Nothing is more irritating than when you have the time to thoroughly research your upcoming assignment, but you cannot steady your mind. It keeps wandering through the games you are yet to play, the television series you can binge, and the books you need to read right now!
Procrastination is
infuriating, and we often try and cannot control it. We either need an
authoritative figure always watching us, or we simply give in to temptations.
If you are scrolling
through this article, you must be in desperate need to ‘stop scrolling’ and
start your research work immediately. The good news is acknowledgment is always
the first step to cure. The task here is to understand simple ways to stop
yourself from procrastinating and make this the last blog you scroll through.
In this excerpt below,
we will elaborate upon five simple methods which should help you get some
control over your distraction and get back to your work.
How To Stop Procrastinating While
Research
Before we get into the
tips for helping with your procrastination, let us first understand what
procrastination means. Procrastination is delaying an important task (in this
case, researching for your essay). It is absolutely unnecessary since, while
procrastinating, you almost never do anything important. However, sometimes it
can be involuntary for a variety of reasons.
Psychologists, upon
breaking down the reasons for procrastination, have given these few as their
top picks:
● Fatigue or tiredness
can lead to procrastination since one doesn’t have the mental bandwidth to
concentrate on the task requiring more brainwork.
● Difficulty in the task
can lead to procrastination. It is the mind's defense mechanism to protect from
stress.
● The monotony of the
task can make one procrastinate. If you are doing the same type of work for too
long, it can lead to avoidance.
● Some serious reasons
for procrastination are ADHD. Attention Deficiency Hyperactivity Disorder. This
is when individuals have difficulty focusing on one task for too long.
Now, here is how you
can stop procrastination.
1. Acknowledge Your Procrastination
& Not Just Research
You cannot change what
you don’t acknowledge. Therefore, if you do not openly accept the fact that you
are unnecessarily delaying your work, then reading this is of no use. Once you
do so, it is time to introspect upon your triggers.
We have given four
reasons why someone could be procrastinating. Yours has to be one of them. If
you are running on low energy and do not have the mental bandwidth, then take a
rest rather than scrolling through your phone and wasting your time.
If there are too many
essays and the thought of finishing them is scaring you, then take help for
some of them. You can click here to find notable
experts in the field of academic writing who can help you.
If it is the
difficulty of the task, then divide it into manageable amounts and focus on the
parts. These examples prove that there is a set way you can come to a solution
for your procrastination once you start understanding the reason.
2. Form Groups For Research
Some people love doing
their job in absolute solidarity; others find themselves more distracted when
working alone. If you believe doing your work in social groups will provide a
sense of false autonomy where you will be conscious of taking too many breaks,
then do so.
You can form homework
groups to carry on with your research work. There could be time-bound
discussions once in a while to cut through the monotony.
Sometimes just going
to a public place and working alone also helps. Ironically the distant chitter
chatter in a cafe has helped many suffering from ADHD to work better than in
absolute silence.
There are online group
studying sessions that you can also join if you are an extrovert and wouldn’t
mind studying among strangers.
3. Eliminate All The Distractions
The first thing to do
before you sit with your work is eliminate all forms of distraction. Starting
from decluttering your desk of anything which can distract you mid-work. For
example, a book, your phone, or any other electronics other than the one you
are researching in.
The next thing you
need to do is set up a different study station. You cannot sit in front of a
bed or in front of a television. If you have a kitchen table or island, take
full advantage of that area. Try to find a place with a view of nature as it
always calms your nerves and helps you concentrate better.
Get good snacks as
they are a no-brainer distraction, essentially preventing you from other
temptations. Plus, try to find your own individual distractions in order to
keep them away during work.
4. Take Necessary Breaks
Working for too long
can exhaust you, and this is when you start giving in to your distractions.
Rather than aimlessly scrolling through your phone, why not take a timely
break? Once you start feeling that exhaustion, put a timer on your phone
(however, the amount is well suited for your recharge). Once that timer goes
off, it is time to get back to work without any excuse.
Try doing something
other than scrolling through your phone during this break. For example, go for
a walk in nature, read a few pages of a book, or simply close your eyes and
take a power nap. Try not to use your electronics during this time.
5. Set Small Goals
If you are setting
smaller goals, you have more chances to finish your work. For example, a
5000-word essay within two weeks might sound huge. However, once you break it
down to 500 words for each day, it will be much easier to tackle the work.
If you look at your
goals and keep thinking they are unattainable, you can never start working on
them. When it comes to essay research work, start by simply forming the
skeleton with the major headings. You can figure out the sub-parts later.
When To Seek Help!
When you find yourself
unable to concentrate at an extreme level, for example, too much silence is
making your nerves jittery, and you have to read the same line thrice to make
any sense of it, then you probably have some mental ailment.
Do seek help before
it's too late.