Procrastination Can Be a Positive Experience

Too much to do.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

While we often think of the negative consequences of procrastination, as I began to obsess over my own ever-growing to-do list, I decided to search for the upside of procrastination.

Despite respect for the work of Van Hooft and Mierlo (2018) who reported that procrastination is “a failure in self-regulation,” too many goal-oriented women have said they see their to-do lists as something to dread—like quicksand.

There are a number of sources that look on the positive side of putting off tasks. Susanna Newsonen, MAPP, 6 Reasons Procrastination Can Be Good For You, was clear in pointing out that "Procrastination shines light on what's most important to you."

"You're less likely to procrastinate on things you love to do or that really matter to you. If there's something you're struggling to get done, ask yourself why you're doing it in the first place. Purpose and passion will help you overcome any procrastination hurdle—or make you realize that you're procrastinating because you're working on the wrong thing."

Also according to Chu and Choi (2005)

"The present results showed that although active procrastinators procrastinate to the same degree as passive procrastinators, they are more similar to non-procrastinators than to passive procrastinators in terms of purposive use of time, control of time, self-efficacy belief, coping styles, and outcomes including academic performance."

Making a more practical to-do list

Turning a to-do list into a positive experience requires something akin to weeding a garden and pruning the plants. Here are ways to whittle away at your to-do list, make peace with your inner guilt-producing procrastinator voice, and find time to focus on what you love to do or make the decision to dream.

1. Start by setting aside your to-do list for a day or two.
2. Make a list of all the things you do in a typical day. If you work, go to school, do volunteer work, take care of children and their needs, shop for food, pick up dry cleaning—put it on the list.
3. Next to each activity estimate how long each activity usually takes.
4. Next go back to the list and add an additional 15 to 20 minutes to each task. Why? Interruptions. The average 15-minute task can easily stretch into 40 minutes.

When you take a good look at the list and see how much is happening in your life, you might find that a key reason for procrastination is overload.

Turn your to-do list into a de-cluttering adventure

Divide your list into topics to evaluate the time spent in the course of a week:

• Family:
• Finances:
• Friendship:
• Personal/social/spiritual:
• Do-nothing time: (See Pico Iyer: The Art of Doing Nothing, Interview by Jennifer Haupt)
• Your wish list: If you do not have one, make time to begin thinking about one for yourself. (This is where the art of creativity or purpose comes in.)

When you re-evalulate your to-do list, chances are that there is no time for wishes or dreams. Start the de-cluttering process. Go back to the topics and begin crossing out what may be unnecessary or taking up too much of your time. Delegate some tasks if possible.

Re-do the list to find a way to eliminate some of the tasks for which you are procrastinating and make space for creativity and dreaming. (See 7 Days to Our Heart's Desire)

Also consider this: If you had just one major decision to make today—in terms of a relationship, family member, job, finances, health, or volunteer activity—would you have the time to be fair to yourself? Would you make the decision to please yourself or others?

Think about why you are procrastinating on specific tasks or projects and then ask yourself: Is this really something I want to do? If the answer is "No" and you can bow out of the obligation, then bow out. A generation of women were raised to be pleasers and, as such, too often we say “Yes” when we really mean “No.” (See the Ten Table Pounding Whys)

The “pleaser pattern” contributes to overload which traps us into procrastination. If someone agrees to go to dinner, the movies, a museum, or just take a walk with a friend—despite an already overflowing to-do list, it's an addition rather than a subtraction—that is, adding a task instead of crossing one off.

Procrastination Essential Reads

How to Avoid Procrastinating When You Don't Want to Work

A Surprising Reason Why Students Procrastinate

A way to curtail overload is through the words, “No, I wish I could, but I can't.” If the person is someone whom you care about and who cares about you, he or she will respect your need to protect your time and be grateful for your honesty. If you are pushed for an answer, simply say, “I’m working on a secret creative dream.”

Copyright Rita Watson 2019.