AVOIDING PROCRASTINATION:

'Procrastination' is defined as deferring or postponing action.  In other words finding excuses as to why you should not start (or finish) something.  Do these sound familiar?

What’s the point in starting?

• I don't understand the title.
• I don't know anything about the title.
• I don't know where to start.
• I seem to keep starting the piece over and over again.
• Everyone else seems to find it so easy.
• I can't see the relevance.
• I get tired after the first 15 minutes.
• I've got too much to do.
• I must eat/make some coffee first.
• I must telephone/see my friends.

All too often these are symptoms of both the wrong approach to learning and poor time management.   This section will give you some suggestions on effective learning and ideas for getting started and the following section, ideas for better time management.

Effective Learning

We can learn a lot about ourselves by looking at some classic examples of ineffective learning:

• Working when too tired;
• Listening or reading without understanding what you are reading;
• Studying but letting your mind wander;
• Learning things by heart rather than understanding them;
• Not asking for help when you need it.

We can all see the danger, but it's not that easy to switch to effective learning since it depends upon a number of related factors; state of mind, location, time, and materials.

For many people, getting into a 'study mood' is quite difficult.  You need to give yourself some 'triggers', for example, start jotting down some ideas on a scrap of paper as you make that vital 'one cup of coffee before I start'. This way you have already started when you sit down to work.

Other factors also come into play:

• Do you know when you study best - are you a morning person or an evening person?
• Have you completed your 'Time Analyser' (see Time Management).  
• Are you in the best place to study?  Do you work best in the library, at home, with  a 'study buddy'; do you like it to be quiet or with background music?
• Have I broken the task down into small manageable chunks?
• Have I correctly analysed the task so I know the focus and direction of my work?
• Am I taking short but regular breaks?

Make a virtue out of distractions:

• If you must telephone a friend, tell them about your assignment.  It really helps to focus   the mind if you have to explain something to someone else.
• If you do need to go out to do some shopping, pick up the children etc., or break off to do some housework etc., study for 10 minutes beforehand.  Then rehearse the information in your head during the break.  How much do you remember?  What do you need to do next?

Organise a 'Study Place':

• Try and create a separate space to study where you can leave things and come back to them.  If you do not have access to a desk or table, can you use a shelf or a cupboard so that all your study items are kept together?
• A bookcase is very useful if you can afford it.
• Try to work near a window so that you have good light and ventilation.
• Make your study area pleasant, i.e. with a comfortable chair; this will encourage you to come back to it.
• Have a good dictionary, thesaurus and a good supply of pens, pencils, rough-notes paper etc., handy
• Try to keep it clear and organised.

Getting Started

If you have problems starting, why not try some of the ideas below.

Talking:

• Discuss ideas with others;
• Talk out loud to yourself and record it, then copy this out and re-write it.

Questioning:

• Write down all the questions you can think of on a given topic, then organise the questions into a structure.
• Use the questions to focus your reading or to generate other questions.

Scribbling:

• Scribble ideas as fast as possible for about 5 minutes. Start anywhere and don't bother with sentences and punctuation just write as fast as possible.  Then re arrange what you have written and write a first draft.
• Treat each draft, as a draft - it does not have to be good, it's only something to work on.
• Write the draft in pencil and on loose scrap paper. This reminds you it is only a draft and so mistakes, rearrangement, poor spelling etc., do not matter.