As a high school student, and more specifically a high school senior, I have gotten extremely good at procrastinating. It has become a common theme in my time management, and I have found myself completing assignments that were given to me a week in advance the day of. However, I am aware that my procrastination habits need to be broken, and that my mental health will greatly appreciate it.

Here are some tips that I have found useful in my journey of gradually stopping my procrastination:

1. Break it up! You don’t have to complete the whole assignment in one sitting.
2. Give yourself breaks/awards. Mental breaks are important, and can not only improve the outcome of studying, but also make it easier to complete those hefty assignments.
3. Schedule time that is specifically meant to work on one assignment. Yes, setting aside time for “schoolwork” is great, but be more specific so you don’t get overwhelmed.
4. Limit distractions until break time.
5. Aim for completing assignments at least one day before they are due.
6. Go at your own pace! Take your time and don’t pressure yourself.