Each day, I have a set of tasks that I have to do. But I always leave the most difficult one to the last minute.

I would do all of the easy ones first. Then when it comes to the one that is the most important, I would procrastinate.

I’d say, “Oh, I have plenty of time to finish it. I’ll just chill and watch this or do that for a bit. It may help me do this task better.”

One thing would lead to another, and the time would pass by without me even realizing it.

Then, I would be left with only an hour or so to finish the one assignment that would make my entire day feel accomplished.

But here’s the kicker -I would complete it in that shorter time span.

This is something referred to as Parkinson’s Law.

What is Parkinson’s Law?

Parkinson’s Law is a theory developed by C. Northcote Parkinson.

He came up with this theory during his time in the British Civil Service and published an essay on it in The Economist.

The theory states that:

“Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”

So, what the heck does this mean?

Well, it means that if you allotted 3 hours, for instance, to do a homework assignment, you will spend 3 hours to finish that assignment (even if you don’t need that much time).

But, if you were to only give yourself 1 hour to complete that assignment, you will also be able to finish it in that time.

The reason why we do this is that we’re humans and we waste time (probably).

How to Use Parkinson’s Law to Our Advantage

So, how can you prevent this from happening to you so that you can manage your time better?

The best way is to set reasonable deadlines or due dates.

For example, let’s say your teacher or professor assigns you an essay that’s due in a month.

Instead of using all that time to do it, you should set a pre-deadline that’s one or two weeks earlier.

This way, you will be more focused on the task at hand and will work harder to get it done rather than procrastinating and potentially starting the assignment the night before.

However, if you just tell yourself that you want to finish it a couple of weeks earlier, you won’t (especially if you’re a serial procrastinator like me).

You’ll reason with yourself and find excuses to justify why you don’t need to complete it so soon.

So, in addition to setting the earlier deadline, you also need a way to keep yourself accountable.

You can use an accountability partner -someone who will deal a punishment if you don’t do it on time- or you can find someone to pair up with to do this method with you.

You two will set punishments for each other. You can also check up with each other throughout to see where each’s progress is at.

There are also apps that you can use. But I think doing it with an actual person you know will be more effective.

An alternative method you can do to prevent procrastination is by setting deadlines for each task of the assignment.

For instance, if your essay can be broken up into 5 tasks, then you can set a deadline for each one.

You can set a 2-hour deadline for the first one. Then, another 2 hours for the second, and so on and so on.

You can even use the Pomodoro Technique to finish multiple steps in one day.

By doing it this way, you will have clear goals for what you have to do in any given day or work session.

Benefits of Understanding Parkinson’s Law

By understanding and applying Parkinson’s Law, you will be able to manage your time more efficiently.

You’ll be able to complete tasks much quicker because you have an understanding of how time and procrastination work.

As a result, you’ll be more productive.

Final Thoughts

Procrastination is something that has always affected me.

I tend to leave things to the last minute and this affects how well I do something.

I’m sure many of you are affected by this, too.

Thus, if you want to start managing your time more wisely, start using Parkinson’s Law to your advantage.

Being a student is a hard job.

You have a lot of things to do on any given day and you have to do them well (because, you know, it may affect your grade).

However, it doesn’t have to be that difficult.

You can make things easier for yourself. You just need to know the right tools to use.

So, here are 8 essential tools that will help you with being productive, organized, and knowledgeable.

1) Notion

Notion is a scheduling and note-taking app.

The reason why you need this app is that it will keep you organized (and we all know the power of organization).

With all of its features, it will help you stay on track of things so that you know exactly what you need to do during study sessions. You can also write or store notes in it so that studying can be seamless.

Additionally, the reason why I suggest Notion as an essential tool for students over the other note-taking apps is that it has a toggle feature that can help you study for exams.

You can use this feature to study via the active recall method (you can read more about this study method here).

2) OneDrive or Google Drive

When I was a student, I had to rely on buggy USB drives to store all of my work (which I “occasionally” lost). Nowadays, you guys have multiple online drives to choose from.

The reason why you need an online drive, such as OneDrive or Google Drive, is that you need a place to store your work. You need something that is easily accessible.

Online drives were made for this. You can work on something at school, save it to your drive, and then go home and continue where you left off with (essentially) a press of a button.

Having one of these just makes things easier for you.

3) Khan Academy

Have you ever came across a problem that you just couldn’t figure out or understand while doing your homework?

And, on top of that, there was no one around that could help you?

I sure have.

But the difference between when I was in school and presently is that now, you have websites such as Khan Academy that are essential tools for students.

You can go to it, search for the topic you need help with, and it’ll show you how to solve it.

You don’t have to call around to ask or wait until the next school day to ask your teacher for help (which can be daunting).

4) CrashCourse

Similar to Khan Academy, CrashCourse (a YouTube Channel) can be used to explain facts and concepts to you.

The key difference, however, is that Khan Academy covers more grades and classes (starts at grade 1), whereas CrashCourse only covers certain topics (and the topics tend to be for the more advanced grades).

Additionally, Khan Academy offers more tutorial-like videos, whereas CrashCourse offers online video courses.

So, if you need to get a better understanding of an entire topic, such as a historical event or scientific fact, this channel will serve you well.

But if you need to know how to solve, say a math problem, Khan Academy will do a better job at that.

5) Grammarly

Writing is hard and sometimes you’re cramped on time.

As a result, you may rush to complete an essay and won’t review it thoroughly because of time constraints.

Here’s where Grammarly will be of use. It’ll proofread the entire writing for you and underline the errors.

Thus, when you do proofread it yourself, you won’t have to put in as much work editing.

Though, I will say that knowing and understanding grammatical rules is much more useful. If you know them well, you won’t make grammatical mistakes in the first place.

But accidents do happen. So, this is why Grammarly is an essential tool.

I want to also add that there are two versions of this app.

The free one will only check for basic grammar mistakes, whereas the paid one will check for a variety of mistakes. I personally only use the free version and I think it will do enough for most students.

If you want to improve your writing, click here to read this article on the most common grammatical mistakes.

6) Motivational Content

As I stated at the beginning of this article, being a student is tough. And sometimes, things aren’t going to go your way and self-doubt will creep in.

You won’t believe in yourself and consequently, won’t put your best foot forward.

This is why you should try to get a regular dose of motivational or inspirational quotes. It’ll help you get out of a rut if you’re in one (here’s how to find out) or help you stay motivated.

There are many ways to receive motivational content, but I suggest signing up for an email newsletter (such as the Daily Stoic) because it gets automatically sent to you.

You don’t have to go into Google or onto social media and search for inspirational quotes.

You can just log into your e-mail and it is there, ready for you to consume.

7) Google Docs and Microsoft Word Online

As a student, you will need to use a word processor. And you will need to use it often.

This is why you need to have your own copy.

The two that are easiest and most seamless to use are Google Docs and Microsoft Word Online.

They’re both free and both are great for writing essays and stories and such.

Additionally, by signing up for either one of these, you’ll also be provided with an online drive to use (hence, the seamless aspect).

However, I’m pretty sure the majority of you already have one of these (or both). Buuuut if you don’t, get one.

8) Hemingway Editor

The Hemingway Editor is a free online app that helps you clean up your writing.

When you’re writing an essay, for instance, and there are one or two sentences that you can’t seem to make sound good, pop it into this app.

It’ll show you what the potential errors are and which parts you should delete or re-write to clean it up.

So, if you’re teacher has called you out for writing long, clunky, choppy sentences, Hemingway Editor will be your best companion.

It’ll help make your writing understandable and easy to read.

When you use this app in conjunction with Grammarly, your essays should be top-notch (emphasis on “should”).

Final Thoughts on the Best Tools for Students

These are the 8 tools that all students should have and use.

It will make your life easier by providing you with assistance in the departments of motivation, organization, and homework help.

So, check them out and give them a try.

When the lockdowns initially happened in 2020, everyone was stuck at home. Many people also had to work and attend school from home.

This was difficult for most. But as time passed, so did their frustrations with working from home.

They developed routines and got used to them. However, this caused many people to hit a rut because pretty much everything that they did was in their home.

I know I did.

I will admit, however, that I normally primarily work from home. For me, I spend most of my day at my desk writing.

But since I couldn’t go anywhere else to work (because most places were closed), such as to a coffee shop or to my tutoring centre, I entered a slump; my energy felt low and my creative juices were drying out as well.

I felt stuck.

Noticing this, I had a feeling that it was my workspace that was hindering my productivity.

At first, I thought it was the lighting and the lack of sunlight in my workspace.

So, I packed up some of my gear and moved to my kitchen to work for a few days because there’s more natural light there and it was a different space.

And surprise, surprise (not really), my mojo started filling back up.

I eventually moved back to my original workspace. But since I had just interrupted my daily routine, I didn’t hit another rut.

How Do I Know I’m In Rut?

Okay, so how do you know if you’re in a rut?

Well, if you feel unproductive or uncreative and a short break to take your mind off things didn’t improve your energy levels, you are in a rut.

If you’ve been constantly procrastinating and you just can’t seem to get yourself to focus on your work, you’re probably in a rut.

How To Break Out Of Ruts

So, how can you get out of it?

The first thing I suggest you do is to take a short break. Then, when you come back, find or create a new workspace.

This will help you get out of the rut because it will disrupt your regular routine.

And when you disturb your routine every now and then, it does something to your brain that helps inspire creativity and thus helps you break out of ruts.

It’s like you’re telling your brain to get off of autopilot so that you can steer and explore.

How to Find a New Workspace

Normally, leaving your house and going to a coffee shop or library (or such) is best.

These places are filled with people working and this environment can inspire you. But if you can’t or don’t want to go out, try working in a different room in your house.

Ideally, I want a room with a lot of sunlight and desk space.

Even though I don’t need many things (just my iPad, portable keyboard, and notebook), the openness of the room, for whatever reason, allows me to think more freely. I’m able to be more creative; I don’t feel clustered up and cramped.

But this is just what I prefer.

You may want something totally different and that’s fine. The important thing is that you find a comfortable temporary workspace that will help you get back into your grooves.

Final Thoughts on How to Break Out of Ruts

There are many ways to get out of a rut. But changing up your space, even temporarily, is one of the easiest ways.

You don’t have to change much.

All you have to do is pack up your core work essentials, put them into a backpack, and walk to a different area to work a couple of times.

It’ll break you out of the monotony of your everyday routine and inspire you.

The move will disrupt your daily habits and charge you up.

So, if you’re feeling unenergetic and unproductive, work from a different space.

I’m pretty sure you’re here, on this article, because you want to find ways to stop missing due dates.

You probably handed in a few assignments late, got in trouble (and a bad grade), and now you want to be better.

That’s good. I wish I was more like you when I was a student.

I always waited until the last minute to start my work and this negatively affected me, but I never tried to change.

I never put much thought into fixing my bad habits.

Anyway, this isn’t about me. It’s about what you can do to improve.

Benefits of Starting on Projects Early and Working on Them Consistently

So, the best advice I can give you for avoiding handing things in late is to start on projects early and to consistently work on them.

Don’t procrastinate and put them off. Don’t let Parkinson’s Law get to you.

If you don’t know what procrastination is, it is, according to Merriam-Webster:

“to put off intentionally the doing of something that should be done.”

The benefits of not procrastinating and starting on things early are you’ll have more time to plan and work on it, more time to review it, and you won’t have to rush to finish it and be all stressed out.

How to Not Procrastinate and Start on Projects Early

For instance, let’s say you are assigned a research project that is due in one month.

The day you receive the assignment, you should start looking over it and start thinking about how you want to approach it.

Figure out what topic you want to research, what argument or stance you want to take, and what type of sources you want to provide.

In the next session, which should be within the same week, you should start doing some of your research.

Start looking for some potential articles, websites, and/or books that you can use for your project. It doesn’t have to be heavy research, but you should start browsing.

Then the next session, you should continue with the research. But this time, be more serious about it and read through the sources thoroughly to see if you can use them.

You should also start recording the information that you intend on using.

For example, if there is a quote you want to use or a study you want to refer to, copy and paste it into a word document.

Keep doing this for as many sessions as necessary. Once you have enough research sources, start outlining your project. This shouldn’t take too long to complete.

Then the next work session, start putting your project together. Break it up into smaller projects and just work on it bit by bit consistently.

Each day or work session, work on a section.

Before you know it, it’ll be completed way before the due date. This will also give you time to proof it and to make any necessary fixes.

And that’s pretty much the gist of how to avoid missing due dates by starting on projects early.

The Importance of Working on Projects Consistently

I want to emphasize, however, that the two most important things are to start and to work on it consistently.

Every day (or every other day), work on one part and just keep chopping down the tasks.

This is the only way that you will be able to finish it before the due date.

If you were to work on it every day for a couple of days, but leave the bulk of it until there’s a day left, then you won’t be able to put in your best effort because you’ll be strapped on time.

Thus, you have to spread out your work and tackle each section individually.

The best way to do this is to schedule out which work sessions will be dedicated to which parts.

This will allow you to know what part of the assignment you need to do on any given day.

Final Thoughts

Missing due dates is a horrible feeling.

But rushing at the last minute to hand in a bad project isn’t a good solution.

What you need to do is start on the project early so that you can finish it early.

So don’t procrastinate. Get an early start on assignments and work on them consistently.

When I was a student, one of my worst flaws was procrastination (actually, I’m still quite a big procrastinator, but we’ll talk about that later).

It prevented me from completing things that were important on time (or doing them well).

For instance, if there was a big project that had an upcoming due date, I often waited until there was one week left before I started it (sometimes I didn’t start it until the night before).

I would rush on it and do a crappy job and then (obviously) get a bad grade.

If only I could go back in time, I would tell myself to start the assignment earlier. I would have had more time to do it and would’ve probably gotten a slightly better mark.

Anywhoo, as I mentioned earlier, I still procrastinate. But I have certain tools or techniques that I use to prevent myself from procrastinating too often.

One of them is the 5-Minute Rule.

What is the 5-Minute Rule?

The 5-Minute Rule is a productivity method that tricks you into doing work when you don’t want to.

It tricks your brain into believing that you only have to work for five minutes (or a short period of time) and then you can go off and be lazy again.

However, the majority of the time, you will work for much longer.

This method has done wonders for me. One of the things it has helped me with is creating a habit of reading first thing in the morning.

How I Use the 5-Minute Rule

A couple of years ago, I wanted to start reading more regularly because of all the benefits that come with it.

I specifically wanted to read for at least 30 minutes in the morning before I did anything else.

Most days, I gladly did it. But some days, it was a dread to have to do it. I just wanted to go onto social media and mindlessly scroll or watch videos online (I’m sure you’ve felt this many times before, too).

But -ironically enough- on one of those lazy days, I came across a video talking about the 5-Minute Rule. It looked interesting so I watched it. Immediately after, I tested out the rule.

I told myself that all I had to do was read four pages (which is about five minutes for me to read. I’m a slow reader… don’t make fun) and I can be done with it. But I ended up reading the entire chapter.

Right after I tried it out, I knew this was a good method for me and now I use it all the time.

Another thing that this method has helped me with is getting me to write on days where I don’t feel like writing.

I tell myself that all I have to do is either proofread an article that I previously wrote or write the introduction of a new article that I’m working on.

I always end up doing more than what I tell myself because I get into a zone.

The weird thing about this method is that you clearly know that you’re tricking yourself. But you (I, anyway) fall for it every single time.

How to Use the 5-Minute Rule

So, how can you apply the 5-Minute Rule to yourself?

Whenever you feel like you’re procrastinating, just tell yourself (sometimes you will have to force yourself) to work for five minutes (or for a tiny bit).

However, you actually have to work on your project.

You can’t do it half-heartedly. You have to focus and deliberately work on your assignment. Don’t look at a clock or timer either. You can only concentrate on the task at hand.

By the time you feel like you’re done (or don’t want to work anymore), you’ll most likely have done a bunch of work (so, good job!).

Benefits of Using the 5-Minute Rule

One of the main reasons why you should use this method is because it’s low resistance.

The 5-Minute Rule doesn’t require a lot of convincing. You just have to trick yourself into starting. And that’s the most important thing in dismantling procrastination -starting.

If you are able to get yourself to start on your work, to be still and focused, procrastination won’t be able to creep in.

The reason why is once you start working for a bit, you’ll enter a zone like I do and will be fully immersed in your work.

Thus, JUST START.

Final Thoughts

The Two-Minute Rule isn’t a sexy productivity hack. But it’s simple and it works (and isn’t that all that matters?).

Thus, whenever you’re feeling lazy and don’t want to do something that’s important, just tell yourself to do a little bit of work.

More times than not, you’ll be so focused that you’ll complete the entire project, which will leave you a bunch of time to review it, which will lead to you getting awesome grades (and more time to do other things).

So, just start working for 5 minutes and go from there.