Is it true Senioritis has already hit? Seniors are going a bit crazy with Early Action and Early Decision deadlines coming up within the next month. It can all get a bit overwhelming and sometimes, scratch that most of the time, all we want is a break from the chaos. Once we get that break, though, we tend to let the senioritis get the best of us and we abandon our priorities until the last minute. Here are a few tips for seniors to help with procrastination:

1. Don’t start a new Netflix show
I’m telling you this is the worst thing you can do. I know from past experiences that when I get stressed, I start to get anxious about all parts of my life; including my TV shows.
So what do I do? I start a new one. That’s five unwatched seasons of a brand new show calling for me every time I want to get away from my work. Never start a new Netflix show when you’re busy.
Senior Chelsea Mullen ’16 agrees, “Netflix shouldn’t be a priority, but who am I kidding I’m rewatching ‘Gossip Girl’ for the third time now.”

2. Put self control on on your computer
Facebook, Twitter, youtube, and more are all at our disposal when typing out our college essays on our computers. It’s so easy and tempting to just simply open a new tab and start scrolling through social media sites.
Luckily, Apple knows us seniors too well and has “self control” on the Mac. Self control allows you to block your own access to distracting websites on the Internet by setting a time limit. Until the time ends, you aren’t able to access the sites you blocked.

3. Put phone on do not disturb
Our computers might be on self control, but that doesn’t mean our phones are. Every time our phone vibrates, it’s one more distraction from finishing that college application.
Do yourself a favor and put your phone on “Do Not Disturb.” This way your phone will still receive text messages and notifications but without buzzing or lighting up. Plus it’s exciting to get back from an hour of work and see how many notifications you compiled within the hour.
4. Give yourself breaks after every hour of completing something
Although this is an article about getting your work done and avoiding distractions, it’s still OK and healthy to give yourself appropriate breaks. Keep a system where every time you finish something you allow yourself to get up and get a snack, or check your phone/social media websites, or watch an episode of “Parenthood.”
Celestine Chua, writer for LifeHack, states “Part of the reason why we procrastinate is because subconsciously, we find the work too overwhelming for us. Break it down into little parts, then focus on one part at the time.”
5. Plan things out ahead of time
Keeping a schedule is key in time management. Spread everything out within a few days so you don’t overwhelm yourself too much.
Tutor from Top Hat Tutors, Vig Namasivayam ’16, advocates that “managing time is really important because with all the college apps and school work, plus the extracurriculars you have going on, it’s important to make sure you’re focused on getting stuff done. With bad time management you sleep less and the stress becomes unreal.”

Being a senior is stressful at this time of year, but to the best of your ability take charge and make it less stressful than it has to be.