“Due today: 11:59 PM – 10 Page Essay.” 

It’s safe to assume that the nightmarish due date above is likely some horror parallel for many high school students when they go on Google Classroom to start their dreadful assignments, a constant reminder of the impending work you must submit; almost as if every tick from the clock is a signal to start doing such treacherous work. However, regardless of the urgency of the due date that creeps into your mind, you’ll pull out your phone to escape such a demise. Then, once you open that device, you’ll lose track, and BAM! Hours later, it’s 8:00 PM and not a single word is crafted on your page. This is the exaggerated definition of classic procrastination, all powered by the entity we call—a distraction. 

With all honesty—and respectfully to all English teachers—I don’t think anyone wants to write a 10-page essay for fun. The distractions that we may face before writing an essay like this are commonly caused by the spark of boredom and uninterest. According to a study by Fergus Craik in 2014, “Distraction is due to a lack of attention; the absence of interest in the topic; and the great intensity, novelty or attraction of something other than the object of interest.” 

If you’re not a fan of quotes, how about this: think of yourself in this fantasy world where you’re a superhero, supposedly transcending with the essence of valor upon your very calloused palms. That sounds pretty cool, right? But this time, you face your most daunting enemy: the 10-page essay, portrayed as some threatening individual with frenzied powers and the drive to lead the globe in malevolent flames. However, you’re presented with a choice. There’s a getaway car nearby, more than ready to drive you out of the looming doom arriving. Think of this car as your item of distraction; your phone, gaming console, or whatever your mind instantly attracts you on a peaceful day. So what do you choose? Well, that’s entirely up to you. If you choose to tackle the enemy, your city will be left harmonious, like your grades, and if you don’t, well, the result isn’t satisfying. So really, there’s only one solution to the task of the venomous villain, or your impending assignment—you. 

Hopefully, and possibly with slight hesitation, you choose to tackle the task, but the fact that there was the thought of joining your getaway, or distraction, is a problem itself. 

Now, let’s go back to real-world terms, outside of this clearly jaw-dropping sci-fi movie I’ve represented for you (please, ignore my inflated ego). To get rid of these distractions, how about we find some solutions that can effectively organize your time and energy in the right spots, therefore increasing your grade and productivity? I do hope the answer is yes, since I’d prefer you finish that 10-page essay, and it is the entire purpose of my article. 

Anyways, a key to limiting distractions is a timer. Specifically, the Pomodoro timer. This is a tool that integrates time management and promises results of focus as it uses a timer that is used to break work into intervals, then separated by short breaks. Take this for example, when writing that exhilarating essay, you can put a timer for maybe 20 to 45 minutes to finish writing a paragraph, and after, a break for 10 minutes where you can happily go on your phone to order Taco Bell for the night. Then after, you go back to your 20 to 45 minutes of productivity, and this cycle continues until your task is completed. Studies show that when an individual is set to doing work at a specific time limit, they are more likely to focus their mind on that specific task. So essentially, once the timer is on, so is your focus mode! Fun fact, this article was written using the Pomodoro timer, and look how great my work has turned out (hopefully). 

Alongside the Pomodoro timer is the “5-minute rule.” This essentially allows you to complete the task almost immediately since the first step is to allow yourself to indulge in the task for just 5 minutes. For 5 minutes, do your best and focus immensely on that specific task. Once that timer ends, your brain automatically finds this as an issue. It’s almost like you’re stopping yourself from solving an equation, so what would you want to do? To continue, of course. After that 5 minutes, studies show that the individual automatically would continue their task regardless for a long period of time. If we were to integrate this into our essay example, one would spend 5 minutes making their thesis or their outline, and would automatically continue the rest of their essay, hence, submitting the assignment before the clock strikes midnight. 

Well, these are just a few ways to earn yourself the focus you deserve, even for those infuriating assignments. Not only are there Pomodoro timers or the 5-minute rule but there are so many ways to resist the urge to pick up your phone and mindlessly wander, such as the reward system, group collaborations, and much more! However, the only way to do this is if it starts with you. So do you always want to rely on that unfortunate getaway of a distraction or start a new chapter?