Procrastination has a bad rep. But not all procrastination is the same.
Indeed, procrastination can be really good.
I have recently learnt that from a podcast with Adam Grant and Andrew Huberman. For a link to this episode, check out the comments below.
But let’s turn around the camera to YOU first.
When you procrastinate, do you
1️⃣ look at the task, put it aside and pick it up again closer to the deadline?
2️⃣ look at the task, and then put it aside until so close to the deadline that you know you’ll have to 100% focus on it and race to get it done by the deadline?
3️⃣ look at the task until the very last moment and then dig in your heels to race towards the deadline?
It turns out that version number 1️⃣ – familiarising yourself with the task and then putting it aside for a while but not until the last minute increases the quality of your work.
Here’s why:
Once you’ve read the assignment, your idea for tackling it percolates as you turn your attention to other tasks. Your perspective broadens as you pick up insights and information while doing other things.
And that’s how your work becomes richer – all by letting ideas gestate.
Would you like to shift your unhelpful procrastination? Is now a good time for you to start working with a coach?
