Start with your easiest task to get the ball rolling.
Make things less stressful by starting with just a small task. When you really don’t feel like getting started, it’s better to set yourself up for a quick win. Try working from the shortest to the most time-intensive task, and work from easiest project to the hardest. Once you finish a small step or two, you’ll get an awesome sense of accomplishment that’ll make it easier to keep going! If you write a quick list of your tasks, it’ll lower the effort of making decisions, and you’ll find it easier to shift from one task to the next.
Try the Pomodoro Technique.
Beat procrastination with the tried-and-true Pomodoro technique. The Pomodoro technique involves setting a 25-minute timer for each task. The time will go by quickly, and you’ll end up with a feeling of accomplishment. Research shows that when you believe you get a do-over or fresh start, you can overcome a lack of motivation. Use the Pomodoro method to help create fresh starts for yourself every 25 minutes. With the Pomodoro Technique, each 25-minute block is called a Pomodoro, and you can set another 5-minute timer for a quick break in between Pomodoros. If 25 minutes seems too short, feel free to keep working past the timer; the point is to get you started.
Break down your work into smaller pieces.
Pick a few tasks you can accomplish in just one sitting. Divide your larger studying goals into small, concrete steps. Identify specific, achievable goals that you can work on one at a time. This way, you can make good progress, and achieving each goal will make you feel accomplished at the end of your study session. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by a huge amount of homework and seemingly endless assignments. But rather than worrying, “How will I ever finish this assignment?” ask yourself, “How much of this assignment can I accomplish in 2 hours?” Instead of trying to read a whole book, set a goal you can accomplish in one sitting. For instance, read 1 chapter or 50 pages at a time. When prepping for a test, review your lecture notes from just the first week of the semester today, then focus your notes from the second week tomorrow.
Tidy up your workspace.
Set yourself up for success by laying out your study materials. Whether you’re working at your dorm room desk or at the corner table in a coffee shop, clean up the area by getting rid of any trash first. Remove anything unrelated to your study tasks from your workspace. If necessary, set everything else aside; you can deal with the mess later. Once you have a clear surface to work on, lay out all the books, worksheets, notebooks, pens, highlighters, sticky notes, and other materials you’ll need. When choosing a workspace, get rid of as many distractions as possible. Face away from the fridge or the window if those things catch your attention. Sit at a separate table from your friend so you don’t bother each other too much. Consider making your study space warm and inviting so you look forward to spending time there. Decorate the walls with photos of you and your friends, place a cheerful house plant on your desk, and choose a comfy chair to sit in.
Reward yourself when you complete a task.
Treat yourself to help you stay motivated and make studying fun. If you're in the middle of a study session, you can take a quick walk, eat a granola bar, or listen to a favorite song. If you need a longer break, watch a YouTube video or episode of your favorite TV show, or spend about 20 or 30 minutes practicing a hobby. If you've finished your study session, then feel free to wind down by playing a video game, hopping on social media to connect with your friends, or going out somewhere. Have a snack, but shy away from snacking on too many sugary treats early on. Nobody likes a sugar crash! Save sweet treats until the last leg of your study marathon to give you a boost. If you decide to reward yourself with a quick break from studying, remember that you will eventually have to get back to work. Set a time limit for your break and don't listen to the voice in your head pleading for "just a few more minutes."
Take a break to move around.
Go for a walk or stretch to boost your brainpower and energy levels. You deserve a break every once in a while, and a bit of movement can help you jolt yourself out of a procrastination slump. Get outside and go for a 10-minute stroll to get some fresh air and give your brain a break. Try loosening up with a round of jumping jacks, or dance around your room to your favorite song. These activities will give you a burst of energy and will improve your mood. Plus they’ll help get your brain into a receptive state, which will make your studying more effective. A little movement can help you build momentum that’ll lead you into a productive study session.
Look up podcasts or videos to shake up your studying.
Try a fresh approach to your studies if you’re sick of reading and writing. When you’re tackling a complex topic, skim the Internet for resources that can help you understand your coursework. Spend 20 minutes watching an informative video that breaks the topic into simpler terms, or load up your phone with biology podcasts related to your studies. Each presenter will explain the topic in a different way, so keep exploring until you find a method that clicks. Set time limits to help yourself stay on track, and reward yourself by exploring interesting tangents after you’ve met your study goals.
Crank up your favorite study tunes.
Listen to a playlist to make studying more enjoyable. Choose music without lyrics or songs with lyrics that you know so well they’ll just fade into the background. Try repeating the same album or choose a radio-style playlist so you don’t waste time queueing up songs. The right music will help relax your mind and sharpen your focus. Try modern takes on classical piano or solo guitar or tune into your favorite movie soundtrack. Speed things up with an electro-swing playlist or chill out with a mix of lo-fi beats. Search your favorite music app for playlists designed to help you focus on your work, like “Songs for Studying” or “Study Beats.” You can also try "body-doubling" (working alongside someone else who is also working & letting their presence calm you) with the Lo-Fi Girl YouTube stream.
Freshen up and put on some comfortable clothing.
Changing your clothes can help you feel less groggy. If you’re feeling unmotivated, start by taking a cold shower or washing your face to wake you up. Wear soft fabrics that feel good on your skin and avoid clothes with itchy tags or too-tight waistbands that will distract you. Choose clothes that are familiar and well-fitting. Make sure you’re dressed properly for the weather and grab an extra layer if needed. Make sure your study outfits don’t feel too much like your sleepwear or you might start to doze off.
Work with your friends or a tutor.
Positive peer pressure can be a great motivator! Unless working with others creates more of a distraction, find a study buddy or group you can collaborate with. Set goals together, and check-in along the way–either in-person or with text updates. If group studying doesn’t work for you, find a tutor who can help you work through your assignments. Make appointments in advance and use these as progress deadlines to work towards. Look for a tutor at your school or consult a private tutoring agency. In a study group, each person could volunteer to tackle a different sub-topic, then you could all share your study materials with each other. Reserve a study room, bring snacks, or gamify your studying to make the work more enjoyable. Start working well ahead of time in case your peers fail to meet the group goals and to make sure you have time to brush up on certain subjects independently.
Create visual aids for a fun, efficient study tool.
Make diagrams and pictures to help you connect and remember ideas. Try creating a mind map or Venn diagram to organize the topics you need to study. Draw out a map and use colors, arrows, and icons to help you visualize the concepts presented in your textbook. Or color-coordinate your notes to help you associate topics and ideas. Rather than skimming vocab words from a PDF or textbook, rewriting the words and definitions in your own handwriting with a fun-colored pen might help you retain the information better.
Use classic study tricks to memorize facts.
Try making up mnemonic devices to remember key info. Mnemonic devices are simple word-based hacks that can help jog your memory. Try creating an acronym for an effective way to help you remember a list of words or ideas. Write a jingle or rap to help you memorize significant names and dates in history or the plotline of the novel you’ve been assigned to read. Search “how to remember [subject]” online for some ideas or feel free to make up your own mnemonic devices.
Focus on your long-term goals.
Motivate yourself by making a personal connection to your work. Doing that algebra worksheet or making those flashcards might not feel important now, but think about what you’ll achieve by studying. Imagine yourself getting a good score on a test, receiving praise from your teacher, or feeling proud of your end-of-term grades. Let these good feelings wash over you as you reframe your perspective on studying and find a deeper meaning in your tasks. If you’re hoping to attend college or earn a scholarship, think about how each small study session will get you 1 step closer to your dreams. Use your long-term goals as motivation to keep pushing yourself.
Set up your computer.
Plug in your computer and close all unnecessary tabs before you get started. Log into your online learning account and pull up all of your PDF readings so everything is ready to go. Sit near an electrical outlet and plug in your computer before you get started so you don’t have to break your concentration when the battery gets low. If you’re easily distracted but need to use a computer as a reading or research tool, consider printing out the material to help you stay on task. If you need to use the computer solely as a word processor or PDF viewer, disconnect it from Wi-Fi or station yourself in a no-Wi-Fi zone so you’re not tempted to go online. When computer use isn’t necessary for your studies, turn yours off and stow it away.
Silence or shut off your cell phone.
Take away the distraction of social media and texts from friends. You don’t want to be fielding group text messages from your friends or taking calls from your family when you're trying to study. Let people know in advance that you’ll be studying and need to go off the grid for a while to focus. Then set your device to “Do Not Disturb” mode, or, better yet, power it down completely. Keep your phone out of sight so you won't be tempted to keep taking a sneak peek.
Stay hydrated and keep a snack on hand.
The right fuel helps your brain function properly. Drink plenty of water and bring along a water bottle so you don’t get thirsty while you’re working. Keep a small stash of nuts, granola bars, or fresh fruit around so you can fend off a grumbling stomach and stay energized while you study. Avoid studying right after a big meal; you’ll just feel drowsy and will want to relax. Don’t put off a meal as a reward, as your aching stomach will be distracting. Make sure you have a snack on hand to fend off your hunger. Avoid sugary vending machine snacks, fast food, and pastries; these foods will give you a short energy rush that quickly turns into sleepiness.
Figure out your ideal study environment and methods.
Ask yourself which study habits help you learn and do well. Think about which environmental factors and review strategies help you remember info. Decide whether you prefer to work in a quiet space by yourself or if a public place like a library or coffee shop helps keep you on task. Reflect on whether you remember facts better when you review your own lecture notes or when you skim the textbook and old class assignments. Figure out what combination of factors will bring out your most positive, productive, and focused self so you can use that strategy for all future study sessions. Think back to past study sessions that went especially well, and others that didn’t go well at all, to assess which factors help and hinder your progress. If you’re able to develop a personalized study system, studying will be a lot less stressful for you.
Design a study guide that works for you.
Develop a personalized study guide for each subject. This can be helpful when your teacher doesn’t share a study guide or if the existing guide doesn’t really work for your learning style. Try creating flash cards, make a bulleted list of each topic you need to know, or list out all of the questions you think might appear on your exam. Refer to your textbook for review questions or turn each section heading into a question. If the textbook’s section heading reads, “Anthropomorphic Themes in Fairy Tales,” your study question could be, “Can I describe the use of anthropomorphic themes in fairy tales?” Look online for study guide templates and examples as a starting point.
Try freewriting or journaling to identify why you procrastinate.
Ask yourself, “What’s stopping me from getting started?” Usually, procrastination is an emotional issue rather than a time management issue. Are you worried you’re not going to do well on an assignment? Are you feeling stressed about an upcoming test? Write down what you’re feeling, or try letting off some steam with a friend or classmate. Once you’ve gotten these stressors out of your system, set your negative feelings aside. Take a deep breath and tell yourself it’s time to shift your frame of mind so you can get to work. If it helps to vent to a friend, just make sure they’re willing to listen and you’re not going to distract them from their own studies.
Be kind to yourself about your procrastination habits.
Beating yourself up won’t help you get started!Don’t blame yourself or try to give yourself punishments as a form of motivation. These types of behaviors can be exhausting and distracting. Instead, be gentle with yourself when you’re having a hard time. Acknowledge your procrastination problem, but remind yourself that it’s okay and that you’re working on improving. Avoid comparing yourself to other classmates who seem to be doing well. Everyone learns and works differently, so focus on your own needs and capabilities! Using positive self-talk helps create a growth mindset that can help you overcome difficulties.
Give yourself time limits.
Put each to-do item its own slot in your schedule so you stay on track. Once you’ve broken down your study load into bite-sized goals, fit them into a schedule that works for you. If you like a rigid schedule, you can assign a start and end time to each task. But if you prefer having some flexibility, you might want to budget out a time limit for each activity and determine the order based on how you’re feeling. Telling yourself, "I'll have to study sometime this week" will encourage procrastination, but “I’m going to study from 6 PM to 9 PM on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday” will help you stick to your plan. Try sticking to a regular schedule, but feel free to break your usual routine if you need to shake things up. For instance, get a good night’s sleep and set your alarm for 7:00 AM to study on Sunday morning. It might be easier to get up and get started right away since you’ve planned it in advance. The more specific and intentional you can be about scheduling out your study tasks, the more success you’ll have with your studies and time management.
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