Is your life falling apart? Do you have that constant feeling of “one step forward, two steps back”? We all have those pestering voices, whether they be in our heads or are our teachers that tell us how we are wasting opportunity. This is very much accurate. So why is it that we choose to ignore our gut instincts to improve ourselves? Here are steps for how you can TAKE ACTION NOW to solve this problem of eternal procrastination so we can GET OUR LIVES ON TRACK!

Materials:

-Positive attitude

-Will to follow through

-Determination

-A dash of fortitude

1.Focus on your education

Everything can be taken away from you at any moment, but knowledge is something that no one can take away from you. Your education is your most valuable investment. Grades don’t define you but they do reflect your work ethic. Are you a person who does the bare minimum to get by? Or are you the person who strives to do their very best? Education nurtures you as a person and influences your outlook of the world around you. You gain skills that you will need throughout your life to succeed. It is the path to a better future and it is a golden ticket of opportunity. Don’t waste this opportunity to a brighter future because you want to give into your temporary temptations.

2. Don’t procrastinate anything

JUST DO IT! Nike couldn’t have said it better. I know, sometimes it’s difficult to stay focused on one task but you have to start it and get it done. Just think about the regret you felt when you’ve procrastinated something for so long and even when you do get it done last minute, it is not your best work. You need to let this feeling of regret become your motivation to stay on task and finish it! Don’t read How to Procrastinate: Social Media Edition. Social Media, your text messages and Netflix will all still be there after you finish your assignment. If your assignment feels like a daunting task, don’t try to tackle the whole assignment at once. According to a Forbes article by Margie Warrell, you can “break it into manageable, bite-sized steps” which will allow you to feel like you can breathe! If you’re dreading doing your research paper and it’s due into a week, DON’T PUT IT OFF until the day before. Break it up into parts. Find the articles today and work on the introduction tomorrow and so on. This makes your workload much more manageable. You are much more likely to do it since it’s only a portion of the work.

3. Find a healthy outlet to relieve your stress

No matter how hard you try to avoid it, stress will come your way. It’s how to respond to it that will determine its affect on you. Do not let stress defeat you. Do not give in to your temptation to mindlessly browse social media or do another an unproductive activity. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to let go and watch Netflix to wind down but if you do this every time you get stressed, it will end up becoming a bad habit. To cope with stress, find a relaxing yet productive outlet. For example, you might want to go workout at the gym or exercise on your own. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, “Studies show that it is very effective at reducing fatigue, improving alertness and concentration, and at enhancing overall cognitive function.” Other activities worth giving a chance include painting, reading, cleaning or even picking up an instrument.

4. Set and organize goals

Just saying that you want to improve your grades by the end the of the quarter isn’t an efficient goal. It is a step in the right direction however it is very vague. You must expand upon this goal and layout all the steps necessary to achieving it. Here are some tips to guide you. First of all, write your goals down on paper. As Dan Stern of medium.com explains, a Harvard Business Study found that the 3% of graduates from their MBA who had their goals written down, ended up earning ten times as much as the other 97% put together, just ten years after graduation. Also, do the least appealing task on your list first. This way, you will get it out of the way and have less to deal with on your plate. If a task will take you less than 7 minutes, do it right away! The satisfaction that you will feel after crossing something off your list is worth the hassle.

5. Always be in control

It is impossible to be in control of every situation at all times. However you must make it a habit to be in charge of as many aspects of your life as possible. If you follow the previous steps, it will help you school-wise and staying on task but you must focus on your social and personal life as well. If someone close to you said something hurtful, talk to them about it straight away. Do not let it stay in your head for too long. Stay positive and keep a steady mindset at all times.

Although these steps seem very easy and simple to follow, they do require some self-discipline. You cannot read this article and expect for your life to fall into place. You must stay committed to your goals and work hard every day to achieve them. You must delay your temptation and invest in your intelligence.