Productive Procrastination

Procrastination can come in many forms. Sometimes, it can appear to be productive.

It's only natural to want to deny labels like "procrastinator." Such labels carry shame and judgement, and make us feel like we are inadequate. Of course we want to avoid these labels - and do everything in our power to avoid being associated with them, too. This is why many of us pack out schedules not only with work, but with activities.

Perhaps we are running multiple clubs on a college campus, or have tons of social engagements scheduled throughout the day. Whatever it may be, these extracurriculars take up time in our busy days, and although they fill them with joy, they may also reveal a larger problem. We tell ourselves that these things are legitimate and essential, that we could never be procrastinators, because we don't waste time, we are just super busy! But, if you find yourself with a schedule full of social and extracurricular activities, but little time for the important tasks in your life, you may be guilty of an alternative form of procrastination: productive procrastination.

Productive procrastination is procrastination that is justified by the beneficial nature of the activities one uses to procrastinate. This could be procrastinating on assignment by volunteering, working on another, less important assignment, or scheduling social commitments. These activities turn the task you need to do into something unpleasant and unattractive, reducing your motivation for the task and inspiring further procrastination.

Full disclosure. I am very guilty of this problem. I often look at my schedule and am shocked by the sheer amount of time I devote to extracurricular activities. And this does not merely include the weekly responsibilities of my job as a resident assistant or as co-president of the student-photography club at my college, this issue expands to scheduling in favors for my friends or 2-hour dinners with friends.

Scheduling these things into my calendar makes them somehow official, somehow just as important as my classes or meetings. But the truth is, they're not. And not all of these activities are essential (I know the 2-hour-long dinners are not!). Overbooking oneself often has negative effects on the vital work one needs to do. I experienced this first-hand last week.

I knew that I had a history essay I needed to complete by the end of the week, and yet, as I looked at my schedule, there was virtually no time to get it done. On Monday, I had a club meeting, and then had to fulfill my promise of driving my friend to Target. On top of classes and meals, that was a day gone. At about 9:00 I sat down in the library to begin working on my paper - only to remember I promised to meet with a classmate about our upcoming group project. And the day was lost on me.

On Tuesday, I woke up early to hang up posters around campus, had a long lunch with friend, and worked on planning out my week in my personal planner. By the time dinner rolled around, I once again hadn't made any progress on the paper. Wednesday was much the same. With a floor meeting to host and attending a guest-lecture, I found little time for my essay, only managing to make a measly outline.

By Thursday, I had two days left to get the essay done. But Thursdays are my busiest days! Three classes, a meeting with my boss, a piano lesson, and a student play! There was no way any of the essay would get done. And it didn't. Friday rolled around, and I knew the pressure was on. I worked on the essay a little in the morning, but once again, my afternoon was full of commitments - from a favor for a friend to office hours to babysitting. I ended up frantically writing the essay Friday night, staying in the library until the last possible second and turning in a rough, rough draft. Worst of all, I knew that I put myself in this situation by devoting too much time to other activities, ultimately less important activities; things that aren't necessarily a waste of my time, but certainly aren't the best use of my time. Especially with an essay to write.

So, this coming week, I am trying something new. I am keeping only the essential things on my calendar. No more overbooking, no more running from commitment to commitment, no more starting homework after the sun has already set. I'm trying to curb productive procrastination cold turkey - of course while still budgeting some time activities which fulfill me. Only when I can find the proper balance between extracurriculars and essential tasks can I say I'm not a "procrastinator."