How To Make Procrastinating Work For You Instead Of Hinder You
What comes to mind when you hear the word procrastinating? Maybe things, like lazy, putting off now what you can do later, or just doing anything to avoid what you should be doing!
We’ve all been there. Having something that needs to get done and the next thing you know…you’re:
- checking your email or social media
- grabbing a snack
- checking your messages
- suddenly cleaning out a kitchen drawer
- phoning a friend
Procrastination is often viewed with a negative lens. We all know that it is the #1 culprit behind our NOT getting things done. Things that we know should be getting done.
The internet is full of ways, tips, hacks and advice on how to stop procrastinating. Even I’ve written about the why behind this issue and 5 ways to overcome it. (read that here)
Turning A Negative Into A Positive (sort of)
Well my friend, today is going to be a little bit different. Now I don’t know that I can fully put a positive light on procrastination. But I do think that I can help us look at it from a different perspective.
One that can have this pesky hinderance to our progress, dare I say, working FOR us?!
What if I told you that there was a way that you could productively procrastinate? Pretty intrigued and interested aren’t you?
I’ve been writing a book. My first book. Sadly, it’s been in the works for nearly two years. Mostly due to procrastination.
However, I’ve managed to get more done on this book in the last eight weeks or so due to two things. Wanna know what they are?
- Sheer determination (no kidding, I’m literally sick of having this “I’m gonna write a book” hang over me anymore)
- Productive procrastination
Productive Procrastination? Is that a thing?
Thanks to a quick chat with my daughter about what we were up to. She at college and me at home doing.the.things.
And after running through all that I had done, instead of writing/editing, she says…”at least you’re productively procrastinating” 
Hmmm…productively procrastinating, you say?
As someone who is all about prioritized focus, that description struck me.
While I was definitely procrastinating getting to what I should and planned to do. The truth was, I just wasn’t feeling it. At least THAT “it”.
So, I did other things instead. DEEP cleaning, meal prepping, more book editing, scheduling, calendar blocking, upcoming training notes…
☝ May not sound like progress, but did I mention the last eight weeks or so, I’ve had serious prioritized focus on book writing/editing? That means that things have been, well, a little neglected around here.
I realized that even though I had planned what I wanted to accomplish in that timeframe, I still managed to set myself up for progress.
So her description gave me a sense of relief. Suddenly, I was loosening the guilt grip a bit.
She was right!
Trading one set of procrastinations for another was actually setting me up to be more productive later!
Go figure.
Immediately I started thinking of other productive procrastinations I can get into:
- Engaging & connecting with peeps here or even here about our faith, life & businesses. After all, how can I hope to grow or help others if I’m stuck inside my own bubble all of the time?
- Write a new blog post on this brilliant concept of productively procrastinating (how’d I do?) There are other aspects of my business that need attention and consistency. Writing is one of them. Emails, blogs, social posts…
- Start my search for a book cover designer 🤔 (if you know one, let me know! time’s a tickin’). Sometimes the thing we fear or put off the most is the thing we really need to dig into. A book cover designer may sound small, but how often do you buy/judge a book by it’s cover? Exactly!
Seeing The Trades As They Could Be
I hope that you are seeing this as new possibilities for your progress. Not as an excuse to fall into the negative side of procrastination.
How about you? What do you think? Can you get behind this productive procrastination movement?
I’d love to hear what your procrastination trades will be. The ones that will help set you up for better productivity later. Those that will have you making progress and freeing up the mental and physical capacity to keep it movin’! Always forward my friend, always forward.
Let us know in the comments!
embracing how to productively procrastinate for progress right there with ya,
Need more help in honing in your productive procrastinations?
Let’s MAP it out together!
Prefer podcasts? You’re in luck – this is episode #68