Picture this, you finally get home from a long day of school, you grab your phone and start scrolling on Tiktok. All of a sudden, you remember that you still have to finish some important math homework, but you put it aside and continue to waste time, justifying it in your mind and convincing yourself that you’ll do it later. 

     We may need to finish an assignment or meet a specific deadline for a class, but our minds take over and cause us to procrastinate, keeping us from focusing on the tasks we wish to accomplish. However, there are many ways to cope and prevent yourself from wasting time or delaying yourself from getting things done. 

     One effective way to stop procrastinating is to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment and accepting it without judgment. When you find yourself procrastinating, take a minute to notice your thoughts and feelings. Ask yourself what the most important things are and instead of getting overwhelmed, simply observe them and work at your own pace. This can help with reducing the stress and anxiety that come along with procrastination.

     Another helpful strategy is to reframe your mindset. Set clear and specific goals for what you want to achieve. This can help to focus your attention and motivate you. For example, start small by breaking down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones, to help to reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed and make it easier to get started.

     Rather than focusing on the negative consequences of not getting things done, focus on the positive outcomes of taking action. Imagine you have a deadline for a school assignment, visualize the benefits of completing it and think about how it would make you feel once you’ve accomplished your goal. 

     Try to find a sense of self-compassion by recognizing that many people procrastinate occasionally and that it doesn’t make you a bad or lazy person. Treat yourself with kindness and understanding, and use this as motivation to take action rather than beating yourself up over it.