How Students Can Avoid Procrastination and How Parents Can Help
Procrastination is one of the biggest challenges students face, especially as they approach important exam periods like GCSEs. The temptation to delay starting revision, or to constantly push it to “tomorrow,” can have serious consequences. It leads to last-minute cramming, increased stress, and often poorer performance in exams. As students try to navigate through their schoolwork, procrastination can become a barrier that prevents them from making the most of their revision time.
In this blog, we’ll explore how students can avoid the procrastination trap and how parents can support them in staying on track. We’ll also provide insights into the strategies we use at Bright Path Learning to integrate revision skills into our sessions to help students maximize their learning.
The Impact of Procrastination
Procrastination is often misunderstood as laziness, but in reality, it is a form of avoidance behavior. When a task feels overwhelming or unpleasant, students might seek short-term relief by avoiding it altogether. However, procrastination can lead to long-term problems, such as:
Increased stress and anxiety: Delaying work creates a growing sense of urgency as deadlines or exams approach. The resulting stress can cause further avoidance, creating a vicious cycle.
Lower academic performance: Research has shown that students who frequently procrastinate often perform worse academically than those who manage their time effectively (American Psychological Association).
Poor time management: When students leave everything until the last minute, they miss the opportunity to review or refine their understanding, leading to lower-quality work.
How Students Can Avoid Procrastination
To help students break the cycle of procrastination, we recommend the following strategies:
Revise a Set Number of Topics, Not a Length of Time
One of the most common mistakes students make when planning revision is setting unrealistic time goals. "I’ll revise for 3 hours" can feel daunting, leading to procrastination. Instead, we suggest focusing on revising a specific number of topics or concepts. This gives students a clear end point to their revision, making it feel more achievable.
For example, they might aim to revise three science topics or work through two maths problems. Knowing there’s a finite task ahead can motivate them to get started more quickly. It’s much easier to sit down for a defined task than to commit to an ambiguous block of time.
Introduce New Habits by Building on Existing Routines
In Atomic Habits, James Clear emphasizes the importance of bolting new routines onto established ones to make them easier to stick to. This approach is highly effective for revision. For example, students can get into the habit of revising immediately after dinner, or after they finish football training or a music lesson. Attaching the new habit of revision to something that is already a part of their daily life helps to cement it, making it more likely to be sustained. This method creates a smooth transition into study time and removes the need for extra motivation to start.
Break Revision into Small, Manageable Chunks
Breaking revision into smaller chunks and using the Pomodoro Technique (work for 25 minutes, followed by a short break) can help students stay focused. A defined task with built-in breaks helps them maintain attention and reduces burnout, making it easier to return to revision after each interval.
Create a Distraction-Free Environment
A significant cause of procrastination is the environment students work in. Phones, social media, and noise can pull focus away from studying. To create a distraction-free environment, students should:
Remove their phone: Encourage your child to turn off their phone or leave it in another room during revision sessions.
Use apps that block distractions: Tools like “Forest” or “Cold Turkey” block access to distracting websites during revision time.
Choose a quiet study area: A quiet, well-lit space with minimal distractions helps maintain focus.
Narrate Aloud to Stay Self-Aware
One effective way to combat procrastination is to encourage students to narrate what they’re doing aloud. For example, if they find themselves reaching for their phone, they can say, “I’m about to check my phone, but I should return to revision.” Verbalizing their actions makes them more aware of distractions, allowing them to stop themselves and refocus.
This technique helps students become more mindful of their behaviours, and the simple act of talking through their actions can disrupt the cycle of procrastination.
How Parents Can Support
Parents play a crucial role in helping students stay on track. Here’s how you can support your child in avoiding procrastination:
Help them plan realistic revision sessions: Work with your child to break their revision into manageable chunks, focusing on specific tasks rather than time. Encouraging them to set achievable goals will make starting easier and reduce the temptation to procrastinate.
Establish a revision routine: Having a regular schedule helps students make revision a habit, rather than something they only do under pressure.
Provide positive reinforcement: Praise your child when they make progress, however small. Positive reinforcement encourages them to keep going and builds their confidence.
Minimize distractions at home: Help create a quiet, focused environment for revision, and be mindful of limiting distractions during their study times.
How We Support Revision at Bright Path Learning
At Bright Path Learning, we understand the challenges students face when it comes to procrastination and revision. That’s why we build revision skills into our sessions, helping students make the most of their learning time. Our approach includes:
Structured revision plans: We guide students in organizing their revision by focusing on specific topics, not just time. This helps reduce the overwhelming feeling that leads to procrastination.
Focus on self-awareness: Our tutors encourage students to reflect on their study habits and behaviours, making them more mindful of distractions.
Practical revision strategies: We teach students how to break down complex subjects into smaller, more digestible parts, reinforcing the importance of incremental progress.
By incorporating these techniques, we ensure students leave each session with a clear understanding of what they’ve achieved and what their next steps are, helping them stay motivated and engaged.
Conclusion
Procrastination can be a significant barrier to effective revision, but with the right strategies, students can overcome it. By revising a set number of topics, creating a distraction-free environment, and staying mindful of their behaviors, they can take control of their study time. As parents, you can play a pivotal role in supporting your child, and at Bright Path Learning, we’re here to provide the guidance they need to succeed.
