The Oxford Online Dictionary defines a life hack as “a strategy or technique adopted in order to manage one’s time and daily activities in a more efficient way.” Procrastination, on the other hand, is “the action of delaying or postponing something,” and efficiency is described as being “the state or quality of being efficient.”

So why do the definitions of these words matter?

With final exams and term papers fast approaching, many students will no doubt be scrambling to make up for their procrastination. Hopefully, this article might shed some insight into how to deal with it more effectively.

Although they describe separate and distinct states of productivity, these words may all be connected at a deeper level, whereby someone can be efficient and yet still a procrastinator. The two aren’t mutually exclusive, after all.

I use small life hacks that allow me to be more resourceful around the house, by repurposing items meant for one thing for use in a different function or by developing habits that make me more efficient in the long run as a person. The most useful ones are the ones that allow me to maximize the results of my work.

For example, this article was written with the Pomodoro Technique of time management. “What’s a Pomodoro?” you might ask yourself — I’ll tell you. An avid fan of Italian cuisine or a quick Internet search might inform you it’s the Italian word for the vegetable we know as a Tomato. So what’s this tomato technique?

The Pomodoro method is a time management method that was created by Francesco Cirillo (he originally developed the method as a university student), and it allows the student or worker to divide tasks into time groups and then work on them. In theory, it requires a bit of effort, but in practice, it can be modified to fit the needs of the individual.

For example, in theory, one is supposed to keep lists regarding the things that need to be accomplished, those that have been accomplished and then activities that should be accomplished.

The lists accompany the use of a standard kitchen timer, which is set for 25 minutes, which are to be devoted exclusively for work, and then a five-minute break where no work is to be done. These intervals allow the worker to have downtime while still being productive.

As a graduate student, reading articles and writing papers takes up the bulk of my working time. Having techniques that aid productivity makes procrastination a lesser threat to quality work, as increased work output, which can potentially be used to create a better final product. By using this technique, I am making myself stay focused on the task at hand, which is half the battle.

Obviously, everyone is different; nonetheless, taking alternative avenues to working and being innovative, whether through life hacks or through personal exploration, is rarely a bad thing.

Barring life hacks and time-effective study habits, however, we will always have the option of cramming for a test the week before, or pulling an all-nighter to write a paper. These options work perfectly well for some people and might be just what they need. Having been there and done that and now found more reasonable alternatives, I think I’ll stick with the new methods. Failing that, I’ll always have the standby of studying like there’s no tomorrow, which gives me the choice between the two very different options.