Ever since I can remember, since
the beginning of my school career with projects and book reports, big tests and
assignments, I’ve been a victim to the consequences of procrastination… My
procrastination problem was huge and it would cause me the worst anxiety! Once,
I put an assignment off so long that I fainted from an anxiety attack about
worrying that I wouldn’t finish in time. You can only imagine how embarrassing
it would be to tell your nurse that you hyperventilated from missing a homework
assignment. I realize my reaction to procrastination comes from my type A
personality; however, my constant “I’ll do it later” attitude was causing me a
major and very avoidable conflict. From that moment sitting on my pediatrician’s
examination table in the ninth grade, I decided that procrastination had no
place in my life if I wanted to keep the oxygen flowing to my brain normally.
Through many trails and errors, I
have finally found a way to organize my time and work so that I minimize stress
and maximize success. This isn’t 100% bullet proof yet, after all I love doing
fun things with my fun friends like Stagecoach during finals (which I still
can’t believed I pulled off).. but I would say it works for me 92% of the time.
I stick to three general rules:
1.
TO DO LISTS SAVE LIVES
I like constructing my to-do lists on a weekly basis. If I were to plan a
month in advance, seeing the amount of work may have me relapse into another
anxiety attack. First, I write down all upcoming assignments that are due
throughout the current or sometimes upcoming week (because I know myself well
enough to know this girl might need to see it for an extra week so she can wrap
her mind around getting it done). I then plan out the day and time of day I am
going to get it done. Because I love competition, I race the clock to stay on
my time schedule (Is it cheating that I give myself a little more time than I
realistically may need?) This makes me feel successful and competent and ahead
of the game, setting me up for a positive attitude to get the rest of my stuff
done! (P.S I have 32 more minutes to finish this particular assignment :) )
2.
BE REALISTIC
I am always realistic of my capacity to sit in one place for an extended
period of time. I’m obviously not going to plan to get all of Jarvis and Potter
and Perry done in the same night, unless I want to reread it all because I
didn’t retain one thing. Though it would be nice to cram everything in one or
two days and chill out and watch Gossip Girl reruns the rest of the week, I
realize this isn’t my type of setup for ultimate success. Plan things out and
balance some small tasks with some big tasks because when checking off To-Do
lists I’ve found that quantity beats everything else. When you’ve checked off
10 out of 12 you feel like a boss even though you still have to finish the
entire chapter 44 in your fundamentals book or something like that.
3.
GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK
Yes
I said I plan out my assignments by the hour, but you better believe I allot
time for a few breaks. Working toward a goal is how my mind sees it. I trick
myself into thinking; “I just have two more assignments then I get a break”
like it’s going to be the best hour to do nothing (like nap or go in pinterest)
of my life, (the same way I get through leg day at the gym!) I also mean give
yourself a break in the sense that TO DO lists are revisable. Don’t feel
overwhelming pressure if you’ve stretched yourself too far for the day. Bump
things around because ultimately these things are to relive stress, not create
it.
Like I said, these three general rules are not bullet proof
yet. There is that occasional time when your friend invites you to the concert
at the last minute and you don’t have enough self control to finish the chapter
that isn’t due till Wednesday... and that’s OK! But the overall goal of my
philosophy on time management is get to it all done so I can fell accomplished,
organized, and avoid anxiously fainting from being stressed out!
P.S. I finished this 20 minutes early, I win again!!!! ;)
Hope these are relatable for some of you guys!
XOXO, Kelsie
