Academic Study Skills

Have you ever avoided doing a large task even though it needed to get done? This is called procrastination and it happens to everyone. Often we procrastinate because we are:

• Are afraid of failing.
• Feel overwhelmed.
• Feel stress and anxiety.

How can we avoid procrastination?

The first thing to do is recognize that you are procrastinating. This can be the hardest part! Once you realize that you are putting off a certain task, then you need to think about why.

1. Is it because you don’t know where to start?

Break tasks up so that they seem more manageable.

2. Is it because you have too many tasks and you don't know what to do first?

Follow a daily to-do list to prioritize tasks.

3. It is because you feel the work is never ending?

Plan rewards for when you complete a task on time.

4. Is it because you don’t know how to do the task?

Find out where to get the skills you need to complete the task. Ask a teacher, ask a tutor, or ask a librarian.

Resources to help you with procrastination

• Read about Procrastination from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Watch this video about Procrastination.
• Watch this LinkedIn Learning video to begin Understanding your procrastination habit.
• Use the Procrastination Habit Decision Tree worksheet to discover why you are procrastinating about a certain task and how to get working on it.

Mind Tools Content Team. (n.d.). How to Stop Procrastinating: Overcoming the Habit of Delaying Important Tasks. Mind Tools.
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_96.htm