Productive procrastination? What on earth does that mean? – you may catch yourself thinking. If procrastination is a phenomenon well known to almost everyone, then productive procrastination disrupts and makes you think about it for a while.
Even if you have never heard such a combination of words before, you will probably recognize this phenomenon very well. And the following paragraphs that you are about to read will prove it perfectly.
Are you ready? Let us have a look!
What is Productive Procrastination?
Productive Procrastination is avoiding (or postponing) tasks that you have to do. And instead of doing them – actively engaging in other extraneous activities.
In other words, Productive Procrastination can be defined as avoiding important tasks because of various reasons and putting your energy to minor things. For example, tidying up or doing some trivial tasks that you normally do not even think about.
So, as you may see, procrastination has nothing to do with laziness in this case. In fact, people who engage in productive procrastination can even get several times more things done in a day than usual.
Productive Procrastination Characteristics
How do you know if you use Productive Procrastination in your daily life? You will find some examples down below that will help you to recognize it:
· You are used to putting off important tasks until the last minute;
· You often catch yourself saying things like “I still have some time”, “Even though it is extremely important to me, I have a lot of things to do before that as well”;
· You usually postpone dealing with the tasks that do not give much pleasure (even if the longer you wait, the worse the things get);
· You often convince yourself that you cannot do one or another task right now because there are more important ones;
· Although there is less and less time left to prepare for the extremely significant assignment, you still do not take studying as a priority. You prefer tidying up the room, cleaning the windows, taking out the trash instead, etc.;
· Even if you feel stress and tension due to upcoming deadlines, you still take on other activities;
· You take a long time to complete things that require only sitting down and spending a couple of minutes.
If you recognize yourself in at least one of these examples, watch your behavior for a while. If you notice that this behavior reoccurs, most probably you use productive procrastination.
Pros and Cons of Productive Procrastination
The combination of words Productive Procrastination sounds like an oxymoron. Therefore, it is natural that this phenomenon in itself has both advantages and disadvantages. Let us take a look at some of them:
Pros
Firstly, postponing the main tasks and concentrating on other activities is helpful, because it lets our brain have some rest. This way, stepping away allows you to get back to the task with new ideas, inspiration and get it done faster.
Secondly, it can contribute to the development of important qualities in any job. In this case, it allows you to develop a pattern of actions that can be taken in the event that you are tired of the main task or simply want to take on another activity.
Thirdly, although procrastination postpones important tasks for a later time, it is not idle at the same time – other tasks are performed. So, it can be an extremely beneficial thing – only if you plan the tasks you have to do in advance and prioritize correctly (start with the most important tasks and end with the ones that are less significant).
Cons
Scientists of Harvard university state, that shifting between tasks takes 50% longer to complete the task. This means that instead of devoting time to effective work, you waste a significant part of it – even procrastinating productively.
What is more, switching between tasks is killing productivity. Although you may not even feel it at first, over time you will find that it becomes more and more difficult to focus, prioritize tasks and manage your time. Therefore, it is very important to consciously make decisions, set aside a limited time for the task and stick to them.
Also, Productive Procrastination puts you at risk to leave too little time for your main tasks. This makes it more likely that you will end up doing a lot of tasks, but none of the ones that really matter.
How to Procrastinate Productively?
Although procrastination is considered an unequivocally negative thing and there are many ways to combat it, not many people talk about the fact that you can just… Make friends with it. Below you will find some examples of how to outsmart yourself and make proactive procrastination help you achieve your goals.
Plan the work
Always make a list of tasks that are important to do in the near future. In this way, you will be able to spend your time purposefully and do the tasks that really need to be done, and not those that have fallen to hand.
Prioritize tasks thoughtfully
Let the tasks you take to help you seek your main goals. This is a great way to deceive yourself. Even when the goal seems enormous and hard to achieve, small, focused efforts to achieve it will incessantly lead towards the goal.
Give yourself a limited amount of time to complete the task
Challenge yourself to spend less time on a task than necessary. It gives you an opportunity to compete with yourself and strengthen your work efficiency skills. Also, it is a way to do all the necessary tasks quicker than usual. However, this method may not work for everyone. For some people, being in a hurry creates stress that inhibits productivity.
Take breaks
A person is not a robot. That is why in order to ensure efficient and productive work, you also need to take breaks during work. Take this time for a walk, having some snacks or exercise. This will help you return to work with new energy. As it is said, quality work requires quality rest.
Avoid taking on too much
Evaluate your options rationally. You probably know more than one example when a person who spares no energy and time for work has burned out. Recovery will definitely require a lot more energy than doing tasks at your own pace. After all, health is what matters most.
All the tips mentioned above will definitely help you bring more structure to Productive Procrastination. In this way, even work avoidance and postponing the most important tasks will allow you not to move away from them, but to purposefully pursue them while performing other important tasks.
What is the Difference between Productive and Structured Procrastination?
Often the terms Productive and Structured Procrastination are used interchangeably. However, this is not quite right. Although the difference between Productive and Structured Procrastination is very small, they are not identical.
| Productive Procrastination | Structured Procrastination |
| Does not include planning | Carefully pre-planned tasks |
| No time limit | Tasks ordered by importance |
| Limited amount of time for each task |
As we can see in the table above, the main difference between these two types of procrastination is that Structured Procrastination is related to the planning of tasks and time and the purposeful execution of tasks. Productive Procrastination, on the other hand, is characterized by being productive by completing tasks at hand and not paying much attention to time planning as well.
What is the Difference between Active and Passive Procrastination?
Procrastination can also be divided into active and passive. Here are their main differences:
| Active Procrastination | Passive Procrastination |
| Positive mindset | Negative mindset |
| Ability to make quick decisions | Inability to make decisions quickly |
| Focusing attention on other important task at hand | Delay of the important tasks and inability to concentrate on other significant ones |
In short, Active Procrastination leads to active action and task completion. And Passive Procrastination leads to avoiding tasks. Sometimes it can be a conscious choice, and sometimes it is an unconscious choice, that is, one that is hindered by fear, self-doubt, etc.
Become More Productive with a Technology
Awareness and strict self-discipline can help overcome procrastination. However, it is not easy to implement, so in this case anti-procrastination apps come in handy.
For example, using the Virtue Map app you will get daily tools, tactics and techniques to banish procrastination. What is more, you will boost your confidence and all the tasks you used to delay will be overcome much faster and more efficiently.
Finally, as Virtue Map app users share in the reviews section – this method is also worth trying because it provides you with the program created by certified Behavioral Psychologists and Success Coaches. It is customized according to your preferences – answers that you give filling up the questionnaire when starting to use this app.
Conclusion
Procrastination is often viewed as a negative thing. And it is hard to disagree with that. Procrastination can have serious, life-changing consequences.
The good news is that procrastination can be turned into something that brings benefits. This means that the time set aside for preparing assignments, completing important documents or other significant tasks can also be used effectively.
There are many ways and methods to make this a part of your daily life. You can find a lot of information about this in psychological books, blogs, and various videos created by specialists on this topic.
However, if you want to save time – choose the method tested by many people – Virtue Map app. In this way, you will not only get rid of procrastination, gain the necessary knowledge conveniently, but also stick with self-discipline easier and achieve great success.
FAQs
Is productive procrastination considered as ADHD?
Although procrastination is sometimes considered as a symptom of ADHD, there is no connection between ADHD and procrastination.
Is productive procrastination good?
Depending on the circumstances, delaying the tasks you have to do can be both a good and a bad thing. Although in some cases it can bring benefits, in other cases it can prevent the realization of goals or even get you into trouble. For example, refusing to study can lead to a failed assignment and hindering the successful completion of the degree program.
