In total honesty, I am a very lazy person. Assignments are left to the last minute, catching up on lectures is always an afterthought, and doing compulsory readings never enters my mind. Strangely, however, a friend next to me suddenly fuels my urge to complete my to-do list like someone is chasing me. As deadlines inch closer and the imminent threat of winter lures us to crawl back into bed, we need to find ways to keep productive whilst also not isolating ourselves. So, does it help having someone (or a whole group) with you to power through tasks as intense as a marathon, or even as minor as hoovering?
Moving into my second-year flat, I quickly realised that I couldn’t do anything without my flatmates, whether it was having dinner or even doomscrolling. Though this codependency may sound harmful (we’ve given up making new friends), their presence in other tasks has provided me with the helpful push needed to complete them. Instead of tapping out 20 minutes into a spin class, my flatmate Annie’s insane drive forces me to stay put on that evil bike; though I may hate her for it in the moment, my body will thank me later for it. Academically, living with my coursemates has also forced me to be awake for most of my lectures. Any work-related issue I inevitably have can be resolved by simply knocking on their doors. This interdependence on each other has also transformed mundane tasks into something enjoyable and often nonsensical — cleaning the flat in pearls whilst singing along to musical theatre may be the whimsiest way to do it.
To me, it makes sense why we’re actually productive when someone is with us. Alone, we’re our only source of motivation and also self-doubt. The second the thought of procrastinating enters our mind, we can immediately switch off and make our own problems worse. It’s much harder to procrastinate when someone is there with you holding your phone hostage to force you to actually do your laundry. This external source of accountability not only puts us under a source of pressure, but acts as a defence against trying to justify giving ourselves a “break” from working when we know we don’t deserve one. Admittedly, it can also serve as a way to performatively look like you’re a very productive person (“fake it till you make it” applies greatly here).
Now, this isn’t always the case for everyone, including me. Possible distractions multiply when there are two of you — like spamming each other with messages despite sitting next to one another on the library fourth floor. Finding a balance here is crucial, your favourite study partners can also become the same reason why you hesitate to open Learn when the dreaded result comes. Set out clear breaks, or both wear headphones and put your phones on a pile in a corner — you’ll be helping each other out more than you realise.
Though you’ll have to muster up the motivation to complete activities alone, it never hurts to have that extra support. They could literally push you to that finish line, or simply be sat on your bed as you clean your room. Not only does it hold you accountable, but it also allows you to connect to your friends on a deeper level; if you can somehow make a food shop into a comedy sketch, you are real friends. Is there a task you’re putting off that’ll get done with someone by your side? Right now, I’ve recruited my friends to sit next to me whilst I write this out.
Photo supplied by Charlotte Dorward (@_twostepsforward) for The Student
