Chloe Tran

Student on the entry screen of Instagram when having unfinished school work.

If I stood in a room full of Carnegie students, giving a presentation, and asked the question, “Who here procrastinates on school work?” I’m sure at least 90% of people in the room would raise their hands. Why? Avoiding tasks despite knowing the consequences is natural, especially for students. It’s a way of coping, putting off the stress of assignments for later.

I know I’ve been through it. After a long 8-hour day at school with tests and homework and projects and quizzes and discussions, all that’s left when the dismissal bells ring at 4:10 is a long drive home, a salty snack from the pantry, and either naps on the sunken couch or eyes staring wide open at a screen — because I deserve a break from school. We all do. It’s such a tedious part of our lives, but sometimes we get so caught up in taking our break time that we get lost in whatever we’re trapped in. Next thing you know, it all comes crashing down. There’s an essay due at midnight, a project due at 8:30 the next morning, and, oh yeah, a test in your “favorite” class (did I mention it’s worth over 50% of your grade?). It’s like a survival instinct to stress about everything in life. For most, school is just the tip of the iceberg.

But sometimes you have to ask, “What have I been doing? Doom-scrolling on my phone for the past few hours?” According to a Carnegie student survey, short-form content consumption is one of the most common activities during these procrastination breaks. While there are many great sides to social media, like aesthetic life inspiration or college motivation videos, there’s a different side to scrolling spirals that many of us see right past when picking up our phones.

Doom Scrolling vs. Productivity

Doom scrolling is a behavioral addiction common among most age groups. We already access many aspects of our lives on our phones: directions to the nearest restaurant, finding the weather for what to wear, and listening to music during study sessions. Picking up our phone and opening a different app feels no different. It’s muscle memory. Without knowing it, many start to develop “phantom vibrations,” or the feeling that you’ve received a notification on your phone and must check your screen at all costs (no matter if your notifications are on or off). It’s unnatural. Imagine if I had a water bottle that I knew was empty, but I kept picking it up and tilting it to drink despite it being empty. What’s worse is that we get sucked in. There’s so much information or entertainment overloaded in one 30-second video: “It’s only 30 seconds, right? One more couldn’t hurt.” Tell that to yourself three hours later. If we’re constantly in this spiral, it’s hard to get out. But what if you didn’t need to get out? What if there was a better spiral in this crazy procrastination rodeo, one that feels more like a gradual roller coaster rather than the spinning tea cups? 

We always hear how we need to be more punctual and have more self-control to do work, but there are better ways to not do work. 

Alternative Procrastination

Do other work

Do you know those assignments; The assignments that don’t feel like work? The assignments that you would much rather be doing than studying for tomorrow’s oral exam or math homework, they’re after lunch anyway. For some, it depends on the subject, and for others, it depends on the actual activities. I know people who would rather do their art project due in a week or two than take their social studies notes. I know I would rather do busy work in science. Doing other work is a great way to get “work that doesn’t feel like work” done. It still counts as procrastination, since your closer priorities are at the back of your head, but it’s a great way to be accomplished. Although, there are other ways to get school completely outside of your head.

Sleep

What better way to get school outside of your head than to have nothing in your head at all? In all seriousness, Carnegie students are so renowned for their lack of sleep that it’s frightening. Sleeping after midnight and having trouble waking up in the morning harms your circadian rhythm, increasing your risk of cognitive decline according to Chronobiology International. Still, many of us are night owls (whether by choice or not). In those pits of fatigue during the afternoon, maybe a short nap is a good idea. Taking naps throughout the day (especially when you get below the recommended hours of sleep) can improve alertness and memory (American Heart Association). Depending on the circumstances, I’d rather have a warm blanket than a warm phone. 

Touch grass (?)

It’s hard to imagine a lunch at Carnegie without the bustling of feet along the soccer field grasses, thumps of seniors on the sand volleyball court, and the skirts of shoes on the pickup basketball court — at least when the weather is nice. At the same time, there are students behind those heavy glass pane doors, cramming for a 5th-period math test and meeting for group projects where that one group member might show up. But are we all doing that? The stress overlooks our heads during lunch, and talking time with friends goes by way faster than homework time. So take a break. Get a breath of fresh air. Maybe take a walk, run across the fields, clear your head. The benefits are more than you might realize. According to Benenden Hospital, research shows that a 10-minute daily walk can release endorphins to help control moods, lower blood pressure, and even improve sleep quality. 

Hone a skill

I’ll make this very clear: not everything you do as a student will amount to an achievement on your professional resume. It’s incredible if your passion turns into a project, but the project shouldn’t be forced as a passion. Maybe you like cooking scrumptious meals for yourself, testing different recipes to indulge in after a dreadful day. Maybe there’s a new LEGO set that you’ve been looking forward to since the moment you woke up. Maybe there’s a language you’ve always wanted to learn, and I’m not talking about an AP Language test. If you find a hobby you truly enjoy, it should never feel like work that you can procrastinate on, but rather an accessible creative outlet that rivals admiring others on social media.

Reading

Whether from parents or teachers, I’m sure we’ve heard it all before. “Get off your screen and pick up a book.” Though this might be cliche, I think we associate literature with the pressure of school. As children, it was all about being at or past reading level. As high schoolers, it’s analysis and “deeper understanding.” While that might be important for the curriculum, we might’ve gotten lost in the translations between reading, work, and enjoyment. Literature of all kinds, from chapter books to comics, is meant to transport you into a different world, letting you meet people that you’ve imagined being and showing you life in a new light. Additionally, studies done by the National Library of Medicine have shown that reading improves long-term memory and cognitive ability, a contrast to the short attention spans the new generation has been conditioned to. 

Are video games the same?

Nope, it’s more different than you might think! There are many surprising benefits to video games. At least unlike social media, you have goals to work towards when you play either competitive or non-competitive games. With almost every game, there’s always something to work towards, whether it’s a new costume to buy, a new level to unlock, or just some satisfaction. It’s a different accomplishment than what scrolling through social media might have to offer. “Congratulations, you’ve scrolled through a 30-second video! The only prize I have to offer is some data cookies, but those are mine.”

So what?

If you were to look back on your high school years like a movie, what would you want to see? A drained teen lying on the couch lifelessly, TikTok after Reel after Short conjuring a few giggles? A baggy-eyed demon slaving away until that 3 a.m. motivation depletes faster than the battery on your phone?

Or would you rather preview a sense of accomplishment, with more social interaction and personal growth than any like, comment, or subscribe? You may not get as much work done as you’d like, and it won’t be a “High School Musical” sequel by any means, but just a little more intention in day-to-day activities can make a world of difference in this dilemma we call procrastination.