For some college students, the more the work piles up, the more they tend to put it off. Students can become overwhelmed, especially near the end of the semester. This can play out over the Thanksgiving table when you ask the question, “How is your semester going?” You might hear a response of silence, moans, or changing of the subject. No matter the response, you should remember that students don’t necessarily want to put things off until the last minute, they may just have difficulty knowing where to begin, or they may not understand exactly how much time or work is required to complete the task. Exams often cover hundreds of pages and months’ worth of lecture material. While students need to learn their own lessons about time management, you may be able to offer some suggestions – and then step back.
Here are some suggestions you can provide your student to overcome procrastination:
• Assess each task and see if it can be segmented into smaller parts
• Create a study schedule to leave time for the smaller tasks
• Eliminate distractions (study at the library and don’t bring the cell phone)
• Establish rewards when tasks are completed
• Find a good study partner for accountability
• Be reasonable –learn and recognize not every project will be perfect
• Meet with an Academic Success Coach to develop a structured plan for success http://success.unl.edu.
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/9gp4