Fight procrastination
If you are dreading a task, start doing it for a short time. Lower your expectations: half an hour should do the trick. Often you experience that once you're on track, it's easier to continue.
By comparison; after a long, tiring day, you are sitting at home on the sofa. You had planned to exercise. You might think to yourself "I don't feel like it, I'm too tired, there's no point anyway" and as a result you don't exercise. Afterwards you might regret it. What you could also think; "I'm tired, so I'll go for a short while. I don't expect to exercise very intensively, I'm just going to take it easy. If it goes well, then I'll stay. If I'm really too tired, I can always quit”. In this way you give yourself the chance to still achieve your goal and end the day feeling satisfied.
- Eat that frog! Afterwards, you can enjoy the cake. Start with the most difficult thing and do not wait until you are very tired already. The rest of the day you will feel more fulfilled and at ease.
- Schedule useful tasks such as cleaning the house, doing grocery shopping or exercising as breaks or after studying
- When you still find yourself procrastinating; ask for help. Don’t keep it to yourself. Ask help from family, friends or the Tilburg University counselors. (education coordinator, dean of students, student psychologist).
- To build a new habit; start with tiny gains that are easy to attain and maintain.
The recommendations (e.g., routine, fixed starting time, studying together) on the other pages will also help you improve your motivation and concentration.