Story of my Life (sorry this is a rant, if you don't want to hear it...well, just skip it then (Amanda, you've already heard this a lot XD lol)): Geez, I really need to practice violin...I have an audition in two weeks. But wait, I have 10 (now 6) chapters left until I finish Fruits Basket! I should also start up on finding articles for English and doing flashcards for Chemistry. Remind me to tell set off some time to do my Physics lab as well. Oohhh, and since school is in less than 3 weeks, I really need to dress up my binders, folders and notebooks (DIY them a bit). Oh and I cannot forget that I should also start packing my backpack in time for August 28th. Wait if I do that then I should probably get my assignment notebook all ready and put slots in for my classes, ELO, and after school time schedule. Also, I have to make a mental note to myself to clean my room after my sister goes back up to college. Should I do anything different to my room? Okay, this year, I am going to eliminate the amount of clutter in my room! I know, I should make myself a loose, flexible (even though it always is terribly non-flexible) afternoon schedule so that I stay on track of things and make sure the WHOLE house is kept up and all that. So Mondays will be my day off but on Tuesdays I will organize my room. But I need to make sure that I fold my clothes and bring my clothes down to the wash at the right days or else laundry will just all be in a bunch of baskets! Oh, mentioning that....
Well, you get the jist....I'm VERY easily distracted. What started off as me thinking that I should practice violin (of which I should actually be doing now instead of writing a blog post XD lol) now ended with me thinking that I needed to clean my room and get ready for school (well, it really ended right now...where I am...on the computer....typing this =P). I have told one of my friends that this year I have a plan that will help me slowly and gradually stop procrastinating as much as I do, but as always, I procrastinated on thinking of that plan. Anyways, I have come up with reasons on why I and others procrastinate and some solutions to fix them (most of these tips are more general than specified to Mr. Johnston's class).
Now, if your mind procrastinates like mine, in which distractions are your coping method to not want to do anything you don't necessarily fancy then these will definitely help. If not, read through them, I'm sure you'll find SOMETHING that can be helpful to you. If none of these match you or you have more that you want to add, comment below please on what you would do.
~Biggest problem with distractions, is that EVERYTHING you think is important, is actually not. What are you doing now? What HAS to be done TOMORROW. I'm pretty sure cleaning your room is not as important as writing that paper you barely started.
~To-Do lists don't always help. Procrastinators like me tend to write down EVERY LITTLE task that should be done and looking at that big long, 2 page list is overwhelming and makes you unmotivated to do any of it. Plus now, you just wasted time writing up a To-Do list in the first place
~Instead of a To-Do "List", have a to-do post-it note or 3x5 note card. If all the MAIN things that need to get done can fit on ONE SIDE (in normal size handwriting, not like what we do on note cards that we use for exams in French or Chem), then those are the things that you should focus on.
~If what you are doing is boring (like reading the book), then come up with a way to make it fun. Hey, not only does this postpone doing that task for a little while but it also allows you to put that method to the test and it might actually work. Instead of just "reading the book" and falling asleep on your kitchen table, read it with a friend, brother, STUFFED ANIMALS or whatever in as many Robin William voices you can think of. Not only is it productive but it's something that will keep you awake.
~Be careful WHERE you do things. If your room is where you mainly sleep, well expect to accidentally fall asleep on your book or math homework if you do it there. Switch up things, make it more interesting to your mind. After all, you are only procrastinating because there is a little voice in the back of your head telling you it's boring and you don't want to do it.
~Everything that you are procrastinating on is only easy to not do because you haven't started it yet. I believe that once you start something, it's harder to not finish it through or at least feel like you need to come back to this later (without any delay). I don't know if that is a neurological study or whatever but I feel that our minds need to feel like they have accomplished anything. It's what drives those "very diligent" people. So when you feel that you are procrastinating, like I am doing now, then just start it. You'll find that it is easier to get going the next time afterward.
~I've heard people tell me over and over and OVER to "get rid of all the distractions!" Well I'm sorry, but it's not just Facebook, email, WEEBLY, TV, and my phone, it's everything. Whether it's daydreaming, looking at a weird ad to go to a page on "You wouldn't believe what this formal Disney star did" (yes, we have all looked at that and wondered whether to click it or not, right?!), or whatever, it's hard to keep a one-track mind. When I catch myself doing that sort of thing, that's when I know I need to walk away from my work for a minute or two and take a little break. My mind is wandering and in order to stay on track, I have to recollect my thoughts, know what I'm doing, and get back to work. Now I'm not saying that you have to take a break every 5 minutes but maybe after about 30 minutes of concentrating, it's time to say, "Okay mind, I don't want you to get distracted so you just rest while I drink some water or get the mail" (sorry that one was a very long rant when really all I could've said was "Take 1-2 minute breaks every 30 minutes")
Well, that's finished with for now. If you have any questions (possibly on my mental state o.O) or want to add anything to this list, please comment below while I go and actually start practicing violin...after I go get a snack...and take Buddy for a walk...and check the DVR list to make sure none of my shows are conflicting (the season finale of Chasing Life was yesterday *tear* can't wait until they renew it!). But before I do that, might as well watch PROCRASTINATION-The Musical again and while I'm at it, why not check AVbyte's FROZEN-The Musical where Elsa disses the other Princesses for not being independent thinkers or how about I take a glance at their FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS-The Musical. Well, since I'm already on Youtube might as well go look at some Wong Fu Productions and CGH videos.