<p>I need to send one of my college applications by Oct 15, but I don't even have the essays ready yet! I'm so stressed, and I hate how I keep procrastinating and push things off. How can I ever get anything done?
So frustrated...</p>
<p>Okay…break it down. Get a timer. Yup. A kitchen timer. Set it for 15 minutes. And start writing the essay, or filling in the apps, or whatever ONE thing you decide is most important. When the bell rings, stop. Write down on a piece of paper what you got done. Set the timer for 5 minutes. Go do something brainless, like check your FB or bounce a ball…but when the bell rings, STOP and go back for more college work, as noted above.</p>
<p>You know you have a deadline of 10/15. Chart out how you’re going to get there (1 hour of app work every day?). Plan a reward for yourself when you get done…</p>
<p>My daughter last year gave herself the deadline of her birthday in September to be done with apps/essays (9 colleges). She beat it by 3 days. We went out for a giant ice cream sundae (what she wanted) and did NOT think about college stuff for those next 3 days. (Then got in the groove for scholarship apps, following up on recommendations, preparing for her auditions…).</p>
<p>Set the timer. Small bites.</p>