Top Tips to Combat Laziness and Procrastination at University

Procrastination is tricky. It’s a feeling as well as an action (or, more accurately, an inaction) that leads to a horrible feeling of guilt. University life throws people into a completely new environment. Newfound freedom, a lack of structured routine, and meeting plenty of new people means that work, and even enjoyable hobbies, can easily be pushed to the backburner. Especially in first year, balancing work, socialising, exercise, and (most importantly) sleep is virtually impossible. However, procrastination is not an unfixable state. I talked to my friends about how they find motivation, and hopefully with these top tips, deadlines will stop creeping up so inexplicably quickly.

1. Change study locations

This tip cannot be stressed enough. If you can’t seem to stop watching Instagram reels, or a certain TV series has got a grip on you, the best way to start work is to exit your bedroom, or indeed your living place entirely. Alice, a second year Maths student, finds walking to a different study space very helpful. Being surrounded by people working in the library is often a great way to begin. If not, Edinburgh is full of great cafes - Black Medicine, Cult Coffee and Kilimanjaro are all great options.

2. Make a to-do list

It sounds simple, but making a to-do list is a great way of holding yourself accountable to goals. If you put a mixture of easy, realistic, and ambitious tasks on the list, you will have guaranteed success as well as a drive to continue working. Alex, a second year International Relations student, finds that dividing work into smaller portions each day makes big tasks feel far less daunting. Whether it’s a daily or weekly list, organising your thoughts is a great way to feel in control of a busy workload.

3. Engage with your hobbies

Often, procrastination is a product of feeling bored. A great way to feel motivated and happy, especially in a new university context, is to engage with your hobbies more. In fact, the wealth of societies offered at university gives is a great way to do this. Whether it be a new sport, music, gaming, or even soup society, relaxing and taking breaks from work is essential.

4. Get enough sleep

Recently, I found out that it is possible to have too much sleep (I know, it shocked me too). Sometimes, after a big night out, sleeping for 14 hours seems like the only cure – however, it can lead to even more tiredness, as well as a guiltiness for sleeping through the day. Of course, sleeping too little can make it very difficult to concentrate or engage in work. It’s easier said than done to achieve a regular sleeping pattern, but waking up at the same time every day is definitely a step in the right direction.

5. Listen to your gut

There are ways to help procrastination, but it is important to remember that everyone is different. You don’t have to work all the time, and a relaxing break or a few days are sometimes just what the body needs. It’s all about balance. Procrastination is not something that will ever fully go away - my final advice is to cherish your time at university – it will probably go by far quicker than expected.