Speak Up. Reach Out is Freshered's mental health initiative.
Do you ever feel like you can’t do anything when you have an appointment, event, or commitment coming up? Do you struggle to fill the time with productive tasks even if you have hours before you need to leave? If that’s the case, you might be encountering something called task paralysis. Task paralysis is a form of procrastination where your brain opts for a freeze response when you don’t have what it considers the right conditions to get things done. It doesn’t mean you’re lazy or incompetent. There are ways to make it easier to deal with, however. So here is how you can cope with task paralysis as a student.
Block Your Time
Work backwards from when you need to head out and count how much time you have. From there, divide up your time into chunks that you can dedicate to different assignments. Don’t worry too much about how much you’re getting done — the main thing is that you’re making an effort towards it. You can designate the last chunk of time as a reward period where you can do something you enjoy.
Work With Someone
For some people, it’s easier to work when there’s someone else in the room. Invite someone over to study together. This doesn’t have to involve collaboration, though this can be helpful if you’re covering the same topic. The main thing is that you have someone to hold you accountable so you don’t wander too far off what you’re meant to be doing.
See also: Tips For Succeeding In A Group Project
Set a Timer
If you struggle with keeping track of time, setting a timer can help ease some of the stress of remembering your upcoming appointment. Before you get to work, set your timer so that you have plenty of time to get ready once it goes off. Then, you can start working on your tasks without the distraction of having to check the time.
Do an Okay Job
A big part of how you can cope with task paralysis is working on letting go of perfectionism. Consider your tasks as something to be completed rather than perfected. You’ll be much better off having finished an assignment and done a decent job of it rather than waiting so that you can do it perfectly. While the conditions of waiting for something can make it difficult to do your best, it’s better to do good enough than to do nothing at all.
Easy Tasks Count
This might not be the time to tackle that essay you need to work on or that major house clean. Instead, see if you can do something that doesn’t require too much effort, but is still productive nonetheless. Laundry, tidying, or answering a quick email are all great options for something that you can do without intensive concentration.
See also: Does Music Help You Study?
