I’d like to think I’m not an easily distracted person.
It’s ironic, because as soon as I wrote that, I got distracted by the “Family Feud” episode playing in my common room.
So, anyway, back to my original point. Not all of us struggle with focusing, but it can definitely catch up to us every once in a while. And, sometimes, it’s beneficial to one’s mental health and well-being to put all that work on a shelf and find a distraction! Here are some ideas:
1. Walk across Warwick Boulevard and grab a sweet treat from Rita’s. Personally, I love anything with chocolate added.
2. If the weather’s nice and you have a hammock (or a friend with a hammock), spend some time in the sun and breeze.
3. Take a nap! This is one of my go-to strategies.
4. Watch a movie you’ve been meaning to see or catch up on your favorite TV show.
5. Hit the gym, walk the Noland Trail, jog the surrounding neighborhoods or organize an impromptu volleyball game with friends at the James River courts.
6. People watch in the Trible Plaza or Einstein’s (while you’re in Einstein’s, you can grab one of those bagel sandwiches everyone raves about!)
7. Chat up a professor. Stop by his or her office and ask questions that don’t have anything to do with classwork. Our professors are people, too!
8. Delete some of those awkward Facebook profile pictures from seventh grade.
9. Ask your roommate or suitemates an intentional, open-ended question; maybe, you’ll discover something new about them!
Hopefully, these few ideas spur you on your way to procrastination! Just remember, a little procrastination can be great, but it always needs to be done in a smart way. If you can afford to put something off for a little bit, then start trying out the above strategies! But, if not, get yourself back in that library – pronto!
