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Professor J: Procrastination 101

Because in my last post I'm sure I sounded like the "I've got it all together and let me tell you how to run your life" that I'm not. So I've decided to write up my favorite formulas for procrastination.

checking e-mail for no reason

"Someone, anyone, please give me a reason not to do work!"

google reader/analytics, livejournal friends, and facebook

Looking at statistics on Google Analytics, juicy articles on Google Reader, or the latest updates on my friends in Facebook or Livejournal prove to be my stalwart procrstinatory distractors. It's just more interesting than whatever I'm trying to avoid.

reading in the bathroom

When nature calls, I bring reading materials to extend my absence from doing work under the pretense of "expanding my mind."

taking care of any other business besides what needs doing

Otherwise known as "productive procrastination." Most often happens when I'm at work. I'm getting things done--just not the top-priority things that I should be doing. More often than not, I have a myriad of reasons for avoiding the top-priority task, and when I run out of lesser things to do, I must confront the beast, or move on to another form of procrastination

putting things away

Related to the previous one, but focused on tidying the workspace or home. Tidying is inherently satisfying, and gives a feeling of accomplishment that cannot be achieved even when tackling the gargantuan project that I'm trying to avoid. It's much more concretely rewarding to look at my clean desk, and go "ahhhh," than to e-mail an irate client or call a vendor to try to resolve a problem.

writing

One of the reasons that I procrastinate is that I have too much on my brain. Whatever's on my mind is distracting me from the task at hand. Sometimes it's inane babble that I just feel like getting on paper, or perhaps it's a big decision I have to make, or maybe it's just that I'd rather be writing my own thoughts down than working hard at something else.. Either way, writing is a staple in my procrastinating toolkit.

And you may have already guessed that I wrote out this entire thing because I was procrastinating.

w h o ? Jocelyn / w h e n ?
t r a c k b a c k? http://www.jocelynmathewes.com/cgi/mt/mt-tb.cgi/23



comments (3)


THAT is why you fail.

Do. Or Do Not. there is no Try.

Too old. Too old are you to begin the training. Too old to be Jedi.

w h o? Benjamin / w h e n? March 27, 2007 03:36


I have to contest your statements. This is Procrastination 201 or 102 at best. Procrastination 101 is as follows.

1) You never need a reason to procrastinate.
2) Giving a reason for procrasination is the first step in admitting you're doing something wrong, and should be avoided unless confronted.
3) If

Whatever, I'll finish the list later.

w h o? Still Not You / w h e n? March 27, 2007 15:15


I love this post! You are SO right about procrastination. The "productive" kind is one I am especially guilty of. I'll start cleaning or tidying instead of doing some real work...and you're right, there is a nice concrete sense of accomplishment that I really like. I'm also very good at "checking e-mail for no reason" and checking myspace and livejournal for new blogs to read. *sigh*

w h o? Moon Mermaid / w h e n? March 28, 2007 17:50




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