Around this time of the year, a heavy case of senioritis may be impairing your ability to efficiently get through the ever accumulating piles and piles of homework. But this lack of motivation isn’t specific to only the senior demographic. Most peers of mine, at multiple points in their high school career, have experienced extreme bouts of disinterest in school, and discovered the difficulty of getting back on track.

And I stand as no exception; I, too, am an avid member of the Procrastination Club. I find myself reasoning why I should put things off, using far-off deadlines and assorted excuses as justification. I convince myself things will turn out OK, with nothing to worry about.

I’m not sure where this lack of motivation originates, but I know it is unwarranted. Case in point: this very article. Due this past Friday, I allowed myself to put it off because I simply couldn’t bring myself to write it; the irony is immeasurable.

But to get to the point of this piece: though sometimes lost, motivation isn’t gone forever. Motivation can be inspired by the impending deadline just as much as it can inspire you to keep pushing the task at hand back. For me, motivation comes in bursts in quick succession, but only lasts so long. As my high school years inched forward, I found how increasingly difficult it became to get things done in a timely manner, and I had nothing to blame but my own actions.

Through all of this, I’ve discovered a few methods, and though they won’t necessarily work for everyone, may be helpful in encouraging a more efficient work ethic.

As the most gratifying and my personal favorite, lists are an easy way to compile all of your tasks so your goal feels more concrete. Having everything in one place puts me under the illusion that I have it together, even if I’ve been feeling all over the place. This list becomes something to refer back to when everything feels so overwhelming and it’s near impossible to even think where to start. Crossing off each item is relieving, encouraging. If I can do this, I can do the rest. Seeing my progress encourages me further.

And though I haven’t much experience with this method, the idea of a self-rewarding system doesn’t sound too bad. Withholding yourself from social media or your phone until a task is completed, or that chapter read, or that assignment finished, is a simple but effective way to motivate yourself. I find myself scrolling through feed after feed, with no real end result, and yet that is what’s keeping me from finishing my work some of the time.

Procrastination has become an epidemic of sorts, leading many previously overachieving students to falling behind. Of the few methods, I’ve yet to find a universal fix. But my continuing journey, a roller-coaster of sorts, with my rises and falls of motivation, has led me to believe that everyone can achieve.