Procrastination: A Weird Heat Companion

Procrastination is often seen as a bad thing—putting off something dreaded in favor of something more enjoyable. It certainly adds unnecessary stress, but I do not think procrastination by itself is a bad thing. For instance, I like deadlines. In fact, I would barely be able to function without deadlines, so I often end up needing to imposing them on myself.

Back when I had deadlines for school, I struggled with one type of procrastination. Say I had a term paper due at the end of the semester. I would start on the project incredibly early, maybe within the week it was assigned. I would feel so good about actually beginning the work that I would shelve what I had done until it was almost due. At this point, I would dig out the work, now two to three months old, and attempt to rejoin my thoughts, stringing together paragraphs with linking sentences. Needless to say, it was not the best way to work.

I look at procrastination more as a way to prioritize our to-do list. Just having a deadline is enough to ensure something is done. For most of us, then, the important things will rise to the top. The most notorious procrastinators I have known make the claim that all their best work is done the night before something is due. Whether or not this is true is besides the point.

I also think putting off work in favor of more relaxing activities can put us in a better headspace to get the work done. After all, how good can our work be if we have not taken any breaks? At the very least, a relaxing break can refresh the brain for a bit. This may be a stretch—even putting it in words seems like an excuse—but there is some truth to the axiom, “All work and no play…”

Instead, I think the direct danger with procrastination lies with the speed at which we try to accomplish the task. If you run right up to when something is supposed to be done, you will likely rush and the quality will suffer as a result. The balance, which is different for everyone, lies somewhere in taking enough time to be comfortable finishing the product and allowing enough time to be successful.