How To Be A Productive Procrastinator
Productive procrastination sure sounds like an oxymoron, don’t you think? Well, I’ve nearly perfected a way to make procrastination pay. And I’d like to share it with you. Here’s how to turn delay into accomplishment.
First, you have to recognize and admit when your delay tactics are actually procrastination, cleverly, or not so cleverly, disguised. Next, you have to ask yourself, "Am I ever going to do what I’ve avoided?" Third, you must be aware of the actual deadline for completion of the object of procrastination. With these answers in hand, you’re ready to make procrastination pay. The only part of this process that isn’t fun is the honesty part if you enjoy misleading yourself.
When you go to start a project and you just can’t find the motivation to begin, immediately shift your attention to something else. To qualify as productive procrastination, the "something else" must be a task or project that, under normal circumstances, would look like regular productivity. However, you alone know that you should work on plan A first, but procrastination has set in. And, rather than waste the time feeling guilty or being non productive, you have shifted to plan B or C or D. You will be productive and purposefully busy while the urge to procrastinate passes.
Here’s an example. You have a report to write at work. Or, you have to clean out the garage before the party on Saturday. Part of you feels willing; the other 99% doesn’t at all. Shift from the report or cleaning, and attack another project, like getting caught up on filing, or paying the house bills. If you recoil at the thought of the alternate project, try to start the report or the garage again. If you need to, do several productive projects until you’re ready to begin your time sensitive task.
Personally, I periodically procrastinate about starting to exercise. I know I will exercise. I know I will complete the routine by 5:00 p.m. Sometimes I just can’t start when the regular start time arrives. What do I do? I get very busy. I might handle my mail for the day. I touch each piece once. I handle it then, even if it means balancing the checkbook. I lay out my materials for tomorrow. I might even lay out my clothes, take out the garbage, and empty the dishwasher if I have a particularly bad case of procrastination.
There is something motivating about getting productive. Being active and accomplishing tasks allows me to put exercising at the end of the list. Then I move right into it when I’ve finished my productive procrastination routine.
Make sure that the projects you do while you productively procrastinate are ones you must do eventually. If they are, you’ve used your procrastination time wisely. You’ve done them during a normally nonproductive, self-arguing, self-recriminating time. Be sure to complete tasks while you procrastinate. Do tasks that usually annoy you. Get them done. Get them out of the way, and off your list.
If you find you perpetually procrastinate, look at your reasons. Why is it so difficult to do what you know you must or should do? Ask, “Do I really need to do these? Do these projects still make sense?” If they are still important, keep them on your list. If not, drop them.
We all have routine, sometimes monotonous duties. Finding ways to trick ourselves into doing them, and using our time productively until we start can be the difference between long term success and being an "also ran." Be a productive procrastinator, and get more done, with less worry or guilt.
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The Institute for Stress Management & Performance Improvement
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