Evanston Therapy – Grades slipping, ADHD, and anxiety climbing? Evanston therapists help you beat procrastination

It’s final exam time for the Northwestern students here in Evanston and for many of the local colleges in Chicago. You know you should be studying for that bio final or writing the paper for your psych class. But, the only open tab on your laptop is Netflix. You wish you wouldn’t wait until the last minute to study or work on your papers. Good grades matter to you. In our Evanston therapy practice, we work with students like you to develop strategies to procrastinate less and keep the anxiety and ADHD away.

Procrastination is a problem for everybody, right?

Well, almost everyone. Studies report

that approximately 50% of college students say that they procrastinate in a consistent and problematic manner, approximately 70% consider themselves to be procrastinators, and approximately 80%–95% engage in procrastination to some degree.

You might wonder why you procrastinate. At solvingprocrastination.com, they define the problem like this: students procrastinate because issues such as exhaustion and anxiety outweigh their self-control and motivation.

You might be too tired and worried about failing your calc final (exhaustion and anxiety). So, you can’t bring yourself to sit at your desk to work through practice problems (self-control and motivation). The final result? You end up hanging out with friends and eating pizza! The procrastination cycle continues.

The night before your exam, your motivation kicks into high gear. Let the all-nighter begin!

What causes procrastination? You might be surprised

Before you start to think that you must have a character flaw, let’s take an objective look at what causes procrastination. 

If your prof has not given you accurate details about a project or has been vague about due dates, you might put off starting a project or paper. You need more information and clarity from your prof.

Are you dealing with anxiety, fear of failure, or overwhelm? If you are, you might procrastinate. Our blog on managing anxiety and college life  can get you started on lowering your stress levels.

Perhaps you can’t see your way past the obstacles and instead get stopped in your tracks. There are ways of managing each of these issues. Our Evanston therapists are here to show you how.

Have you not clearly defined when you will study and where? Having a well-defined plan for your study sessions will keep you from procrastination. Your roommate’s love of blasting Kanye West could make your room not the best place to study. Not having the right environment for studying could delay you in getting started.

Perhaps you’d rather have a wisdom tooth pulled than study for your French exam. If you find tasks boring or don’t care about the outcome, procrastination could be a problem.

Are you the type that loves super scary roller coaster rides? The thrill of crunch time might get your adrenaline pumping. Why study a week ahead? The sensory overload of squeezing in prep time just before an exam, might appeal to you. If you’re the queen of crunch time, check out this article from San Jose State University’s Writing Center. You can ninja your way through your paper despite the ticking clock.

How to Beat Procrastination

Josh Wede, a professor of psychology at Penn State, has wise words about studying. His best advice? Study smarter, not harder. In his workshops with students he shows them how non-procrastinators get better grades. They study less but spread it out over several days to improve their performance.

When you know it’s time to study, but frustration sets in because you don’t know where to start, we have some concrete, sanity-saving advice from solvingprocrastination.com:  

Identify the tiniest possible thing you can do to make progress. Then, modify your environment to make it as likely as possible that you will do it.

Just identify one part of what you need to get done, which will move the needle toward finishing your paper or studying for an exam. Clear your surroundings and your schedule to get it done. The emotional boost you’ll get at the end will propel you toward finishing well.

Here are some hacks you can try if you have days to study or a few nights.

Evanston Counseling and Therapy Hack #1: Get A Plan

Take a good look at what you have to accomplish. Think about the big tasks you need to get done. Break each task down into smaller steps. Decide how long it will take you to do each identified step.

Armed with this information, set up a schedule of what you will study and when. The beauty of this plan is that it organizes your time.

If it helps, talk this out with someone who can help you stay focused on each task and its individual parts. You won’t get as overwhelmed with the work ahead of you.

Are you a 5:00 am early riser, or do you slide into your studying groove about midnight? Knowing the time of day you’re most likely to drop into the zone will help you set up a better study schedule.

Don’t forget to add breaks, time for a run or an online yoga class, and mealtimes. And, if need be, schedule that extra session with your therapist!

Evanston Counseling and Therapy Hack #2: Where you study matters

Are you more the basement of the library type of person or the local cafe at noon person? Where do you prefer to study? Choose a place that will motivate you to get started working and power you through your paper. Avoid studying in bed for obvious reasons!

Consider if your study spot has comfortable chairs, tables, or desks and great lighting. You will probably want to pick a place where loud noise is not a factor.

Choose a study spot that says, “Git er done.”

Evanston Counseling and Therapy Hack #3: Manage your mindset

The “F” word–fear, might cause procrastination to creep in. Take a good look at your fears, so they can’t overpower you. Acknowledge them and do your best to move past them.

Practice self-kindness. Talk to yourself in the compassionate way you talk to your stressed-out friends.

Remember that you are not alone. Many others feel the anxiety of “getting it right” and the heat of the competition in class.

Giving yourself permission to make mistakes and not be perfect could be the place to start to smash your fears. Trust yourself to do what most needs to be done and at the best time (self-efficacy).

In our Evanston therapy offices, we are happy to walk through your fears.

One final thing, ADHD, depression, and exhaustion are critical factors that contribute to procrastination. At Evanston Counseling, we can help you decide if one of these issues prevents you from having the success you want. These issues are more serious. You will want to resolve them before diving deep into beating procrastination.

If you’re feeling anxious about college life, call us at (773) 983-8444 for a free, 15-minute phone conversation with one of our Evanston Therapists. We will listen and direct you to the right person to help you out with your anxiety. Or you can schedule a time to chat with us here.

Are you looking for therapy for school stress, anxiety, life transitions, or relationships? You can read more about how our therapists can help here. We look forward to meeting you!