As I sit up my kitchen side, staring at my laptop screen while desperately trying to make a start on an assignment, I felt like now was the best time to write a post about procrastination.

Procrastination is something I am almost certain that everyone experiences at some point in their university lives (or life in general), and for some of us, it happens on the daily. This can cause a bit of a tricky situation, where that inability to force ourselves to do an assignment only ends up causing a huge amount of stress in the long run. At the time, it's so difficult to convince yourself that you'll be suffering much more from the decisions you are making now. Even if you're aware of that fact, for some reason, your brain just doesn't want to process that fact and take action. So instead, we continue to sit and stare at a blank word document and waste a whole day doing absolutely nothing, out of guilt for doing anything but that.

It doesn't really make sense when you think about it. So fair enough, it's going to be one of those days where you just can't produce a single sentence without checking your phone or staring out of the window. However, why should that mean that we waste a whole day doing absolutely nothing because of it? I don't know about you but when I find myself procrastinating, I'll find small and useless things to do while just sitting in front of that piece of work. For some reason, I feel guilty if I step away from my laptop screen and do something a little more productive, because then I'm no longer paying any attention to the assignment that should be in front of me. So as a result, I just end up wasting a whole day sat in front of my laptop screen, doing absolutely nothing, but still manage to feel a sense of achievement at the fact that I 'tried', when in actual fact, I just wasted a day.

That's where learning how to deal with procrastination can really come in handy. Being able to notice when you're doing it and pull away from the guilt you experience by not doing your work, and distract your mind by doing something else instead.
It's about learning to pull yourself away from that blank word document and teach your mind that it's okay to step away if you're incapable of being productive. It's okay to take a couple of hours off, or even a whole day because as a result, you'll be allowing yourself time to do something more enjoyable and also productive with that time. In addition, that time away may even provide you with a little motivation to sit down and get a few paragraphs written over a few days. Or it may even give you enough motivation to get the whole thing finished way before the deadline date, and escape all that last minute stress.

Procrastination can be incredibly difficult to live with because it consumes you with guilt, which leads to frustration, which ends up adding to the procrastination you are already experiencing.
Learning to accept you're having an off day is the key to overcoming it.
Learning to appreciate writing a few sentences as a success when you're really struggling, is the best way to remove the guilt and to keep on going.
Learning to allow yourself some time away from those deadlines to refresh your mind, can really help avoid those few days of stress as you reach a final deadline and still have a tonne of the assignment left to complete.

Procrastination can be difficult to live with, but it is possible to learn to live with it too. It's all about training your mind to remove the guilt you feel and instead, feel that time with something else productive that you're going to gain a little more enjoyment from until you regain your motivation!

....

Before starting my masters degree, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I didn't know how much the difficulty would compare to undergraduate, I didn't know if the workload would be the same, and if they would grade it the same. I had so many questions as it was fairly daunting to wonder what I was signing myself up for.

I had managed to survive undergraduate but how would I manage getting a second degree?

I am half way through my second trimester of Masters therefore, I feel like I can now share my experience to provide some idea of the differences between masters and undergraduate degrees.


How does the workload compare?

This was something I was incredibly worried about and it was a very justified worry. Although we no longer have any exams (which is great!), our coursework has doubled (or maybe tripled). I have been used to doing one piece of coursework per module however, at masters we're doing 2-3 pieces instead. To add to this, the word limits have increased dramatically too, as most of the assignments are portfolios rather than just essays.

On top of this, we have our dissertation to work on too, but coming straight from 3rd year meant I was used to this balance.


How does the grading compare?

Our work is graded more harshly but this was expected. We were given a new grading scheme and there has been changes in terms of which percentage fits what grade, meaning achieving a 2:1 or a 1st will take a bit more work.

The aspect that I still struggled to understand though was what was expected of my work and writing style. I was incredibly nervous when writing my first piece of coursework as I felt like I was still producing something similar to undergrad level and I was worried it wouldn't be enough. However, at the same time I wasn't sure how I could improve it.

Although I did struggle with this, when getting the grade back I had managed to get a 1st, so I must have done something right. That did make me relax a little and feel as though in terms of writing style, they were not asking for much more, as the actual work has become more challenging. However, I am still a little nervous that the work I am producing isn't quite enough.


How does the difficulty compare to undergraduate?

To sum it up - I have found every piece of coursework we have done so far incredibly difficult and at times, really lost any belief in my capabilities in studying this degree. I did find our undergraduate work difficult but now looking back, I realise how much of a step up Masters is.

Of course I expected this and I didn't think it would be easy but it really has been a challenge. I have experienced huge amounts of stress and it's most definitely been the most difficult semesters I have had since starting university. If you're planning to do a Masters degree, just be prepared for this!


What are the modules like?

I have absolutely loved the modules we have studied at Masters (besides statistics but that's another point). Undergrad is very broad and we tended to study a range of different topics, many of which I wasn't interested in. However, it's now amazing to just focus on the ones that really hold my interest (clinical psychology) and to gain knowledge of them at a much deeper level.


What don't you like about studying a Masters in Psychology?

Statistics is the simple answer. As part of undergrad Psychology you have to study research methods and statistics, and the same applies for Masters... you can't escape it! We have a module of statistics each semester and it has been a huge challenge. It's not something that comes naturally to me however, I am trying my hardest in hope of it not dragging my grade down.


Is it best to take a year out before starting a Masters?

If you're finishing undergraduate feeling a little overwhelmed, it may be useful to take a year out before starting a Masters. It will be an incredibly intense year and that may not be what you need. Part of me wishes I had taken a year out and done some travelling or something fun before jumping straight in, however at the same time I love studying so much that it just felt natural to go straight into it. I have also found it super useful coming straight from undergrad as I have all the knowledge pretty fresh in my mind (that's been even more useful with statistics). I worried that if I waited a year, I may struggle a little more when I did finally go back.


Overall... what can you expect when studying a Masters degree in Psychology?

Lots and lots of work... but I'm sure that's already assumed. Masters most definitely is not easy, it has been a challenge but it is so much fun too! I love learning and I have loved all of my lectures (besides statistics). I can't pinpoint a single one that has lost my interest. It's amazing to finally focus on one topic within Psychology which I absolutely love and gain a more in depth knowledge of it too.


Having a Masters degree will be incredibly beneficial, not only as it's another qualification but because of the extra knowledge I have gained from it too.

If you are a University student, you will probably be able to relate to that huge mood changer that comes along when the end of a semester is in sight, whether that be the build up to the Christmas holidays, or the month of May when final deadlines are handed in and exams begin.

It can be very easy to get caught up in the panic and stress of how much work you have to do and then in return feeling like your head is going to explode. The idea of working through essay after essay and then having to spend the few weeks building up to exams shut away in your room revising can become very overwhelming. However, amongst all of this, it is so important to always put your mental health first.

If you don't feel right in yourself and you're not in the right frame of mind to focus, then it's only going to make matters worse. Until you begin to look after your mental health, you're never going to be able to put your best self forward, to finish off the essays and revise for those exams. Therefore, it should always be your primary focus, guilt free.

Stress is something I have always struggled with throughout my academic years and it has also linked closely with my anxiety. Therefore, around this time of the year my whole body becomes extremely sensitive to every little thing that's happening around me and can trigger the worst at any point.

The overload of work and things to be thinking/worrying about can all get a bit too much and with each year of University I have always experienced that sudden break down, where I just want to cry and give up. However, each time this has happened I have always been able to look back and feel extremely glad that I never did.

Although it is very normal to get stressed over exams/deadlines, it's not okay to let it consume your mind and take over your life. Your mental health is much more important than getting a good grade. You need to focus on getting yourself well, happy, and in the right mindset to continue.

I may not have it all figured out just yet, but I have learned that when I begin to feel overwhelmed, it is time to take a step back. I don't feel guilty for taking some time to myself, whether that be taking a walk in the fresh air or taking a few days off from work completely. Either way, I know it's so important to allow myself that time, so I can come back and feel ready to tackle those deadlines once again.

If you ever feel like you're struggling and feel overloaded with deadlines that you can't cope with, take a step back. Speak to your housemate, a close friend, or even contact your university's wellbeing service for a bit of support. You are most definitely not alone, and I can assure you that so many people will be able to relate and will be very willing to help you out.

You shouldn't ever have to feel alone through these critical moments in your degree. Make sure you are looking after yourself and getting the help and support when you need it. You're fully capable of reaching the end and finishing your degree, and you will do it.

When people say you can only do your best, that doesn't mean working yourself so hard that it leads to a breakdown and puts your mental health at risk. Instead, do your best while being aware of your limits and take a steadier approach to success. Always put your mental health first.