Changing bad study habits

Perhaps the greatest impediment to academic success is not lack of intelligence, but rather a lack of will to face the work at hand. Every student knows that they will only get better by putting the effort into their schoolwork, but so many defer or prevaricate over what will must eventually be completed. Procrastination - the action (or rather non action) of delaying, or putting off what needs to be done. How can this most insidious of attributes be tackled? Certainly it is not something that only affects children, for just as many adults prevaricate over jobs at home and in the workplace, only knuckling down at the very last moment, when the task naturally becomes far more difficult because of a looming deadline.

Humans are really creatures of habit. We like to pride ourselves on being autonomous beings, possessing free will, and able to choose what to do at any moment. In truth most of the things we do we have done many hundreds of times over. We get into a grove of activity, a certain mode of living - we develop habits, routines, and rarely break out of them. Putting off work is certainly a habit for many people. They know they have a deadline - but it`s many weeks away, nothing to worry about - and it`s only when the work must be completed at all costs, that they finally get down to starting it.

The way to break bad habits is by setting up some rules. A good example might be that you start the work on the day you receive it. You don`t have to complete it, merely make a start on it. By sticking to this rule you will immediately make the task less daunting. Sitting down and starting the task enables you to fully asses it, judge what needs to be done, and in doing so put a cap to your apprehensions. Certainly there may be much to do, but you will have a better idea now on the scope of the challenge, and your imagination, your fears, will be limited by this.

The next rule will be that you have to continue the work a little each day. The task doesn`t need to be completed at this second sitting, but you should assess how many days you think it will take to be finished. If the deadline is in a week you will judge how much needs to be undertaken each day. You will be surprised at just how much you can get done, as long as you are consistent in your endeavours. Just by writing 143 words a day (around 12 mere sentences!) You can have 1000 words written in a week. Work on breaking each problem down, and give yourself a daily deadline. Small, bite sized chunks will make even the most unwieldily assignments tractable.

Start your work at the same time each day. By getting into a good routine you will find yourself able to get more accomplished. With your mind fully expecting to sit down to work at the assigned time you will be less frustrated, and less prone to distractions. Try to carry out your work in the same area each day, and with this consistency you will be setting up good habits to replace bad ones. Hopefully you will have access to a relatively quiet area, and a workspace of your own; but if not you can keep your study paraphernalia in a suitable container, to be opened and when it`s time for you to use the communal workspace.

People generally put off work because they are afraid of it, afraid that its too difficult, or that they will never be able to get it done in time. By getting into a good routine you will tackle this fear head on, and it will not hang over you like a spectre. By giving yourself more time, rather than rushing the task just before the deadline, you will also produce work that better reflects your true ability. You will also give yourself time to ask a teacher or tutor for any extra help, options that would be unavailable if you rushed it through in at the last moment.

Breaking bad habits is difficult, and you may very well find it extremely difficult to concentrate or get much done during the first few sittings. Do not be overly concerned about this, for in time you will come to accept that this is your new routine, and will be in a state of mind to be productive.