The Most Productive Ways to Procrastinate

Even though you promised yourself you would “be more productive” this semester, it’s now 3 a.m. and you still haven’t finished that GenEd paper (why are they assigning them so early in the semester anyway?). In case you still can’t bring yourself to do work, Flyby has got your back when it comes to convincing yourself you’re being productive while still procrastinating.

Clean Your Room/Do Laundry

This one is a classic. Bust out your vacuum, throw on your favorite playlist, and get cleaning. After you’ve finished cleaning your floors, convince yourself that organizing your desk will ~organize your mind~ and spend two hours throwing away (or burning) old syllabi and psets. Let the feng shui wash over you as you blissfully ignore that essay.

Go Get Some Coffee

Sometimes all you need is a smooth shot of espresso to help you get your work done. Grab your HUID and head to a BoardPlus location for a quick pick-me-up to motivate yourself to finish that last paragraph. Javiva is a favorite of Flyby.

Do Other Homework

If you just don’t want to do your math p-set, never fear! You have plenty of other work to occupy your time with. Get started on that history reading due in three days and soon enough, you’ll have finished all of your other assignments while still procrastinating on the one that’s actually due tomorrow.

Watch a TED Talk

Instead of brainless Tasty videos, check out the TED YouTube channel. It’s full of fascinating, “Grey’s Anatomy”–length lectures on all topics from global security to biofabrication to – you guessed it – procrastination. Instant gratification monkey, anyone? TED Talks are the perfect way to avoid your pre-lecture quizzes while also learning something new and interesting without having to take another GenEd.

Plan Out Your Week

Break out your stationary and start planning out your week. Whether it’s in a bullet journal or on an index card, outlining your tasks and meetings for your week is a surefire way to feel accomplished while simultaneously stressing yourself out with the amount of work you keep putting off.

When work is piling up and you can’t bring yourself to attack it, these are helpful ways to take a break while convincing yourself that you are indeed an ~academic~. And if you need any other ideas, you can always write a Flyby article about procrastinating. We can confirm that this is working incredibly well…