The Grumbling Warrior An Inspirational Story from a Young Teacher Teaching in International School

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Getting a job right after graduating from college is the dream of every student, but not all have the same opportunity, destiny, and time. One of the interesting stories comes from the 2021 Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII) English Language Education graduate, who immediately got a job at an international education institution after graduation. She is Laelah Al Mubarokah, a young teacher at Pelita Bangsa School, Cirebon, West Java. This school is a pioneer of the Cambridge international school in Cirebon that applied either national or international curriculum.

Laelah had the opportunity to be a fourth-grade teacher by teaching three subjects, including Information and Communication Technology (ICT), science, and Global Perspective. After she was accepted as a teacher, she truly struggled. It is because she graduated from English education, but she had to teach three subjects beyond her background. Therefore, she had to learn and start from scratch. In addition, the more challenging part is that because the students are categorized as highly motivated and diligent. They often ask questions that she did not expect previously. Laelah once said, “I know the answer, but it feels difficult to simplify the answers so that it is easier to understand.”

She felt a tough challenge in the first and second months of being a teacher because the school treated her to follow international standards at the school. Meanwhile, she was still carried away by the habit during her undergraduate. Further, everyone here works with high expectations. It makes her put more effort into understanding and adjusting to the school’s culture. She even felt down with high expectations from schools, teachers, and parents of students. Gratefully, in this sixth month, she got used to the school’s study habits and successfully adapted to the work environment.

On the other hand, she felt happy and grateful because the transition from undergraduate to work was relatively faster than others. Besides, she was surrounded by open-minded, respectful, and appreciative people. In addition, she found it challenging because 50% of the educators at school are expatriate teachers. Thus, her mindset, teaching skill, and behavior are required to follow international standards.

Laelah believed that she could thrive in that environment well. She hoped not to be complacent with her current achievements. She also advised that working in any field has challenges, so never stop learning, adapt to the environment, be open-minded, and accept criticism.

Let’s Take Care of Each Other: How to Prevent Suicidal Thoughts During the Pandemic

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Written by: Afni Febriani Muzdalifah

This time of pandemic forces us to stay at home and diminish contact or meeting people to prevent the spreading of the virus. This condition sometimes makes us feel lonely and contemplate many things more than ever. Sometimes, when you have a lot of work and the fact that you can’t meet people for the time being, it becomes a problem and leads you to prolonged stress. Some people think that ending their lives is the best solution to end the problems. In previous years, the IASP (International Association of Suicide Prevention) noted that there had been approximately 300 cases of attempted suicide attempts in about 70 countries.

 

In Indonesia, there are still many stigmas about mental health and suicide circulating in the community. It happens because of the lack of knowledge about the importance of mental health, so many people still misunderstand the importance of mental health. We frequently hear that people with mental health disorders lack faith in God. This is one of the examples of a bad stigma that is often caught around us. Stigma and misinformation like this make mental health get worse. We usually recognise that people who want to seek help for their mental condition are afraid of being judged or getting a terrible stigma from the people around them.

 

It is not easy to find professional help or talk to someone about a mental issue. We might feel uncomfortable or ashamed. But in this pandemic, professional services such as psychologists and psychiatrists change their operating methods by using video conferences to meet their patients. We can also use this method to talk about our mental condition to someone we trust and are comfortable with.

 

There are many ways to help your family, friends, and loved ones that may have signs of suicide. The first thing you can do is continuously check their condition by asking how they are doing or simply asking what activities they are enjoying lately. Then always giving them a safe space and listen to their stories,  Don’t judge them even if you think you’re doing it for them.

 

If you are having thinking of suicidal, there are many ways to distract these thoughts. You can do some activities such as writing a diary and writing down your major emotions at the time. Don’t forget to write whatever makes you happy, no matter how small it is. Take a deep breath, and don’t forget to stay hydrated. You can watch something that calms you down, like funny animal videos or rewatching your favourite movie. If you think the things above do not solve your problem, you can seek professional help such as a doctor, therapist, or charity. Don’t be afraid to tell them if you feel something is wrong, no matter how small your problem is. It’s okay to ask for some help. End the stigma. You are not alone.

 

If someone is in a dangerous condition, please don’t hesitate to call emergency service number 119 or go to the emergency room at the nearest hospital. For more information to help others and yourself go check www.intothelightid.org.

No More People-Pleasing: Balancing Self and Others

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Have you ever been in a situation where you were extremely hard to say no to someone else’s personal request? Are you scared that turning people down will make them think you are mean or selfish? Or have you always wanted people to like you and feel that doing things for them will earn their approval?

 

If you say yes to all of these questions, you are likely a common people-pleaser.

 

People pleaser is a term for someone who always tries to please other people. In the women’s’ scope, this trait can also be called the good girl syndrome. At one glance, being a people-pleaser sounds positive. However, going too far to please others can cause serious risks that leave you feeling emotionally depleted, stressed, and anxious.

 

A people-pleaser will attain a sense of security and confidence through the validation of others. They often sacrifice their feelings for the sake of other people’s pleasure, while deep down, they also object when asked for a lot of help. Because of the difficulty of rejecting many requests, some people will take advantage of it and often target you for a task or favor.

 

Fortunately, there are some moves that you can take to stop being a people-pleaser and discover how to balance your desire to make others happy without sacrificing your own.

 

  • Set Priorities

Knowing your priorities can help you determine whether or not you have the time and energy to devote to something in your life. Being available for others should not make you neglect your health, dreams, goals, and responsibilities. Don’t allow your fears and insecurities to turn you into a chronic people-pleaser. Instead, make time to please one of the most influential people in your life: you.

 

  • Set Your Boundaries

If being a people-pleaser makes it tough to pursue your own happiness, it’s crucial to find ways to set boundaries and take back your time. It is okay to say ‘no’ once in a while for the sake of your physical and mental health. Never feel guilty or uneasy when someone gets mad at you because you cannot help that person. Remind yourself that you can’t please everyone.

 

  • Be Realistic

Devote yourself to the people who are important to you or who are worth fighting for. Be clear and specific about what you’re capable of taking on. If it seems like someone is asking for too much, let them know that it’s over the bounds of what you are willing to do and that you won’t be able to help. Everyone deserves your kindness, but only some of them deserve more.

 

  • Build Your Self-Esteem

Use your spare time for self-development activities as well as relaxation. Identify your life purpose and values and stand up for them. You do not need to always agree with everyone. Do not rely on other people’s compliments to make you feel better.

 

  • We Always Need Others in A Good Way

Doing things for others should not be a burden. When you know your self-worth, you will be able to give back and help others. Remember that love does not diminish when it is shared; it multiplies.

How to Deal with Difficult People

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Dealing with people is an undeniable part of life. As you go through life, you may find yourself in a situation where some people make your life easier. They will be by your side and help you in whatever situation you are in. However, you will also encounter and be in a situation where you are forced to interact with people you find to be difficult.

 

Difficult people can take many forms. You must have met people who rarely cooperate, constantly complain, find negative in everything, or unreasonably hate others. Having interaction with these people can be incredibly frustrating. Sometimes you may wish you could change these people. Unfortunately, no matter how hard you try, it will only be a waste of time because basically you can’t control how others behave.

 

What you can control, however, is how you react to these annoying people. You can choose how you want to perceive them and decide how you want to respond in their presence. By doing that, you can learn to tolerate — and even appreciate — the challenging people that cross your path. Therefore, you can learn some ideas for how you can handle difficult people in your life.

 

  • Understand the Behaviour

 

When you come across someone with problematic behavior, try to understand them instead of changing them. Try to understand their values, listen carefully to what they say, try to acknowledge their opinion, and whatever it is that drives their decisions. We do not know what someone has gone through behind their difficult behavior. It can be a trauma, vulnerability, or fear. Focus on understanding what the person wants and what they are trying to avoid. That way not only helps them relax but also encourages them to be more open-minded.

 

  • Talk to That Person

 

After trying to understand what drives someone’s difficult behavior, try to discuss the issue to find a solution together. Despite how someone intentionally or unintentionally mistreats you, always treat that person with respect and dignity. Try to respond and state your emotions or their impact on you based on their behavior. If you get it right, it can boost someone to realize that they treat you the wrong way. Sometimes, talking it out can help you reframe the circumstances to a place where you can facilitate a further positive outcome.

 

  • Set Limits and Boundaries

 

Setting limits and boundaries is a matter of self-respect. By setting limitations, you put parameters in place for being treated well, protect yourself from draining or toxic people, and ensure supportive and respectful relationships. Also, Be assertive. Don’t let that person mistake your kindness as a weakness. If that person goes too far and interferes with your well-being and privacy, tell the person that you don’t like it. When you communicate your limits, people will try to respect your perspective, value, and overall well-being. Stepping in a different direction when you are around people does more harm than good.

 

Sources:

Dealing with Disappointment

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Disappointment is one of those uncomfortable feelings that we may encounter in life. We may have been disappointed with our parents, a lover, an academic career, an event, or even in ourselves. We are disappointed because the outcomes are not as good as we expected them to be. For instance, you may be disappointed that your friends turn on you for no reason, someone you care about betrayed you, you studied and struggled so hard, but your final grades do not show a thing.

 

Disappointment is a psychological response to an outcome that does not match or even worse than what we’re expected (Bell, 1985; Ortony et al., 1988). In other words, disappointment is a feeling of displeasure or sadness when something falls short of your expectations. Sooner or later, disappointment may knock on your door. Similar to a hand, it has two sides. You can let it hang over your life in the most profound sadness or learn the lesson and move on. When you are constantly disappointed, you are at a higher risk for suffering physical and emotional problems such as headaches, acute stress, and depression. But if you learn how to deal with disappointment in a healthier and more helpful way, it will be less painful and problematic. Disappointment will give you a life lesson for your further personal growth.

 

There are things you can do to relieve yourself of disappointment from the past, present and prepare yourself for any disappointments that are likely to come in the future. Here are some tips on how to deal with disappointment:

 

  • Accept it

Disappointment actually does hurt but denying our feelings may lead to us feeling more unhappy. Accept it and let yourself feel what you feel. Feel the emotions without trying to speed things up. No one gets through this life without disappointment. Everyone feels it, and you are not alone.

 

  • Learn from it

The next step to deal with disappointment is to learn from it. Instead of getting lost in the negative emotion produced by disappointment, choose to see it as something you can learn valuable things from. Sometimes it’s through our biggest disappointments that we learn our greatest lessons.

 

  • Manage your expectations

If your expectations are over perfectionist, then adjust them. Most of the time, disappointment comes when we expect too much from something or someone. You have to realize that things do not always happen the way you want them to. Therefore, it is crucial to managing your expectations of things and people.

 

  • Don’t stop trying

Dealing with disappointment is not an easy task. When you are disappointed, try to remember that it’s not entirely your fault—just focusing on your goals and working on them continuously. Sometimes you need to take a break to get over disappointments. So take some time to rest up, but never stop trying.

 

 

References:

Bell, D.E. (1985). Disappointment in decision making under uncertainty. Operations Research, 33, 1–27.

Ortony, A., & Turner, T.J. (1990). What is basic about basic emotions? Psychological Review, 97, 315–331.

Kirby, D. (2020, December 9). The art of coping with disappointment. Retrieved from https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/memberarticles/the-art-of-coping-with-disappointment

Brockway, L.S. (2016, desember 2009). 11 Ways Emotionally Intelligent People Overcome Disappointment. Retrieved from https://www.womansday.com/relationships/advice/a57401/how-to-deal-with-disappointment/

Starting Healthy Sleep Habits

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Photo by: 41859davisharden.yesilmelek.com

Sleep plays an essential role in our mental and physical health. Even if you have adopted a healthy dietary habit and regular exercise in your daily life but it is not followed by adequate sleep, it will be in vain. When you have a good quality night’s sleep, you will perform better, feel more alert, optimistic, and get along with people better. On the other hand, not getting enough sleep can be bad for your health in several ways. You may also find it difficult to concentrate and remember things. Your brain struggles to perform basic functions and your risk goes up for several illnesses such as diabetes, heart diseases, and mental health disorders.

 

Getting enough sleep is not only about total hours of sleep. Sleep quantity and quality are two different things. Quantity is the duration of your sleep, while quality is how well you sleep at night. In some ways, improving how long you sleep is easier than improving how well you sleep. In order to increase the quantity of sleep you just need to go to bed early or wake up later in the morning. To improve the quality of your sleep, you should focus on some nighttime routines and remove things that can disturb your nightly sleep.

 

However, sleep quality can be improved by changing some habits or activities before sleeping. To optimize your healthy sleep, you need to strike the right balance between how well and how long you sleep. You can adopt habits that encourage better sleep, start with these simple tips:

 

  • Limit your napping time

To have a better night’s sleep, it’s important to limit your napping time. If you napping too long or too late in the day, it can throw off your sleep schedule and make it harder to go to sleep at night. The best time to nap is shortly after lunch in the early afternoon and is not more than 30 minutes each day.

 

  • Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day

Setting a consistent sleep schedule is one of the essential parts in starting healthy sleep habits. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day—even on the weekends. A consistent sleep routine helps productivity and improves your biological, mental, and emotional health.

 

  • Have a comfortable bedroom

To help you fall asleep quickly and easily is to make your bedroom a space of comfort. Get rid of anything in your bedroom that might distract you from sleep, such as noises, bright lights, an uncomfortable bed, or a TV in the bedroom. Also, keeping the temperature in your bedroom on your ideal set can help you sleep better.

 

  • Set up a night routine

Take time to unwind. Do the same thing every night before bedtime, like take a warm bath, read some book or listen to your favorite music. Your pre-sleep activity should be relaxing so your body knows when it’s time to go to sleep.

 

  • No coffee or soda after 4 to 6 hours before bedtime

Drinking soda or coffee before bed is like a double whammy for your sleep. Sodas and coffees are loaded with caffeine and lots of sugar. The caffeine can make it hard to fall asleep, and the sugar may affect your ability to stay asleep.

 

  • No screen time 30 minutes before bed

Blue light from your screen devices affects the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep and regulates the sleep cycle. Moving graphics and seemingly endless entertainment you get from your screen will make it harder for you to fall asleep. As much as possible, try to disconnect your phone or tablet for 30 minutes or more before bed.

 

  • Seek help from professionals if needed

Talk with your health care provider if you are often tired during the day, or lack of sleep makes it hard to do daily activities. Most sleep disorders can be treated effectively.

 

 

References:

 

Berger, F., Zieve, D., & Conway, B. (2020, August 4). Sleep and Your Health. MedLine Plus.

Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000871.htm

 

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). (2011, September). In Brief: Your Guide to

Healthy Sleep. Retrieved June 15, 2020, from

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/sleep/healthysleepfs.pdf

Getting Along Well with Deadlines

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University life requires that students have to manage their time well. How you choose to spend your time can determine the success and failure of your academic career. As a university student, completing deadlines is a responsibility. Not only because assignments are one of the essential parts of your assessment, but they will also be a key part of most jobs that you will be working in after university.

 

Unfortunately, most students do not use their time effectively. Even when they have a lot of assignments to do, they keep delaying assignments and never get started on them until the deadline is less than 24 hours. So, it becomes so exhausting and has an impact on the quality of your assignment because you have to rush to finish it in a night. If you start working on assignments early, you’ll have enough time to edit your assignments and maximize the quality. When you manage your time well, you will be rewarded with good grades and praise for better assignment quality. Conversely, when you are exhausted and under-pressured, then you don’t have enough time to revise or proofread your assignment.

 

Here are some tips to spend your time more effectively without rushing to the last minute.

 

  • Set the deadlines

The first practical step that you can take for managing deadlines is to set aggressive time limits. Setting time limits is different from setting a date deadline. With a deadline, you can potentially spend 5 hours or more on an assignment. While using time limits, you can set yourself 2 hours maximum to finish the task. It will motivate you to complete your assignment and see that setting your own time is crucial.

 

  • Break down the task

A task usually has smaller parts that you can complete step-by-step. Do not try to tackle the entire task all at once, break it down into smaller and set the reasonable time you need to complete each step to keep your task manageable. Try to focus on one task first, once you’re done you can move on to the next task.

 

  • Set up reward and punishment

Another great tool to stay motivated to get deadlines done on time is by giving yourself a reward and punishment. If you have finished your assignment on time, give yourself a reward (e.g. ordering some food, watching an episode of a TV series, or reading some heartwarming novel). When behavior is followed by a pleasant outcome, we are more likely to repeat that pleasant outcome. By rewarding yourself whenever you have completed a task well, it will motivate you to work on your things effectively next time. On the other hand, if you fail to do your assignment on time, give yourself harmless punishment like no watching a TV series or no social media until you completed your assignment. It is important to make you stay motivated in completing your assignments.

 

  • Don’t keep the deadline to yourself

One of the essential components for getting along well with deadlines includes regular communication and providing status updates with your friends or family. You can tell them that you have set up deadlines for completing assignments or a project. They will keep an eye on you and remind you whenever you almost miss the deadlines.

 

Reference:

Self-studying a Foreign Language Effectively

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written by Willy Prasetya

 

Foreign languages have become part of our daily life. We often encounter foreign terms in daily conversation and in everyday objects like product labels and signboards on the street. As global mobility has become much easier, foreign languages become increasingly important. 

 

Unfortunately, many popular foreign languages have complex grammars, thus making it difficult for us to learn those languages. Indeed, there are tutoring services with various language learning programs. However, good quality programs may cost you a fortune, and only a few people can afford them.

 

Therefore, I will share some tips for self-studying a foreign language effectively. However, I need to emphasize that the process of learning any languages is not instantaneous. Although there are instant programs being offered, their main purpose is to help you pass language proficiency tests or to serve as a starting point. Improving and maintaining language proficiency still requires time, effort, and determination.

 

Set specific goals

Goals help you allocate your time and energy efficiently. It would be better if you set short-term and long-term goals. For example, to improve speaking skills for everyday conversation, you can set several short-term goals like the abilities of introducing yourself, storytelling, and expressing opinions verbally. By achieving short-term goals one by one, you will get a feeling of achievement at regular intervals. So, the motivation to learn the target language will be maintained.

 

Get exposed

After setting goals, you should get exposed to the authentic use of the target language. You should read a lot of texts, watch a lot of videos, and listen to a lot of songs or audios in the target language, particularly things related to each of your goals. The habit of reading, watching and listening to authentic target language use will enrich your vocabulary and make it easier for you to understand and use the target language in other situations.

 

In addition, there are at least three things that you can get through the exposure to the authentic use of the target language. First, you can study the grammar and vocabulary in real situations. Second, you can pay attention to how words and expressions in the target language are conveyed with particular pronunciation and intonation and how they impact listeners or readers. Third, you can also learn the socio-cultural aspects of the target language at the same time.

 

The key is curiosity. When you don’t know the meaning of a word or an expression, you should immediately look up its meaning and write it down if necessary.

 

Practice, practice, practice

Exposure itself is not sufficient for improving your language proficiency. You need to put what you have learned into practice. The easiest way is imitation and reading aloud. You can also take some exercises available on the Internet to sharpen your language skills. In addition, a wide variety of language learning apps and massive online courses also provide a lot of exercises and opportunities to practice your language skills.

You should also practice using the target language in real-life communication to know the extent to which your language use can be understood by others. In reality, despite minor grammatical errors, slight mispronunciation, or slightly inappropriate diction, your language use is mostly still understandable for other language users. The key is not to be afraid of trying and to always maintain the learner mindset. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn, so take every opportunity to see what could be improved.

 

If applied consistently in the long term, the three tips above will not be difficult because they will turn into habits. In fact, if you ask for tips from people who are proficient in a foreign language, their answers will usually be around the three tips above.

The thing that defines the success of foreign language learning is determination, and it is actually the most difficult thing to maintain. However, once you have set your heart on mastering the target language, you will do whatever it takes to achieve that.

Six Tips to Combat Writer’s Block

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Written by Fitri Alfia

Edited by Salma Maulani

 

According to Oxford Languages, writer’s block is the condition of being unable to think of what to write or how to proceed with writing. As most writers have experienced, whenever writer’s block comes, it will be a huge obstacle to face. It could ruin the mood and leave the story hanging without knowing how long it will take to overcome it. Some writers might know how to deal with it, but others might still struggle to figure it out. Hence, I am going to tell you my tricks to fight this writer’s block.

 

Step 1. Leave

Whenever I feel like I am stuck, I leave my writing. Then I forget it for a couple of days. I still remember I left my writing for about two weeks. I reckon this leave as a rest time.

During this time, I suggest you try to improve your mood and find the very first reason why you want to write the story.

 

Step 2. Outline

Some of you might think that writing the outline of the story is such a hassle and you might also have the confidence to write your story directly. However, it is very crucial to write the outline from the start because it is very helpful to maintain the story on the track and when the writer’s block comes you still know where your story is going. You don’t need to write it in complicated ways, just write the key points of every chapter you wanted to tell. You can take a look on the example below:

Chap 1: beginning/meeting/Prolog

Berry is a lonely Bear, lives in a jungle.

Chap 2: Chara A and Chara B get along together

Berry meets a rabbit named Bunny. They are interested in each other and become friends.

Chap 3: There’s a conflict

One day, Bunny leaves Berry alone without warning.

Chap 4: Climax/resolution

Berry is so angry until he knows that Bunny needs to go to find her little shoe. Bunny apologizes to Berry. Then, they make up.

Chap 5: Conclusion/Ending/Epilog

Berry and Bunny live together in a big jungle. Berry is not a lonely Bear anymore.

The example above is only the outline story of my version, you can make it as easy as possible or modify it to your comfort. I advise you to make a fixed format of the outline which covers up all the required parts.

Step 3. Research, Discuss

Wow, it sounds scientific. There is a saying “listen first before you speak, read first before you write”. The more books we read, the more ideas/plots/vocabularies we got. Therefore, doing research means that to read more various short/long stories from any writer. Try to identify what makes you interested in their story and keep reading it. Try to analyze the character, place and plot. Don’t forget to write it down on your notes.

The goal is to get more insight. Furthermore, we might accidentally get some fresh ideas after reading some books. In my case, it helps me build and modify the plot.

In addition, if you have friends from the same community, you can discuss your story with them. Discuss only the part in doubt. However, do not get discouraged from the critique. You are the writer. You have the absolute right to consider which part needs improvement. Don’t accept all advice and apply them at once. Choose wisely.

Step 4. Set Writing time

You might have other various activities than writing, that’s why managing the time, energy and mood to undergo all of the activities is important. Set your writing time in the most suitable time, energy and mood of yours. You could set it as you wish. It is totally in your hand to make it regularly every day or twice a week.

Personally, I prefer to write twice a day, at 2-4 pm and 8-9 pm. I put it into my schedule and make it regular.

Step 5. Posture and Surrounding

I don’t always write in a sitting position. Sometimes I write while lying down on my bed. Although writing in that posture is not good, I feel comfortable. However, please make sure to not stay in this position for a long time.  It could affect your posture and health if you do it regularly for a long term.

One thing for sure, Find your most comfortable position. You can lean on something whenever you need a break. If necessary, place a small pillow next to you.

Next, pay attention to your surroundings. Choose a comfortable place to write. Don’t forget to consider the noise distraction you might get. Some of us like it noisy when others need to be quieter.

Step 6. Begin to write again

Now, you are ready to start again.

Believe in yourself. You are a great writer who can build up a story from imagination and creativity. Remember that, if you can imagine it, you can write it. You will overcome this writer’s block. Let’s start again with a strong-willingness, strong-headed, and strong-heart.

Be confident in yourself that writer’s block is only a signal for break and rest. It is not to stop you from finishing your story.

Several Ways to Heal from Procrastination

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Written by Fatwa Hapsari Alwihani

Have you ever felt so tired in a day? After you checked you found yourself doing nothing but scrolling your smartphone or playing an online game on your personal computer. For me it was another level of pathetic ☹.

It is different when you are sad because of the technical failure, at least you have tried to accomplish it. When you do not finish your work because of laziness, it means that you have not tried to start it. You might think that there will always tomorrow. But what if tomorrow brings you another thing to do?

The act of postponing something is called Procrastination. Some of us probably have experienced it many times especially when there were a bunch of tasks in a week and we have to submit it in another week. We either disorganized where to start or waited the mood to do it. As the time passed by, we still do not find any motivation and the due date comes. All you have is a panic attack, being rushed on doing the task, getting nervous every second, and having less satisfying results. Of course, we do regret it yet repeat it again and again since we think “I am the last-minute kind of person who gets the idea in particular time”. At that moment we do not realize that actually when we start doing that task, we do not have a clear idea. It is because we are demanded by time and we do not want to miss the submission date. What I am trying to say is there is no mood or idea until you give a shot.

Since procrastination is one of our problems. Let me share some ways of healing from that habit based on my experience and articles that I have read.

1. Temptation bundling

Temptation bundling is the act of mixing between what we like and what we have to do. For example, you are about to take the TOEFL/IELTS test but you think that your listening skill is far from good. In addition, you are addicted to watching movies or series on Netflix. Thus, the thing you can do is watch the movie/series with English subtitles regularly.

2. Make the Consequences

Making consequences do not mean you are being so hard on yourself. It means that you are practicing self-discipline. Set your daily goals, put your priority on the first list, concentrate your mind, and do not forget to write possibilities that might happen if you skip it. When you find difficulties in being disciplined, you can involve somebody else who has the same goal. Ask them to do assignments together, make appointments with them.

3. Take a rest from your gadget

Nowadays gadgets are becoming our part of daily life. It seems more impossible to separate people from gadgets since we are now in a pandemic era. Every aspect of people’s lives depends on gadgets and internet existence. Gadgets can bring us both positive and negative impacts on our life. It makes everything easier; we can get in touch and we can also see more updates of others’ lives.  However, they pull us into an addiction. The more we follow their daily activity, the more curious we get. Curiosity brings us unproductivity. We are willing to spend hours in a day staring at gadgets to scroll some social media platforms such as Instagram, Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and many more.

In my case, sometimes I ignored my task to do on that day and I assumed that I still had enough time to finish it. In fact, I postponed all assignments until the due date. Turns out I realize that I cannot let that habit stay longer in my life. I try to cut them one by one through deactivating some social media accounts; I decided to choose Instagram first since it was the most addictive account that I have. I can be impulsively open Instagram while I am doing something important. It helps me. I can be more focused on what I do. It might be different in others’ case; they could be addicted to online games, video bloggers, dancing video challenges, and so on. Hence, escaping or resting from gadgets is something we need to consider when we are stuck in a procrastination habit.

4. Make a task more achievable

As I mentioned before, we need to set our daily goals. It means we should have at least a goal each day. The goal does not have a complex goal. We can start it by making a simple goal that possibly could be accomplished on that day. The keys are consistency and commitment to do it sustain.

Last year, when I was doing my thesis, I found myself being demotivated and delayed to start every chapter on it. Until my friend came to me and told me that I do not have to write all chapters at once; she said at least one day I write one or two paragraphs. I followed her advice and unpredictably I started to write and revised my thesis with wholeheartedly lighter than before. Since then, I believe that we should make daily goals more achievable.

Those tips above worked on me. We know procrastination leads us into nothing but regret. Nevertheless, leaving procrastination is not such an easy thing to do. Before we choose which one of those tips is suitable for us, we should have strong determination to get rid of the habit from our life. Thus, whenever we start being unguarded, we will remember that determination. Good luck buddies! Never quit! All of us are healing.