When I started college three years ago, one of the biggest things I struggled with was studying.

In grade school, my parents were always hounding me and at work I had a boss directing me. But in college I had liberty in pretty much everything I did.

I could choose whether or not I did the reading, worked on homework, and even if I went to class. I knew what I should do, but if I had an off day I could simply say, “Meh, I’d rather have a Doctor Who marathon today.” And there was no one to tell me I could or couldn’t.

Now I wouldn’t recommend skipping a day of class without good reason (say, being bed-ridden), but the point here is that this unfettered freedom can make it harder to develop healthy habits.

I had direction in high school, but when all road signs were suddenly taken down, it was hard to remember the speed limit and the rules of the road. The first year I would find myself staying up until 2 or 3 a.m. finishing an assignment I’d been assigned for weeks because I’d put it off until the night before it was due. On occasion I would skip an assignment that was worth less points or skip a reading because I was sure it wouldn’t be covered in class.

This habit of procrastination made my first year far more challenging than I would have liked.

Here’s the thing, though. Despite my struggles my first year, I still procrastinate almost everything and I still tend to perform well in my classes.

Procrastination is a very handy study tool if you can do it right. I know that I become more focused if a deadline is near, and I typically have more understanding of the topic as well.

I even find that my output is higher and I can get more done over the course of the week. My calendar becomes more open and I can have a concrete schedule for homework that allows plenty of time for a social life.

Whenever I get a new assignment, there are four things I keep in mind to procrastinate safely:

1. Allocate twice as much time as you think it will take to do the assignment. If the assignment is too big to do in a couple hours, start it an extra day early, so you can see how much you can get done. By doing this, I can push all my homework hours to one convenient timetable at the end of my days and keep the middle and after-class periods open to enjoy.

2. Sleep is the most important thing. I am a night owl, so I’m most awake just before bed. But if I don’t get my 7-8 hours every night, I feel lethargic all day long and that will affect my work at night. That being the case, I will refuse to finish an assignment or reading if it means less sleep.  I will work on it right when I get up the next morning.

3. Do your assignments in order of priority, regardless of length. If one is more important to my major, it comes first. If it’s a group assignment, then that will be done before any other one comes along.

4. Always be aware of due dates. I go through my plans every day when I get up, between each class, and while I eat. If friends ask me to play a game with them, I check my mental clock to see how much time I have before I need to get to work. My whole day and week are on my mind constantly.

I find that by keeping these 4 rules in mind, procrastination becomes the optimal way to study. Rather than spend a whole week perfecting an assignment, work better by living happily and translating that positive energy into two hours worth of work, leading to a healthy and efficient way of working through college.