Manage your time
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The further away a deadline or exam is in the future, the greater the likelihood of procrastination.
The short-term pleasure of doing something fun will then take precedence over the long-term reward (e.g. a good mark in three months’ time), simply because that reward still feels too far away. So try to bring those long-term goals closer.
Focus on your behaviour – not on the end goal
Focusing too much on the end result (such as ‘passing all my courses’) encourages procrastination: you see a huge amount of work, which causes you to freeze up, or the deadline is too far away, so your brain doesn’t feel any sense of urgency.
To break through this paralysis, it’s better to focus on the action you can control right now (process goals). Ask yourself: What is the smallest possible action I can take right now?
Set small, specific goals
Vague goals lead to procrastination. If your goal is simply ‘to study’, your brain won’t know where to start. So be specific about what you’re going to do and when.
There are two ways to set your goals. First, watch this video to find out which one suits you best
Discover the pros and cons of time-based and outcome-based goals (video, 2’)
Approach 1: working with time-based goals
Approach 1: working with time-based goals
You decide for yourself when and for how long you’ll study.
For example: “I’m going to spend a total of 4 hours on my studies today.”
To keep track of the time you have available, it helps to draw up a clear schedule.
Find out how to draw up a schedule (e-module op website)
Tip: Tackle difficult subject matter when your concentration is at its peak, and allow for some buffer time to cover any unforeseen delays.
Approach 2: working with outcome-based goals
Approach 2: working with outcome-based goals
You agree with yourself exactly what needs to be done.
For example: “I want to have this chapter completely finished today.”
To-do lists and breaking your work down into smaller tasks work best here.
- Be as specific as possible
Make it clear what needs to be done and when it needs to be done - Break your goal down into smaller parts
Break a large task down into smaller goals. Do you find this difficult? Use the AI tool Magic ToDo: type in a large task and click on the magic wand. The tool breaks the large task down into smaller subtasks. - Start with a ‘mini-goal’
Lacking motivation? Commit to reading just the first two pages. Once you’ve cleared that small hurdle, there’s a good chance you’ll just carry on from there.
- Take a look at the section ‘The to do list (e-module on website)
- Break your task down into smaller parts (work document)
- Make getting started easier with a ‘mini-goal’ (video, 3’)
- Start with a small step (website)
- Use the 2-minute rule (website)
Picture yourself starting to study
Drawing up a good schedule is step one, but actually getting started is often the real challenge. Does that sound familiar? You know you have to start, but you just keep staring into space. The barrier to getting started feels too high.
→ Mental training can help you move forward: vividly imagine yourself successfully getting started with studying. What exactly are you doing? How does that feel?
This is a technique used by top athletes: you carry out the action in your head before you actually begin. This helps you to actually put this behaviour into practice in the future.
But be careful: simply dreaming about success isn’t enough.
In fact, if you merely fantasise about the end result, your motivation may actually drop because your brain thinks the goal has already been achieved.
The solution? Mental contrasting, also known as the WOOP method. This involves combining your dream with reality.
How to apply the technique:
- Step 1: Wish
Visualise your wish. What do you want to achieve? Make it specific and realistic.
For example: “I want to start Chapter Two at 2 pm today.” - Step 2: Outcome
What will you gain from it? Visualise the positive feeling you’ll have if you succeed.
For example: a sense of calm and pride this evening - Step 3: Obstacle
Think about what could go wrong. What’s standing in your way?
For example: “I’ll get distracted by my phone.” - Step 4: Plan
How will you respond? Draw up a specific ‘If-Then’ plan for your obstacle.
For example: “If I feel the urge to pick up my phone, then I’ll put it in another room.”
- Try this strategy to shift your focus from ‘wishing’ to ‘doing’ (video, 5’)
- Overview of the WOOP method (image)
- Learn how to apply the WOOP method step by step (video, 3’)
- Try the WOOP method yourself (worksheet)