Productive Procrastination: Just Do SOMETHING!
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Putting off tasks that need to be done? Well, practice productive procrastination as a way to get something done when you can’t seem to tackle the to do list.
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I have always struggled with procrastination. In college, I was notorious for leaving my paper writing until the night before it was due. Finals? Yeah, I pulled all-nighters on those, too.
One habit I developed at the time was what I like to call, productive procrastination.
Sure, I may have had a paper to write, but at least my room was clean! More times than not, I found that by working on something that I felt like doing, I found my mind going to that paper or that test and thinking it through. Often I had the paper “written in my head” by the time I’d done all my laundry.
Productive Procrastination
Today is no different. I may have some big task looming over my head, but if I can’t find the energy or motivation to do it, I try to do something that’s productive, you know, like vacuuming. It makes me feel so much better than sitting on the couch watching Food Network when I should be getting ready for taxes. At least something is getting done.
I’m not saying that we shouldn’t try to do the items we have on our to-do lists. But sometimes, it’s just hard to get moving in that direction.
Sometimes there are distractions.
Sometimes there’s stress.
Sometimes you just can’t think straight.
Sometimes you just don’t wanna.
Years ago I remember explaining this to an older, wiser mom. I wanted to justify my inactivity. But, she provided an alternative.
Mrs. Cohen said, “When I feel like that, I just put my hands to the next task. Usually that’s dishes. There are always dishes to be done.”
Her words have stuck with me over the years. It’s true; there usually are dishes to be done. And I can feel productive even if I’m not doing all the things I “should” be doing in that moment.
At least I’m doing something.
What Can You Do Right Now
Here are some things you might do with the time you have on hand… at least until you summon up the courage or will power to do the top level tasks.
- do some laundry
- read a good book
- read a good book to the kids
- write in your journal
- have a breakfast plan for the week
- clean the bathroom
- delete some computer clutter
More Home Management Tips
What works for you?
Leave a comment below and let us know what works for you.
This really was something I needed to hear. After two major surgeries last year and two major surgeries for my husband this year, my motivation is shot. I have been telling myself lately that “a body in motion stays in motion and a body at rest stays at rest.” Sometimes having to go to the bathroom is the motivation that gets me off my chair and moving toward getting SOMETHING done. Once I get moving, I just keep going for a while and things get done. I find laundry the easiest thing to get done. It’s minimal effort and maximum results…about 10 minutes of effort between putting in, switching to dryer, and folding or hanging and putting away. Easy peasy and I feel (and look) like I accomplished something…and I have!
Here’s to more days of moving!
I like to cook. I don’t mind doing the laundry since the machines do most of the work. House cleaning on the other hand is my procrastination point. I often find myself in the kitchen when I should be cleaning the toilets, vacuuming or dusting. But I do feel better knowing I’ve been productive. For me the sticking point is getting started. Once I start cleaning, I usually keep going for awhile.
It really is getting started, isn’t it? If only we could just flick a switch, labeled CLEANING MODE.
Yes! Especially if that switch worked on our children.
Yes, I learned this years ago, and it is such a helpful attitude to have. Thanks for explaining it so well!
And, from one blogger to another, your site is taking a long time to load. If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t have waited all those minutes. Just saying. Happy tweaking!
Thanks for letting me know. I’m not having that issue. What browser are you using?
It’s Windows 10. Hope that helps! 🙂
I needed this. I am a professional procrastinator and tend to put things off. I like this mindset. 🙂
That’s a fantastic strategy! I know on the days I just don’t wanna, doing nothing is about the worst thing…leaves me feeling worse than ever. I like your thought on another post about doing what you can when you can. I think that’s a really healthy way to look at getting things done. There are days when you can’t do everything or even a portion of what really needs to get done, but just doing something puts you in a better frame of mind.
I think knowing that you accomplished something is super helpful.
It’s easy to relate to this post. I found that when I was in college, I had to have the dorm room organized before I would start that paper. It was always last minute, too, when I seemed to be the most creative and write the best. It’s as if my brain was not able to settle and organize my thoughts creatively until late at night. I had a very busy schedule in college, so I was never “not busy”. Writing papers then was a procrastination point, but mostly because I needed to sit down and do the whole thing at the same time, which meant I had to have a block of time to do it.
Now, I find myself just getting busy with something while I’m “planning” something else. For instance, sorting through closets to re-organize clothes that have been outgrown by my boys. For some reason, closets are just a big task, like writing that paper was in college. I’m finding new ways to sort it out and make it work because otherwise the closet becomes a lot like going Christmas shopping at the mall or WalMart on Christmas Eve.
It’s okay to take a project in “small steps”. Don’t let the big picture overwhelm, and don’t create more work in your head while you are working. Get a few things finished with the project, then take a break and busy with something else. Just have a set time to come back to the project that isn’t quite finished yet. Organize the clothes today, work on filtering out old and outgrown toys tomorrow or another time. This sure seems to help the sanity of the parent and the children in the middle of the project.
Hey, I have the same vacuum! lol I definitely understand the procrastination thing. Getting better at it though. My little four year old (as of the 14th) is actually starting to help out more picking things up. She likes it when we “clean” the house together!
I am something of a frustrated perfectionist, but I’m learning that “it doesn’t have to be perfect” “anything done is better than nothing done” and even slow progress is still progress.
It has been a real eye opener watching my kids deal with the same kinds of things. We are learning together, and usually set up a small reward for ourselves when we complete a task
Love it! I’m right there with ya on the procrastination. I remember changing my mind on a 30-page paper I had due for my pro-seminar class the night before because I had thought through a different thesis. Completed in 6 hours and received an A-. Not the wisest move, but it worked. I constantly put things off until I can do them ‘just right’ which means there are piles of things undone around here since getting things done just so is very challenging with 3 kids under 5. Honestly, I’ve been seeing a Chrisitan counselor for a few weeks to help me sort it all out and to learn to let things go and focus on what I can get done. Getting something accomplished is so much better than mounting guilt and mounting tasks to attend to. Something is better than nothing. I’ll take that.
I wrote a post called “Why Bother” about fighting procrastination, particularly in response to housework. http://momsinneedofmercy.blogspot.com/2010/01/messy-monday-why-bother.html
It’s helpful for me to replace “why bother?” with “yes, let’s bother!”