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The funny thing about writing an article on procrastination is that I’ve procrastinated writing this article! Good thing this is an article on the benefits of procrastination and not the other way around. As you can tell, I secretly enjoy procrastinating. Before I came to realize that though, I looked up tips and tricks to overcome procrastination. Unsurprisingly, they weren’t helpful. Many weren’t realistic either. So I thought, since giving up procrastination wasn’t working for me, why not embrace it?
Overcome unnecessary guilt
Procrastination is an unwelcome habit in today’s competitive, fast-paced world and yet, once it takes hold, it’s hard to shake. That leaves me to think — it can’t be all that bad? If I could turn back time, I’d still procrastinate. In other words, the regret that I feel over putting off tasks doesn’t take away from my joy in doing so. I find post-procrastination anxiety and guilt more self-destructive than procrastination itself, so I work on overcoming the former, since those feelings are the threat to my mental health.
Am I lazy? Do I lack the will to change? Am I subconsciously overwhelmed and unable to face my tasks head-on? I could reflect on these questions, have an epiphany and change — but reflecting on them could also stress me out. These thoughts often don’t help and tend to make me feel worse. For this reason, I’m now at peace with procrastinating as opposed to guilt-tripping myself over it. Instead of brooding over the root causes, I focus on what’s ahead.
Love yourself and your choices more
Choosing to see procrastination in a positive light isn’t denying that it can be dangerous. I see it as a normal and meaningful part of my life and that helps me cope with it better. It leads to emotional stability and a healthier relationship with yourself and your choices. On the flip side, if you view it as detrimental to your productivity, your response to it, in conscious or unconscious ways, won’t be good. Hence, it’s okay to want to deal with a situation at a later time.
Get the creative juices flowing
There’s nothing like a tight deadline to spike your creativity! Ever since I’ve embraced the concept of procrastination, I've been happier and more relaxed. Naturally, I come back to work with a fresh bout of renewed energy. Moreover, procrastinating doesn’t mean that a task is completely off my mind. A peaceful mind can randomly trigger the spark of an idea for an assignment, even when you’re not working on it.
Think less, work more
A tight deadline can motivate you to take action. I’m often more productive under pressure. You may be worried that with the restricted time, the end result may not be as polished. That said, the benefit is that you second-guess yourself less. I also happen to enjoy overthinking but I can sometimes miss out on the bigger picture when I overthink the small details. The limited time ensures that I don’t needlessly overscrutinize.
Momentary fear of missing a deadline can inspire an adrenaline rush. Thus the self-imposed short deadline acts as a motivating factor. I, on occasion, find that I feel more confident in my capabilities to tackle a hard assignment with last-minute deadlines.
Rephrase procrastination as prioritization
Prioritize what your emotions are communicating with you. Unravel the negative feelings and choose to do what you want. Procrastination is not a waste of time; it’s “me” time. For me, rather than inducing stress, it reduces stress. More so, when you resume the task with a rested and replenished mindset, you may find it easier to do or by then, the task may disappear from your to-do list altogether (that’s wishful thinking though!).
So when you’re about to procrastinate, see it as an opportunity to put first the fun-filled activities you’d like to try. Plan them like you would any other pursuit and get the most out of that time by indulging yourself, guilt-free. Happy procrastinating!
About Shars
Shars is a third-year Economics and Psychology student. She's currently interning with External Relations at the U of A — although she believes her true vocation to be pro-binge watcher or foodie (just kidding!) A quote that she always comes back to: "If I work hard, I can eat delicious things!"