Procrastination stems from the inability to pay attention to something we have less interest in. This voluntary delay of an intended action is not as bad as how it is publicly criticised. In fact, there are two types of procrastination: structured procrastination and off-the-grid procrastination.
A structured procrastination will have people doing less urgent-related tasks over more urgent ones, while off-the-grid procrastination is only interested in doing non-related pleasurable activities. Read on and learn how to stop the unproductive type of procrastination for successful online learning.
How to Tackle Procrastination When Learning Online
1. Create Study Schedules
Most of us are not good at scheduling and managing our time, even if it is as serious as trying to complete an online course for certification. Unlike traditional classroom schedules, some online courses have the option for you to choose the time slots for lessons and even exams. This learning flexibility offers online learners the self-regulation they need to be fully committed in online learning. Once you have chosen the time slots, you can then plan your study schedule accordingly. Some students prefer to study immediately after each online lesson to retain better memory of what was being taught, while there are others who want to study a few times each week. Whichever way you plan, the main goal is to keep it consistent and to avoid unproductive procrastination.
2. Prepare a Proper Learning Area
Online learning allows you to learn from the comfort of your home, which is where attempts of not getting distracted are usually thwarted. Snacks, tech gadgets and your bed — these things are reward-producing activities that increase the endorphins in your body. Basically, endorphins are your body’s way of relieving pain in response to stress or discomfort. Sometimes, knowing how to stop yourself from procrastinating is as simple as removing yourself from a less conducive learning environment. For example, your bedroom. Once you have set up your laptop in a workable common area, you can maintain self-regulation from external distractions when learning online as well as to help you study better.
3. Set Simple, Realistic Goals
Setting up simple and realistic goals are great because they are compatible with how much attention and interest we can give. If you were to set a goal of reading at least 3 peer-reviewed journal articles in a week instead of one each day, you will be surprised at how smaller goals can lead to an impressive number of articles read. To stop procrastination, we have to learn how to find a balance between being too easy or too ambitious in goal-setting. One good way to know if your goal is not feasible long-term is to set it as high as possible. From there, you will know which part of your goal can be downsized.
Now that you know more or less how to stop procrastinating so that you can learn and study efficiently, you can apply these tips for your online learning endeavours. Online education is here to stay and it is definitely something to consider for your higher education needs. INTI Education Counselling Centres provide future students with education pathway choices, student registration and application services. Click here to reach out to us today!