I Believe in Procrastination

by Ashley Rieger



I believe in procrastination. And true to form this was all written last second; I promise.

Obviously there are setbacks to being a compulsive procrastinator. I wait until my kitchen is emptied down to nothing more than a slice or two of bread (probably just the butts) before I can trouble myself to restock it. I have a growing pile of books I've been meaning to get to. I never get to bed at a reasonable hour.

But somehow I like the way I’m wired.

I believe in the power of procrastination. I believe that spontaneity and creativity derive from just such a source. I believe that giving your brain that extra time to process your thoughts is crucial to succeeding in many endeavors. I believe that engaging your thoughts elsewhere before delving into any excursion is probably your best option. And that when you’re working in panic-mode it’s easy to tune out the otherwise very distracting details of daily life.

Historically, for the ancient Greeks and Romans, the wisest of leaders generally spent most of their time in learning and contemplation, only responding with action when absolutely necessary.

I believe that procrastination is just something that every human being must undergo. There will always be more to do than you can possibly get done. Waiting for the wisdom and enthusiasm to take on a project is a great way to let your mind attempt to process the information before you get started.

When you are procrastinating, you traditionally have three options: you can do nothing, you can do something more important, or you can do something less important than what you have to do.

Obviously, the initial option is a poor one indeed, and I do not condone idle minds or spirits. The second, doing more important tasks, can clearly be pretty beneficial to us and needs no additional argument. The last-mentioned alternative is the interesting one.

I think that busying the mind with smaller efforts can make a person a more productive and interesting human being. It can give you the necessary time to rejuvenate and recharge your batteries. T.S. Eliot said, “Anxiety is the handmaiden of creativity.” I think most of the time I need that push that comes from anxiety. And when you wait for the last minute then you finally have no choice but to dismiss that inner voice that lives to criticize.

The best thing about procrastinating on something big is that it’s finally tolerable to turn your attention to all the smaller things on your to-do list. The day before a big paper is due often enough correlates to the date I choose to clean my apartment. This isn't coincidence.

And who cares if I spent if I spent the whole weekend watching Game of Thrones when I can always work on that essay on Monday? I don’t regret the times that has happened, though I refuse to admit just how frequently they occur. Taking the pressure off for a while can make a world of difference in a world that doesn't know how to slow down anymore.