What To Do When Procrastination Hits

MWB, milky way blog, milky way blogger, procrastination, advice



    So I'm sure we've all spent afternoons, when we really should be doing other things, scrolling through Instagram, watching YouTube videos, chatting to friends on Facebook and taking regular visits to the fridge. Now if you are doing these sort of things, it doesn't necessarily mean you're lazy. Generally it's because of a fear of failure, anxiety or negative perfectionism. A few weeks ago I did a post, which you can view here, with advice for organising yourself and balancing schoolwork with other activities.

    However, sometimes you just can't do what you need to get done whether it's that 500 word English reflection or Maths chapter. But this doesn't mean you can't do something useful - I like to call this productive procrastination. That way you are doing something productive, lifting your mood and helping yourself to refocus and get motivated.


    Here are my top 10 things I like to do when procrastination hits.

#1 Tidy your room
    I generally feel motivated to do some work after I do this as I believe a clear work space = a clear mind. It helps me to focus and feel organised.

#2 Exercise
    There are soooo many studies that show the benefits of exercise and how it helps you to feel happier as well as concentrate. Click here for some ideas of different forms of exercise you can do. Remember that you don't need to go and do 1 hour of cardio, even a walk around the block (you could even take your dog if you have one) can help to clear your mind.

#3 Have a relaxing bath
    There's nothing better than a candle-lit bubble bath. Put your phone in another room and just allow yourself to submerge in a cloud of bubbles.

#4 Cook a healthy meal
    It's okay if you aren't the best chef, just make yourself something easy but still delicious. I love to make toasted wraps with hummus, salad with an assortment of things from the fridge or even a smoothie.

#5 Write a timetable
    This way you aren't overwhelmed by everything that you have to do. I don't know if this is just me, but if I have heaps of things to do, I will usually find it difficult to start but relatively easy to keep going once I have started. The way I usually structure my timetable is by starting with one of the easier pieces of homework to ease into it and then get into the harder things after that. Also, make sure that your timetable is achievable - there is no use writing an amazing timetable that you know you won't follow.

#6 Read a book
    This is great if you want to forget about everything for a little while and temporarily escape any problems that are bothering you.

#7 Write a list
    It can be everything you are thankful for or even everything good from your day. This helps to put you in a positive frame of mind when you go to start the tasks you need to complete.

#8 Create an inspiration board
    Cut up pictures, photographs, quotes - whatever inspires you and makes you happy. Stick them on your wall to motivate you when you go to complete whatever tasks you want to complete, whether it's exercise or homework.

#9 Have a power nap
    If you're feeling super exhausted, a 30 minute power nap can help you spend the rest of your day more time effectively and put in 100%.

#10 Ask a parent, sibling or friend
    Tell them what you want to get done and ask them to keep your phone (or anything that's distracting you) until you have completed a certain amount of things on your timetable.

    #11 Meet your best friend, Spotify
    What would life be without it? Probably very boring. For those of you who haven't heard of it, it's an app that you can download on your phone and/ or computer and you can make playlists follow other friends and listen to their music. I don't know if you find this too, but music just puts me in a good mood!

    I'd love to know if you have any of your own tips or if you already use any of these?

    Much Love, G
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2 comments

  1. Oh, wow! This is so me right now! I absolutely love this, I've taken to quite a few of these activities lately... ;)

    ReplyDelete

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