Thursday, October 21, 2021 by Pratykka Kugarajh
Imagine this: It’s 3:47 a.m. on a Sunday night and you find yourself hunched over a desk, eyes glued to the dim glow of a laptop screen. You’re frantically piecing together the last sentences of a paper due tomorrow (this) morning. Finally, you reach the end. Too exhausted to proofread, you fling the wretched document into a LEARN dropbox in all its unedited and hastily formatted glory. That’s one of this week’s deadlines down … but there are still two more to go. Sound bleak? If you’re like me, you do not have to imagine that scenario. For years of my academic career, I owed my success to the holy trinity of caffeine, deadline extensions, and last-minute panic. I struggled with time blindness — a difficulty conceptualizing the passage and organization of time. This problem persisted until I took an intentional approach to improving the way I navigate time. Read on to discover what I learned.
Plan ahead.
Preparing for success begins before your instructor announces a due date. My start-of-term ritual now involves opening every syllabus in a separate tab and creating a mental map of when assignments are due. Through this practice, I have become more vigilant against the deadlines that might otherwise have snuck up on me, and I avoid leaving everything down to the wire. The wire is uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing. Thankfully, I no longer live there full-time. Planning ahead also applies to extracurricular activities. Personally, manifesting this practice required learning how to say “no.” Rather than being automatically available for everything (and everyone), I have allowed myself to properly assess my schedule before making a time commitment.
Integrate tools.
If planning ahead is the “what” of overcoming procrastination, time management tools are the “how.” Tools like schedules, calendars, and checklists can compensate for time blindness by weaving structure through the amorphous time blob that is a school term. Additionally, it’s fun to check things off — that sense of accomplishment can go a long way. The Assignment Planner is a fantastic tool that will help you to visualize a timeline for your assignments. From research essays to lab reports, it provides specialized guidance for many of the most common types of projects.
Create a flexible routine.
I was previously allergic to routine because I thought that it would wither away my sense of spontaneity and adventure. Thankfully, routine does not have to be oppressive. Introducing a personal schedule has actually freed me from some of the boredom and anxiety that I experienced when my life lacked structure. My own routine is simple: I treat school like a 9-to-5 job. I wake up early, attend classes, and complete the majority of the day’s work before 6 p.m. That way, most of my evenings and weekends can be devoted to relaxation and socialization. Adopting my specific system is unnecessary, however. Your unique needs, personality, and workflow should inform your modus operandi. Identify the circumstances that you require for productivity and work from there.
Build a foundation of wellness.
Procrastination frequently has deeper roots. If you struggle to stay on track, it may be time to develop a deeper understanding of yourself and your motivations. Ask yourself why you are studying what you are studying and let the answer propel you forward. Sleep, nutrition, hydration, and exercise are also critical factors to academic success. You’ve heard it all before, but it’s worth the reminder. Once I stopped seeing my mind and my body as separate entities and instead recognized their interconnectedness, I began to cultivate a lifestyle that reinforces productivity. Make time for your basic needs — they’re worth more than that extra hour of Netflix or even that extra hour of cramming before an exam. Sometimes, time management issues might extend beyond lifestyle and motivation-related barriers. Do not hesitate to access the help that you require. Health Services at the University of Waterloo offers a wide variety of resources to support your wellness, including Counselling Services.
Post written by Abigail Ollila
