Procrastination is not bad

by Lionel Wijesiri

For most of us, procrastination is synonymous with laziness. The very origin of the word 'procrastination', from the Latin pro-, for 'forward', and crastinus, 'of tomorrow', captures that outlook.

Most suggested solutions fail to deal with the modus operandi of procrastinators, and attempt to change their ways more quickly than their deep-rooted character traits allow.

But what if we looked at it differently? For instance, I was complaining one day to a close friend, who happens to be an HR coach whose job is to help people who are 'stuck in unproductive habits', about how I couldn't seem to overcome my pathological leave-it-till-later-ness.

"Look, procrastinating is just part of your process," he said. "You're doing fine."

Maybe he was right. I just might be.

Guilt

In fact, internationally recognised psychic coaches believe that procrastination can be a good thing, when used strategically. The other day, I was reading the best seller, 'Procrastinate on Purpose' written by Rory Vaden, a self-discipline expert, who is also a popular speaker, author, and strategist. "People who procrastinate carry an unfair amount of guilt. But some of the most successful people in the world are procrastinators," says Vaden. He adds, "I don't think procrastinatingis a bad thing. The bad thing is berating yourself as lazy, unmotivated and inefficient person for not buckling down and crossing items off your to-do list every minute of the day. Positive procrastination actually helps you work better, faster and more creatively."

Positive procrastination is a paradoxical term, meaning the kind of procrastination that makes you more productive by turning your weakness into a strength.When we face a necessary but unpleasant project-like paying bills or doing paperwork-we set about to find ways to put it off. The key to positive procrastination lies in harnessing, for useful purposes, this creative ability.

Benefits

A positive procrastinator puts off a distasteful duty by first working on other things for which there has not been time. For these people, procrastination is a force for social good. It first leads to greater accomplishments in other worthwhile areas, then gives way to a sense of duty that motivates them to finish the unappealing task they worked so hard to avoid. Positive procrastination broadens our horizons. Without it, I'm convinced, most journalists would be out of a job. Houses are vacuumed and cars are waxed because of procrastination. It leads us to better eating. Having something to put off can result in some good 'home cooking' that would otherwise be too time-consuming. Parents, avoiding work, spend time with their families. Letters get written and phone calls, get made, continuing or re-establishing relationships. There are other benefits to positive procrastination. It can lead you to gain better information prior to making 'a decision'. It allows some problems to go away by themselves with the passage of time. Putting off things gives you a ready-made excuse when someone wants to impose ("I'd love to, Bob, but I really have to. . ."). Those who procrastinate have a strategic advantage over those who don't, because they can always outwait them.

Tips

Here are a few tips by Vaden showing how to procrastinate positively.

1.Do it intentionally

If you're delaying out of fear, that is negative procrastination. But if you're intentionally waiting, that's positive. So if you know you need a while to let ideas gain vigour and let your mind wander, consciously give yourself that extra time.

And if you're putting something off because it makes more sense strategically, set a date and a time when you will start it. Yes, you can schedule procrastination!

2. Figure out why you're waiting

If you're not procrastinating on purpose, as Vaden calls it, try to get to the reason behind your stalling. Is the task you're delaying aligned with your values? (Maybe you have to do something that you don't believe in) Are you afraid of failure? (Your dream is to open a small coffee shop, but it feels so risky.) Is your procrastination a way to communicate to someone? (Your wife asked you to call a plumber to fix the leaky shower, but you feel like she's too bossy.) Once your answers are simply information, not judgments against you, they can help you make better decisions.

3. Don't feel guilty

Even if you end up procrastinating unintentionally, don't berate yourself for it. Feeling bad about your work habits can catch you in a negative cycle of self-reproach and further procrastination, because you start to feel like you can't do the work. "The No. 1 cause of procrastination is self-criticism," Vaden says. Instead, accept what's happening and try to move on.

4. Understand what 'last minute' means

"The term 'Last minute' is when you have adequate time to finish a product on time, on budget, without compromising quality and without stressing out yourself or those around you," Vaden says. It's quite in order to wait until the last minute, but if you're staying up all night, doing not-so-great work, you're probably waiting until after the last minute.

When we procrastinate, we often feel too guilty to do things which brings us joy.

Instead we force ourselves to sit at the computer all day, scrolling through Facebook and taking online quizzes.

What if you play with your dog, instead? Or do my gardening? Doing activities that you actually like can inspire a new motivation for the project you were putting off.

5. Solve a small problem

Stuck in a rut of procrastination? Find a small job or task-answering an email, making your bed, straightening up your desk-that you can easily complete. Successfully finishing something, however small, can spark your productivity for the bigger stuff.

6. Get an accountability partner

Team with someone with whom you can share your goals and deadlines.

Figure out ways-a morning walk or coffee during which you chat about your progress, perhaps, or a weekly email check-in-that you can help each other stay alive.