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First, let's learn a little bit about procrastination.  Many people believe that procrastinators are simply lazy and don't want to do any work.  The truth is many reasons exist for the behavior.  If procrastination is one of your personal demons, please read the information contained in the links below.  The information can help you understand yourself better and slowly change your behavior.

PROCRASTINATION - Sometimes biases about behaviors are not true.  Try reading more about this common conduct.

• Causes of Procrastination - University of Houston, Clear Lake, Counseling Services
• Overcoming Procrastination - by Steve Pavlina, CEO of Dexterity
• Overcoming Procrastination- University of Illinois Counseling Center
• Procrastination - excellent site; by Clayton E. Tucker-Ladd of Psychological Self-Help Mental Health Net
• The Top 10 Ten Reasons for Procrastination and How to Get Over Them - from Coachville Training Center Resources Center

MOTIVATION

• Increasing Motivation - internet link
• Motivation to Learn - An Overview - by Educational Psychology Interactive; read the chart on "Sources of Motivational Needs" and "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs"
• Self-Motivation - by Thomas D. Yarnell, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist
• Student Motivation to Learn - by Kidsource Online, Inc.

TIME MANAGEMENT

• Planning Study Time - internet link from the University of Victory
• Self-management Checklist - internet link from the University of Victory

A good form to make is a 24 hour schedule.  For each block, write in what you do at that time.  You may be surprised that you spend a lot of time watching TV or shopping, etc.  You may find that you spend too many hours at one time studying.  When you break up the time, you remember more.

Whether you come up with a good or bad scenario, you will need to change your habits. 

• Sleep - The first change is that you will need to get enough sleep no matter what else you do.  Without enough sleep, you cannot accomplish any of your goals.  You are awake and operating, but you are not operating at your optimum.  Compare it to a car trying to run when it's low on oil and gas.

• Study Times - Break up your study times.  You need to study 20 to 30 minutes at a time with 10 minute break in between.  Do not do anything during that study break time that will put new information into your brain. Don't get on the computer, don't talk with family or friends, don't do laundry, etc., since all of these activities cause you to think. 

• Family and Friends - Involve your family and friends in your time management and study time.  Let them know what you are doing and why.  Show or give them a copy of your time management schedule. It will help them know when they can contact you or maybe even how to help you with some of your other duties.

• Me time - Even though we want you to study, we still want you to experience "me" time, family time, spiritual time - even if it's just a few minutes.  If you leave out these essentials, you will resent your schedule and you will become burned-out.  You will do everything you can to sabotage your time management schedule.  Plan time for "me" time. 

Of course surprises always come up that you might want to grab just for the pure joy, adventure, or opportunity.  No harm exists in doing so as long as you make sure you can go back to your schedule.  Be aware that these "surprises" are usually what breaks a schedule, for it's extremely difficult to get back on task for many people.