We all know the feeling… you make yourself a drink, grab your favourite healthy snack, open up your textbook and settle down to revise on your bed… but not matter how hard you try, you just can't focus on sticking with the task at hand – scrolling through social media, tidying your room, looking out the window – you're doing anything but revising! This is known as procrastination.

But Bitesize is here to get you back on track! We've asked Professor Fucshia Sirois, a leading expert on procrastination (she's literally written a book about it!), for her top tips on how to stop procrastinating.

Most people understand procrastination as a form of delay. We have an important task we know we should be doing (like revising) but we end up doing something else instead, like scrolling through social media, chatting with a friend, or even tidying our room. But unlike some types of delay, which may be outside of your control, like dealing with an unexpected emergency or waiting until you get important missing information, procrastination is delay that is both voluntary and unnecessary. We choose to put that task aside for no good reason.

It can also help to think about what procrastination is not to get a better idea of what procrastination is and how to tackle it. Procrastination is not simply laziness – when people feel lazy, they don't feel like doing anything. Yet many people can get quite busy with other less important tasks while they are procrastinating. They simply aren’t doing the task that needs to be done.

Because procrastination is harmful delay, it can never be positive. This is important to remember because we can sometimes fool ourselves into thinking that the 'rush' you get from revising at the last minute will translate into better performance and grades. Unfortunately, the evidence suggests otherwise. Students who procrastinate perform worse on academic tasks than those who don’t and are also more likely to use unfair means on their assessments, such as cheating and plagiarism. Add to this the stress that you experience from procrastinating, and it becomes clear that procrastination is a form of harmful delay.

If procrastination is so harmful then why do we do it? Many think it has to do with poor time management, poor discipline, or lack of self-control. These explanations only skim the surface and can lead to efforts that are ineffective at best, or that back-fire at worst. Shaming and blaming yourself for not being someone who is more focused or disciplined to lock in and revise is more likely to increase the chances that you will continue to procrastinate than stop procrastination.

Think of it this way. Voluntarily and unnecessarily delaying an important task, such as revising, despite knowing there will likely be negative consequences for yourself on the surface appears to be irrational. But what if I told you that the 'irrationality' of procrastination is actually an illusion, and that procrastination serves a purpose? Now by purpose I don’t mean that it is 'good', but rather that procrastination can function as a means to an end.

That 'end' has to do with managing the difficult emotions that we have about the task. For example, if you find revising stressful because your mind wanders ahead to the future and worries about the grade you will get, or you get frustrated when you encounter material that you are struggling to understand, you have to find a way to manage those emotions so you can stay focused. Some people have had teachers, family members or experiences that have taught them healthy ways to manage those emotions. But others did not. If you fall into the latter camp, then you are more likely to use procrastination as an unhealthy way to deal with those challenging negative emotions.

Basically, when you avoid the task that brings up difficult negative emotions, you get relief from those emotions, at least temporarily. Procrastination functions as a coping strategy to deal with those emotions and help you repair your negative mood. And if you do engage in more enjoyable tasks, such as connecting with friends on your phone or through social media, then that gives you another mood boost.

The problem is that procrastination is a temporary fix for managing mood. Research has shown that not only do negative emotions about a task drive procrastination, but after people procrastinate the negative and self-critical thoughts that they have about themselves and their procrastination make them feel even worse. The feelings of guilt and shame from procrastinating makes them want to avoid the task even more, leading to a vicious circle of further procrastination.

In short, procrastination is about poor mood management, not poor time management, or having character flaws. This is why surveying and understanding the emotional landscape of your procrastination is essential before taking steps to address it in a more compassionate way.

If difficulties managing challenging negative emotions about a task is the core reason for procrastination, then learning new, healthier ways to manage those difficult emotions can put you on the path to more fully engaging with rather than avoiding your revision.

The goal is not to remove ALL negative feelings you have about a task. A little bit of stress can actually boost performance so long as its not overwhelming. Instead, find ways to dial down those difficult emotions you have about revising so that they are more manageable.

Here are 3 evidence-backed strategies from Fucshia for reducing procrastination:

1. Don’t make emotional mountains out of molehills

Often before we begin a challenging task, we try to predict what it will be like and how we will feel. This mental time travelling can help with task planning, but it can also lead us to believe that the task is more difficult, stressful, or frustrating than it actually is. When we make emotional mountains out of molehills about a task such as revising, we are more likely to procrastinate as a way to avoid the difficult emotions we anticipate. To counter this, remind yourself of the last time you successfully faced a similar difficult task. What coping skills did you use to manage your emotions? And if the task itself feels large and overwhelming, breaking it down into smaller, more manageable tasks is a good way to reduce overwhelm and increase your confidence for completing the task. Reminding yourself of the coping resources and strategies you have for dealing with difficult emotions will reduce your risk for defaulting to procrastination.

2. See your task through the lens of meaning

When we are feeling stressed or frustrated about a task, it can be easy to forget why this task matters in the larger scheme of things. It can feel like a chore and something we have to do, rather than something that has value and that we choose to do to reach our larger, valuable goals. By connecting your task with these bigger goals, it becomes more meaningful, reduces the negative feelings that can prompt procrastination, and empowers you to keep going even when your revising gets difficult. Ask yourself how completing this task will be valuable for you reaching your important goals.

3. Trade criticism for compassion

When we procrastinate, we can feel like we are the only one doing it, and others are not struggling with procrastination the way we are. This can lead to judging yourself harshly, and feeling ashamed, which will only prompt more procrastination. But you are not alone. Procrastination is a very common problem, especially among students, and particularly with emotionally-loaded tasks such as revision. Instead of being self-critical, try being self-compassionate. What you would say to a good friend who was struggling with procrastination? Treat yourself with that same kindness and acceptance to refuel your motivation to stay engaged with your task. When you remind yourself that you are not alone in your struggle with procrastination, it’s also easier to reach out to others for support.

To get the most out of the strategies above, it’s also important to set up your revision environment for success. Removing temptations such as fun alternative tasks and digital distractions will keep your focus on your longer-term goal of doing well academically instead of the shorter-term goal of shifting your mood to one that is more positive.

If you’d like to learn more about how to manage emotions to reduce procrastination you may find the new TEMPO toolkit that has been developed by Fuschia useful. TEMPO, which stands for Taming Emotions to Manage Procrastination Openheartedly, is a free resource that you can download that takes a compassionate approach to addressing procrastination.

If you need support

You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.

If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline, where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are more links to helpful organisations on the BBC Bitesize Action Line page for young people.