Our poor bestie procrastination has received lots of bad press being associated with laziness and inefficiency. Many also assume that procrastination is a symptom of the digital age thanks to our infinity pool of tailored algorithms. However, procrastination has existed since the beginning of the 16th century, where people intentionally create excuses to postpone difficult tasks.
Although the downsides of procrastination are legitimate, there are ways to work around it to your advantage. Ultimately, we want to learn to identify the how’s and why’s behind our delays and anxieties. And then create a system around it to set ourselves up for success.
The Pros of Procrastination
I’ve yet to meet someone who never procrastinates. And I admit to being a procrastinator myself, even so with this article. I was supposed to start writing this morning but oops it’s 4PM now. However, upon understanding my style of working, I’ve learnt to be an “active procrastinator”. And here are a few upsides putting things off to the last minute.
Clarity
Procrastination acts as a subtle indicator of what a task actually means to you. Sometimes, you procrastinate because deep down you know the task is inherently unfulfilling or unimportant. Other times, you procrastinate because the task is deemed “too difficult”. Which makes procrastination a good sign that you probably need to break it down into smaller tasks.
Efficiency
Leaving something closer to its deadline generates a sense of urgency. This urgency then induces adrenaline which can actually boost our focus and productivity. This scenario mimics Parkinson’s Law, stating how work expands to fill the period of time available for its completion. This means that if you give yourself a week to complete a two-hour task, the task will increase in complexity and become more daunting so as to fill that week. Therefore, shortening the amount of time available for completion actually leads to better productivity.
Creativity
Creative insights require time to harvest, and many of our “time-wasting” activities actually offer an optimal level of distraction for new ideas. Even Google invests in nap pods to encourage employees to take time off work (during work hours)!
How to Procrastinate Effectively
The pros to procrastinating are only promising if we know how to engage with it the right way. The key is to turn ineffective procrastination, driven by fear, avoidance, and perfectionism, into something effective and enjoyable.
Lose the guilt
First and most importantly, ditch the guilt. Shaming yourself does nothing but feed your anxiety cycle. With shame out of the way, procrastination becomes a deliberate choice you make. And you can then create a system centered around your working style to set yourself up for success.
Active procrastination
This is one of my favorite things about procrastination. When I’m avoiding something on my to-do list, I use that time to either recharge or engage in a hobby. Procrastinating over that assignment? Read the news, play the guitar, do your laundry, take a nap. Whatever you’re doing, even if it’s doing nothing (which can sometimes be the best thing to do), be present and own it.
Passive preparation
There are many ways to work on a task. Passive preparation means laying down the stepping stones of a project without actually engaging in it. This planning and exploration phase is crucial but oftentimes discounted. And is actually a pretty fun procrastination activity. You could passively prepare a project timeline or study plan, read articles, or watch relavant YouTube videos.
The elimination game
Have you put off a particular task for weeks or months, and no negative repercussions have occurred? Maybe it’s time to take it off your list entirely. If the task still needs to happen somehow or someday, see whether you can hire or delegate it to someone.
Ultimately, to get the best out of effective procrastination is to prioritize what’s important. Go through and minimize your to-due list. Doing so can free up some time and energy for more urgent work or more fulfilling activities.
Concluding thoughts…
Procrastination can go both ways. Whether it’s destructive or productive boils down to how well you understand your work rhythms. Above it all, I know how easy it is to give in to the guilt, to tie our worth to a capitalistic definition of “productivity”. But this is also the reason why so many are chained to a feedback loop of repetitive, self-deprecating habits. Only by breaking this shame cycle, you can own your procrastination and use it to your advantage.
