Procrastination can be the downfall of many college students. Developing self-control and the ability to initiate tasks is a vital skill for success. Without it, students will struggle to get through college. But how can they improve? The first step is understanding why procrastination happens.
What Is Procrastination?
Procrastination is simply the delay of work—putting things off until later. At State Street, instead of focusing on the term “procrastination,” we like to talk about improving initiation.
Why Do Students Struggle to Initiate?
There are several common reasons why students fail to start tasks:
- Skill deficit: They don’t know how to begin.
- Distraction: Phones, computers, and constant access to information make it hard to focus.
- Avoidance: The work feels overwhelming or uncomfortable.
- Pleasure-seeking: It’s easier to do something enjoyable than a difficult task.
- Perfectionism: Fear of not doing something perfectly leads to delay.
Among these, distraction—particularly from digital devices—is one of the most frequent obstacles to getting started on challenging tasks.
How Can Students Overcome Procrastination?
To beat procrastination, students need to be more specific with their plans. Here are strategies that can help:
1. Control the “Before Work” Stage
- Clearly define the who, what, where, why, how, and when of your task.
- For example, instead of saying, “I need to study on Sunday,” say:
- Who: “I’m going to meet Jimmy at the library.”
- What: “Complete the study guide for 5 chapters.”
- Where: “At the library.”
- When: “At 10:30 AM.”
- How: “Create notecards, answer review questions, and quiz myself.”
- Why: “Because I want to master the material for the upcoming exam.”
This level of detail makes it far more likely that students will initiate and complete their work.
2. Break Work Into Smaller Increments
- Break the task into 10-minute increments to:
- Set smaller, more achievable goals.
- Create natural checkpoints for progress.
- Get instant feedback on how you’re doing.
This small adjustment can significantly boost a student’s ability to get started and keep going.