Would you rather be watching television or studying? Playing a video game or listening to a lecture?
Since we’re playing this game, had you rather be napping or memorizing content for an upcoming test? Depending on your personality, anything but studying may be of interest to you. Are you easily distracted? Do you find other things to do instead of what you need to be doing? If so, you may be a procrastinator. Also, if you are… you’re not alone!
Procrastination is a common problem for many college students. Putting off studying or writing a paper at the last minute doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it can be. If you wait till the night before the deadline, there’s too much to cover or memorize. While traditional students can lean on their fellow learners by pulling all-nighters or study sessions, this option isn’t always a choice for online learners.
Since many people attending classes virtually may be juggling added responsibilities such as a full-time job or raising a family, time can be a precious commodity when it comes to studying for an exam or completing a project. Not logging into your online classes or putting assignments off till the last minute could have a significant effect on your grades, and in turn, your final grade point average.
If you consider yourself a procrastinator, ask yourself why you feel the need to put off your studies. Are you unsure of how to do the task given to you? Perhaps you should review your assignment again and go over the text several times, as repetition is sometimes a great way to make it “sink in.” Don’t be afraid to fail. If you do, try it again. You must give it a serious try before you can genuinely say that you’ve failed… and besides, what if it turns out correctly?
Do you lack motivation?
Lack of incentive is the main reason students procrastinate. Earning your degree seems like a daunting task, but you must chip away at it to get it done. Force yourself to get started to complete whatever work needs to be done, all while dreaming about your prestigious degree in hand! Are you genuinely interested in the online diploma degree program you have chosen? Sure, you are going to be inundated with boring materials to cover at times, but you must also select a major that you can focus on and enjoy. Through any learning format, you must take the good with the bad.
Is time management a skill I can learn?
The procrastinator typically has trouble dealing with timelines and deadlines. Time management can be a challenging aspect of online learning. Traditional universities usually enforce assignment deadlines on a daily basis. Through online schooling, you may experience a weekly or bi-weekly deadline with no teacher in sight; you’ll have no one to look over your shoulder, no one to tell you to get busy, and no one to remind you of impending deadlines. If you’re having trouble managing your time, see if your school has resources to help you get back on track. Otherwise, aim to block time off in your schedule for study. It could be first thing in the morning or right after dinner. Having a set time keeps you honest. Hold to these plans as much as possible.
When you’re studying, log out of social media sites and silence your phone so you can focus your whole attention on what you are learning. You can always take a breather after you’ve completed your tasks. Also, when you’ve met a deadline, reward yourself. You deserve it!
We have two helpful infographics that we created to help with “adulting” and procrastination…
What are you waiting for?! Don’t procrastinate! Click the links to learn how to stay on track with your goal and be the success you know you can be!