Written by MD Mehedi Hasan
Tomorrow can be borrowed, but yesterday can never be reclaimed, and procrastination is a robber stealing time and productivity.
I tried to fight procrastination for a long time: May be all was looking for a quiet working place or some inspiring music or even some simple stopwatch, but it was never me.
As I experimented over time, I found solutions that suit me well, to limit procrastination and multiply productivity.
Here are my top 5 study hacks:
Break it Down
When I got loaded with a big task or it’s just an ocean of materials to comprehend the first thing that comes to my mind is usually to freeze and procrastinate.
Today I do my cleaning, studying, and cooking in turn, rather than in a big bundle. To write a 15-page paper seems overwhelming to me but writing a page after another doesn’t.
Enduring 50 slides for an examination is hard; however, mastering 10 slides in turn is bearable. Tackling this one issue a time strategy keeps my head straight and I don’t put things away any long.
Remove Distractions
Such interruptions for which a ring tone as for notification or background’s chatter will paralyse me for the time being.
At present, I just put away my phone on the class as rarely as possible, and study in quiet environment such as the library, when I read books.
The ability to shut out the distracting made it easier to focus my energies on getting the most that I possibly can from studying process.
Use Productivity Tools
Smart apps and tools are mere clicks away to maximise your time spent on studies.
I am a big fan of using focus time alternatives such as Forest to stay away from my phone or for having blocked websites when I activate Cold Turkey.
Like these tools, I cut up my work into small, structured, and focused chunks.
Reward Yourself
Remember that you are not a robot – so the idea of completing studying without a single break is unreasonable.
So, I set a timer for 25-30 minutes and then do a 5-minute self-reward to either call my friend or listen to music after every focused work period.
As for me, the desire to get things off my plate early drives me to not procrastinate.
Get Accountability
It is always good to tell a friend or mum what it is that I plan to achieve and by when this must be done or else, I will be accountable.
The assurance of reporting back and a promise that I will account for my own failures if I have not performed to the best of my abilities is enough motivation for me to follow-through.
There is someone who makes inquiries into my advancement, and this means that I am almost certain to do exactly what I said I would do.
To get from procrastination to productivity, it takes self-awareness and a willingness for attempts at different methods.
This set of 5 methods has literally been a saviour for my habit of studying and using my time properly to accomplish my academic goals.
