Scared of falling behind in school? Here’s How to Stay Productive

With distractions, procrastination, and environment playing a role.

By Emma Hoang

Productivity is a must in today’s society. With everyone’s time being limited, being productive is a skill and strength to have. How to stay productive when there are many distractions, procrastination that can kick in, and the environment one might be in that could ruin productivity. When fall semester comes around, many students have to transition from their mindset of the Summer to back to school. Falling behind can be detrimental to a student’s GPA and overall motivation. There are some tips to staying productive and lots of options for different kinds of tactics to use in order to combat falling behind. It all depends on the type of person you are and the organization you want to use.

Before discussing how to stay productive, one must know the obstacles that block them from it. Distractions are a big one, whether it be a person like a friend or another activity that seems more fun than the task at hand. One distraction that many college students struggle with are electronic devices. Having a phone is useful and fun at times, but they can be a huge distraction that prevents productivity. Being with friends or at home with loud noises are also another example of distractions. Imagine hanging out with friends during a study date but they keep talking about other things. It’s hard to focus and stay on task.

Procrastination is a whole other topic that prevents productivity as well. Putting things off till the last minute or doing something else that seems more fun can be easy. This is why procrastination can be so dangerous. Something to combat this is to set a reminder on your phone to put it down and do the tasks on your to-do list. Many people prefer this method like Shaun and Alicia. It allows you to set alarms for yourself which sets up organization and holds you accountable.

One student from SUNY Niagara, Madalyn, suggests that people stay connected with nature during their study time. It helps decrease stress levels and ultimately will make you even more productive. Hearing the sounds of nature while you study for a huge test, having fresh air during a break before going back to your tasks, and focusing on yourself help so much. She also provides another tip for studying that will make it more productive. Choosing a topic to study for only 20 minutes will help you retain the information better. Switching the topic after the 20 minutes will help allow you to stay focused and not bored.

Some people prefer to have a written planner or agenda to keep track of their tasks. This method allows you to physically see your to-do list and check off the tasks as you go. Not only does this technique also hold you accountable, but seeing tasks being checked off can help boost your motivation to keep finishing things. This is why many high schools provide planners for students for free because it helps set them up for success in the long run. Even in college, buying an agenda is affordable and worth the money.

One key note to productivity is how you get your homework done. Going to the ACE center at SUNY Niagara is a great way to get help for those classes and to study efficiently. Using your time wisely is the biggest tip for productivity. If you can use time management to focus and get things done, you will be successful. Productivity is important and hopefully one can balance everyday life and tasks through these methods.