It is very close to midterms and you have not studied a single thing. You have known about the exams for a while now but decided to keep putting them off until the next day. The next day comes around, but you do not feel like studying or you have other ways of occupying your time so you decide to push studying off again. Eventually, days and days go by until you are very close to your exam date, but you are no better prepared than you were prior. This is, more or less, procrastination.

It was reported that one of the main reasons students procrastinate is because they do not see their current coursework as relevant to what they are doing now or expect to do later on. This mindset makes it harder for students to stay focused and motivated. Some students claim that procrastination pressures them to focus and study on the exam and to their benefit as well. This is typically considered a false narrative as research clearly shows that people who perform better on tests often prepare well in advance.

Procrastination can also lead to a lot of stress. Stress is already one of the main factors that can contribute to a student’s lack of performance in education and hinder their ability to do well. Often, students would tend to spend less time studying materials and lessons that they might have otherwise looked at had they spent the time beforehand studying and preparing.

Now, how can we look beyond procrastination? The answer is quite simple: we can manage our time more wisely and set aside time to study well before the exam date. This would help improve overall grades, exam scores, and work ethic while reducing stress. All of the issues that come along with procrastination can be avoided through proper planning on a study schedule that works for you and fits into your busy schedule. If you just plan ahead and work out a way to manage your time more carefully, along with working to get rid of those procrastinating habits, you would overall become a better and more prepared student.