Relax. Attending college or university can be an intense, stressful process, and the effects of stress can wear you down over time. When you are stressed, or your mind is cluttered, you can end up procrastinating simply because you are not able to focus. Take a bath, listen to calming music, or find other ways to promote relaxation and relieve your stress.
Think positively. Having a negative attitude can set you back and cause you unnecessary worry and stress. If you think you are going to fail, you will, so when school projects and assignments come up, stay optimistic and believe you can succeed. As Dr. Dale Hunter puts it, "As difficult as it may seem, you have to adopt a positive attitude. Anything you believe you can do, you can do."
Write down important dates on a calendar or in an agenda book, to stay organized and keep track of your progress. You will find it much harder to put things off and avoid completing your work, when you have a clear view of everything you need to get done.
Plan your study time. Improving time management helps you avoid procrastinating. The best strategies include creating a dedicated study space, free from distraction, and working in blocks of time with breaks in between. When you know you have a rest period to look forward to, rather than thinking you have to spend a whole day studying, you are not going to feel as inclined to put it off.
Set goals and plan rewards. One of the most effective ways to stop procrastination and stay motivated, is to plan rewards for yourself to look forward to. For instance, plan to spend a weekend traveling or going to a special event, as a reward for making it through the first semester. This is going to help push you, and keep you focused on achieving your goals.