At the start of 2013 a lot of us made promises we probably will not keep. Some of us have said we’ll diet finally, others want to be better at going to social events, and online learners may decide to stop procrastinating for once. If you’re reading this and thinking, “Oh I’ll get to that later,” then stop right there! Make it a personal goal to stop procrastinating for the next 30 days, or until the start of February.
Why 30 days you ask? Well, it seems that it takes that long to break a bad habit. Instead of making more lists for yourself, make the process simple and easy to abide by. If you have a big project coming up and you have six weeks until it is due, plan to have it done at least the week before. This way you’ll have more time to proof your work, and get outside feedback if necessary.
Start simple! We sometimes procrastinate because of the work involved. For me, I know I have hesitation on getting my discussion posts done early; just because that is a good 30 minutes to an hour spent on writing. The easiest way to get out of lazy mode is through reading the assignment. See what your instructor is looking for before you make the decision to put it off.
It takes 30 days to break a nasty habit, so start by leaving procrastination aside. Stop saying “I’ll do that later,” and instead make time for it that day; especially if you work full-time.
By J. Mason
Online Learning Tips Editor
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