A giant science project worth 50% of your grade is due in two weeks. What should you do? Obviously, you should start working on it immediately, leaving time afterwards to review and edit it to ensure a high grade. However, this is not the case for most students. Usually, they choose to wait until the day before the due date to hastily complete the work and possibly receive a poor grade. This is called procrastination, and it's probably the most common problem a student can encounter. Unfortunately, if left untreated, this problem can become very serious and cause you to develop harmful habits that can hinder your ability to succeed. If you understand the causes and harmful effects of procrastination as well as the method to prevent procrastination, you will successfully eradicate procrastination and establish vital habits for a successful future. Procrastination can have a variety of causes, from peer pressure to a lack of self-esteem. control, but it all comes from a single point of origin, a battle between two parts of your brain. The first contender is the limbic system. According to an article titled “The Science Behind Procrastination” by Amy Spencer, she describes the limbic system as “one of the oldest and most dominant parts of the brain.” It tells you, for example, to remove your hand from a flame – and also to run away from unpleasant tasks. Timothy A. Pychyl, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Carleton University, sums it up by saying, "[the limbic system] tells you to opt for an immediate improvement in your mood." Not surprisingly, these “unpleasant tasks” can include homework and projects. Although useful for surviving in the wild, this instinct can hinder your ability to work effectively. The next contender is the prefrontal cortex, located just behind your...... middle of paper ...... your friend can provide support in case you need help. However, this can take a lot of willpower, as asking a friend to help you stop procrastinating might seem a bit silly, so try to find a friend with similar goals. Sometimes strong motivation can simply be about rewarding yourself. The article “8 Ways Not to Procrastinate” by Adam Rico explains that “We are designed to respond to rewards and punishments. It’s no different when it comes to motivating yourself. Go ahead and treat yourself to a reward for overcoming your procrastination. This reward can range from half an hour of video games to a generous helping of your favorite ice cream. If successful, this can inspire more good behavior and improve productivity overall. However, this system requires enormous self-control because it is easy to overindulge and not want to return to work..