I feel like university is flying by, we have a bit more than a month before finals season begins. And reading break went by way too fastI can’t believe I’m almost done my second year at UBC.

Procrastination tends to get worse for me as we get further into the school year. Today I thought I would give some tips on preventing procrastination to get you through this last half of the term. Here are some things that work for me:

Self Control or Cold Turkey

Ever since starting university, I’ve had to rely more and more on the internet and my laptop. Having distracting websites like Tumblr, Youtube, and Facebook just a few clicks away while I’m trying to do my school work has caused me to procrastinate even more. Self Control (for Mac) and Cold Turkey (for PC) are apps that can block websites that distract you for any amount of time you want, allowing you to focus on your work. Self Control has helped me a lot this term as most of my classes rely heavily on using computers and the internet.

Read something enjoyable

When I know I have to read a chapter in a textbook or a long article, I try to warm up my brain for reading by reading something I find interesting such as a discussion on Reddit, a blog post, an interesting article, or a chapter in a novel. I find this gets my brain into a “reading mode”.

Out of sight, out of mind

If you don’t need your phone for school work, get it out of your field of vision. I usually put my phone behind me where I can’t see it. I’m less tempted to check on it if I can’t see it.

Treat Yoself

Reward yourself by taking breaks after you’ve accomplished tasks. For example take breaks after reading 10 pages, writing a page for your paper, finishing half of your assignment, etc. This can help motivate you to finish tasks, just make sure these breaks don’t go too long.

Good luck with all your studying, assignments, papers, and projects!