Procrastination can take some interesting forms. It can also have very serious effects on students. According to Psychology Today, students who procrastinated were shown to generally have lower grades and reduced well-being. Yikes. Whether your procrastination technique is “Netflixing”, online shopping, napping, or cleaning, you should work on strategies to overcome it and manage your time wisely. Keep reading to learn some practical ways for how to stop procrastinating.
How to Stop Procrastinating With the “2-Minute Rule”
The Two-Minute Rule states “When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.”
You’ll find that nearly any habit can be scaled down into a two-minute version:
“Read before bed each night” becomes “Read one page.”
“Do thirty minutes of yoga” becomes “Take out my yoga mat.”
“Study for class” becomes “Open my notes.”
“Fold the laundry” becomes “Fold one pair of socks.”
“Run three miles” becomes “Tie my running shoes.”
The idea is to make your habits as easy as possible to start. Anyone can meditate for one minute, read one page, or put one item of clothing away. And, as we have just discussed, this is a powerful strategy because once you’ve started doing the right thing, it is much easier to continue doing it. A new habit should not feel like a challenge. The actions that follow can be challenging, but the first two minutes should be easy. What you want is a “gateway habit” that naturally leads you down a more productive path.
MBH/AB