every time I felt that I’ve just lost an attention to what I was already doing I let myself to step off from studying for a short while. What I was doing during these breaks was changing dynamically. On the beginning I was instantly checking all the socials I have. I realised very quickly that this is not relaxing and not helpful at all.
I started to turn myself off during this free time. This rule sticks to me to this day. I just put my headphones on, set the volume on almost maximum and turn my favourite song — currently it is Queen — I want it all, if someone is curious 😄 Sometimes I listen to only one song, sometimes three, sometimes 5. It all depends on how many I feel I need. I don’t force myself to go back to studying after 5 mins with clock in hand and I consider it as a good attitude.
I believe that moving my PC to the wardrobe was a good move, but unfortunately my mom thought the exact opposite and I had to move out. I figured out another way to separate an environment where I study from an environment where I relax. When I learn, I put my headphones on and when I do something different, I listen to music out of a speaker. Simple, but extremely effective.
Hmm, everything seems good and easy now, did it persist this way?
Of course not. I managed to stick to it for a few days, but then boredom and socials won with me. It was impossible to learn programming everyday for the most of the day. I started to instinctively check Discord and look for a new messages there. It was very hard for me to focus. I decided to expand my learning activities.
I bought two books, not related to any particular programming technology, but containing extremely useful, general knowledge for a programmer. I also decided to start learning French to get completely rid of IT stuff for 1–2 hours per day, but still develop myself.
One more important part for me, was taking the IT outside. It’s vacation time now, I realised that I can’t spend so much time indoors. Now when I feel tired of looking on the display, I like to take a book and read it in my small, special place in my city or take laptop outside and write an article as I do it now!
I also found a perfect usage for socials, well, perfect for me at least!
Most of the time I spend on social media I spend in the evening to help others. The form of help varies. Sometimes it is a coding advice on Discord, code fix on some programming forum, writing a kind comment under the film I’ve watched on YouTube ( Yes,I consider it as helping someone to smile! ), or participating in psychology-related discussion that may help someone feel better! after doing something like the things mentioned above I quit social media for the rest of the day. Thanks to this, when I wake up the next day, I often can read some feedback that my actions received. Seeing a nice words that someone wrote in return for my help are priceless and give me an energy to make this day even better than yesterday’s’ !
Life is not only about studying
As a normal teenager, I of course often go to meet with friends, but I don’t let it destroy my whole day. I don’t need to have Facebook tab open in the browser and wait for someone to text me proposing going outdoors. I know that my friends have got my number and they will call me in such a case, before it I can completely focus on personal development and I know that I won’t leave house with nothing done during a day. Parties and hangovers can complicate things a little more, that is normal, but the most important thing is not letting it to bother you for more than a day 😄
Hopefully this article will help someone at least a little bit! Good luck in the fight or in preventing it!
