How to Productively Procrastinate

Tap to Read ➤ Janna Seliger

Productive and procrastinate together might seem like an oxymoron, but it's possible! Don't think so? Well, read on to get rid of your doubts.

Ending procrastination is the topic of many a self-help book on the market today. We all want to stop procrastinating, but we figure, 'Ah, I'll do it tomorrow'. For those of us who have embraced our procrastinating nature, we instead must treat it like alcohol: something to be used responsibly.

Responsible? Productive? We're sure you're thinking, "We must have consumed far too much alcohol before writing this thing!" But we are completely sober and serious: you can procrastinate responsibly and productively.

Let's use the example of a college student. A student is dreading writing a huge paper that's due the next day. How can they procrastinate in a way that is responsible when they have this large responsibility looming over them?

One of the best ways of procrastinate is by cleaning. Not only can it be a relaxing activity, but it'll make your home or dorm room a more comfortable place to work.

Laundry is another activity that one can engage in while procrastinating. It needs to be done eventually, right? So go ahead! Put off that paper for a few hours and get that laundry done!

A second way of procrastinating productively is to meditate. Yes, it might seem counterproductive to just sit somewhere for a while and not do anything, but it's actually an excellent way to refresh your mind and soothe your soul.

If you are procrastinating, chances are you have something you should be doing but don't want to for various reasons. This causes stress. Meditation is one of the best stress relievers out there. If you've never done it before, search the Internet for guided meditation podcasts. There are plenty out there that can help to get you started.

Speaking of stress, another good stress reliever is exercise. Exercising is a wonderful way to procrastinate responsibly. By taking a quick walk or jog, you are not only doing something that's good for your body, but you're also relieving stress from your mind.

Let go and enjoy the cool (or warm) breeze as it rushes past you. Feels better already, doesn't it? When you come back to do your work, you'll feel energized and ready to go.

The last way of procrastination that we'll discuss here is putting off one thing for another thing you've been procrastinating on. Let's say you've got two homework assignments due the next day, both of which you were putting off. One might be bigger or more stressful than the other.

Start with the easy one. Put off that bigger one until the smaller, easier one is finished. That sense of accomplishment you get from completing the first assignment will help motivate you do the second.

Perhaps these suggestions aren't within the true spirit of procrastination, but they are great ways to essentially put something off without sitting around and getting absolutely nothing done. Whether it's relieving stress, working on something else, or energizing your body and mind, there are plenty of ways to procrastinate productively.