Wallowing in procrastination

We all have one (or two, or three). And we use it more often than we should, but none of us want to openly acknowledge it. No, I don’t mean that. I’m talking about a favourite means of procrastination.

Maybe favourite isn’t quite the right word, because we mostly use it unconsciously, not looking it square in the face, our awareness of it in the moment just flitting on the edge of our consciousness. It’s not like a favourite ice cream flavour, which we approach with relish and anticipation.

But maybe we should. Maybe the best way to beat procrastination is actually to identify the key means we use to avoid our work, and then write them up and post them in front of our computer (or wherever). Then, as we sit down to this work that we don’t want to do, let’s give ourselves 5 minutes to full on wallow in the joy of procrastination.

Then stop. Wouldn’t that be better than 20 minutes of furtive enjoyment, when on the edge of our consciousness we feel guilty about it? Isn’t a full-on nap infinitely more fulfilling than head bobbing on the bus on the way home?

Once you’ve enjoyed the wallow a few times, then compare the joy of non-guilty procrastination to the joy of finishing that work that you needed to get done. The latter definitely feels better. I need to remember that.