Many students would ask the same question over and over again, “How can I do my accounting homework most effectively if I am a keen procrastinator?”. The problem with any homework, which is especially true in accounting, is that you don’t see any instant gratification upon completing it. It is often boring and not motivating. How does one fight his or her reluctance and gets their abundance of monotonous tasks done?
Below are some tips and tricks which will help you fight procrastination and help you start — and also finish — your accounting homework.
Choose the Right Environment
Your working environment is probably the most important condition for getting started with your homework. You need to find a place where you’ll have the working mood and a studying atmosphere.
Get Everything You Need around Yourself
Prepare your workplace in advance. Think about all the things you will need during your work on a particular assignment. This way, you will avoid fetching something you need in the middle of the process and getting distracted again.
Avoid Sleepy Areas
Your workplace should be comfortable, but not too much. Why? Because you’d be tempted to fall asleep, especially if you are doing something as un-entertaining as homework in accounting. That’s why your cozy bed or your favorite cuddly armchair is not an option.
Prioritize the Assignments
There is one rule of homework — you can’t get everything done at once. You’ll have to decide which assignments you will do first and which you will leave till the end. You probably have the most pressing ones to be done as soon as possible. You might also consider doing the largest tasks first that are either complex or require lots of time to complete.
Make Breaks
You must set a certain amount of time that you will be working on the assignment and then allow some time for a break. Firstly, it will be easier to start when you know that, at some point in the nearest future, you will have some rest. Secondly, breaks will help you maintain the optimal schedule. There are methodologies that might help you balance your working time and playtime, such as the Pomodoro technique. In it, you set the timer for 25 minutes and stay focused on your work. When these 25 minutes run out, you make an obligatory break, during which you reward yourself with something nice and pleasant — a snack or 5 minutes of Facebook. Using a timer is important here.
Limit the Distractions
You might want to clear your desktop from everything that is not related to your accounting homework. Put away your phone, so that you’re not tempted to check it every 5 minutes. If you are working on your laptop, then your main foe is the Internet with all its Facebooks and YouTubes. You can use apps to block distractions. For example, install Google Chrome extensions like Productivity Owl or StayFocused. They will block the hazardous websites for you while you are working. The Owl also works as an activity schedule — you can preset the time for breaks during which you’ll be able to browse the Internet as much as you want.
Use Task- and Time-Tracking Apps
Sometimes, apps will help you sort your tasks and get them done in a more effective way. You might use Google Tasks in your Google Calendar — it will work on any machine. Finish (for iOS) was designed for procrastinating students. It allows you to create a task, add a due date, and have all your activity visible and structured. If you want to turn completing tasks into a game, get Carrot. It rewards you for finishing pieces of work by giving you points and unlocking new levels. If you want specifically to track your time, then you should use TimeLogger (for both iOS and Android) or similar tools.
So, here it is. All you need to complete your accounting homework is to find a nice spot, arrange all the tools you will need while avoiding distractions, prioritize the assignments, and make planned breaks. There are also apps that will help you systemize, prioritize, and track the time of all your tasks. Good luck with your homework!