Procrastination among college students is a common problem. Often, students start delaying their work, studies, assignments, and other responsible chores. Its effects are drastic, causing low scores in studies, which leads to low self-confidence. There can be actual reasons why a student is procrastinating. There’s a common misperception that students procrastinate because they don’t care for the study or they don’t want to complete their chores,which is absolutely wrong. Above all, we need to understand what causes procrastination among college students.

There can be several reasons why a student is likely to put things off. One need to understand the reasons to easily overcome the situation.

Some of the students have a clear picture of their future during college. But some students are still quite confused and do not know what they want to do in the future. That’s when they start putting things off and delaying everything because they can’t get the urge to do the work.

Confusion leads to anxiety, tension, and the fear of failing. They feel too afraid to start anything, and there's also a constant fear about the potential outcome. Be it any college work, assignments, or anything regarding self-growth.

We need everything to be done perfectly. Hence, with the fear of the outcome, students start to fear the outcome being perfect. Due to this fear, they start postponing their actions to avoid unavoidable mistakes. They fear that their imperfect work might get them judged.

If the aims are uncertain one may feel less motivated to work and study.So to start, you need to ask yourself why you are likely to procrastinate. Because it’s you who needs to find the deeply rooted cause and rectify it.

Below there are few tips that would help you to overcome the obstacles.

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There are several methods that can help you stop procrastinating. Below, some of them are mentioned.

Firstly, know about your deadlines and assignments that are assigned to you. Then try to make a note of it. After that, you can try the old-school method of marking it on the calendar or making a chart and working according to it. It will also help you to remain motivated, as you will have a clear idea about your tasks. Set a deadline for yourself. Because it’s you who can understand the amount of time it will take you to complete a task and focus and work in accordance with it.

Our tasks might often feel big, and we don’t feel the urge to start. So try to start with small steps. Set small goals, like studying for 30 mins without a break. And the next thing you will notice is that this time may exceed 1 hour or 2 hours. Because once you start, it will get easier to go on with it.

Breaking tasks into smaller parts will also help you to retain pieces of information in your memory for a longer time.

Distractions can easily provoke you to put off your tasks. College students tend to procrastinate more due to other activities. When you finally sit down to solve your problem and there’s a mobile device or laptop beside you, it’s much more likely that you will leave your book and browse social media. Keep yourself focused and avoid such distractions. Try to study in a distraction-free zone, and if your phone bothers you, turn on the Aeroplane mode on your phone.

Well, that also does not mean that you need to study nonstop. Set up a routine for studying and avoid distractions during that time

Some procrastinators set impossible goals, like “I will study this chapter for 8 continuous hours”. But then fail to stick with these unrealistic goals for obvious reasons.Breaks can actually help to focus more and keep a person energized. Below are some tips that can help you stay energized.

• Go for an evening walk
• Watch a film or a biography
• Read books
• Listen music
• Meet friends

Changing a habit of procrastination means adapting a better habit and a lifestyle for which you can definitely reward yourself. For example, if you set a goal of completing a chapter or a book, you can also set a reward of your favorite pizza for completing your goal. Or you can get yourself your favorite dress after acing an exam. Or after your semester, go on a vacation with friends or family.

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Little do we now know what causes procrastination among college students, how it can affect them, and how to cope with it. Though there’s not a solid solution to change or cure it, we can handle it by changing certain habits and lifestyles. Not only college students, but adults too, procrastinate from time to time.

So, if you feel like procrastinating, figure out the reasons first and try some of the above-mentioned tips to overcome the obstacles. Remember, taking slow, tiny steps can help you accomplish your goals.