A hot take about procrastination: How it can be beneficial?

Procrastination is the act of putting off or postponing something. We all procrastinate sometimes and it’s not always the best idea. One study found that procrastination decreases productivity and increases the likelihood of dropping tasks. However, there are times when it can be helpful and even necessary. Here are a few ways that procrastination can be good for you.

Photo by Annie Spratt

1. It’s an avoidance technique to help you deal with more difficult or stressful situations. When you have something particularly upsetting or challenging ahead of you, you might find yourself becoming anxious and feel the need to put everything else on hold until you can get through this particular task without stressing out. This is called anticipatory anxiety and it can be helpful in this situation.
2. It can be a way to think through a problem and come up with solutions. When you feel like you are being too hasty and rushing into something, it’s often because there is more thought that needs to go into the situation before taking action. Procrastination allows you to step back and really look at what you’re about to do so that you can make sure it’s what you want and need.
3. It can be used as a rest period. When you’re really busy and have lots of things to do, it’s easy to get burned out and fatigued. Procrastination gives your body and mind a break from the stress and strain of what you’re doing so that when you return to work, you’ll be more productive because you are rested and ready to go.
4. It allows you to get ahead on other tasks. Sometimes we procrastinate because our minds are filled with one particular thought or task that we have to get done. Instead of letting this stop you, use the time that you would have spent on the task ahead as a chance to get other things accomplished. When that task is complete, then go back and finish what you started before.
5. It’s a way to keep yourself motivated. Sometimes when we know that there is something difficult or stressful ahead of us, our motivation levels drop drastically. Procrastination can help to keep you focused on your end goal and remind you of how important it is that you get through this task now and not later.
6. It can be an opportunity for self-reflection. Sometimes we procrastinate because there’s something about the situation ahead of us that we don’t like or feel uncomfortable with. Instead of doing it, you might find yourself thinking about what’s going to happen and why you shouldn’t do it yet. This can be a good thing as it allows you time to think things through and make changes if it is necessary.

As you can see, procrastination comes with some amount of benefits that can help you be more productive and avoid getting stressed or overwhelmed. This doesn’t mean you should simply give in to the urge to put it off all the time! Being productive is about finding the right balance between procrastinating and working diligently to get what you need to do. If you find yourself always procrastinating when faced with a certain task, take a closer look at why this is the case and see if you can find better ways of dealing with it.

Anyways, if you want to satisfy your productive side, check out Insumo App to be more productive today: https://www.insumo.io/.