How To Be Productive While Procrastinating

Sounds kinda odd doesn’t it? It’s almost an oxymoron.

How to be productive while procrastinating.

Let’s face it. We all procrastinate in some way. We’re putting something off, doing other things than that one thing we need to get done. I know I’m guilty as charged! What’s worse is that pit feeling in your stomach knowing you still haven’t done what you NEED to get done, that thing that you’re putting off. So I got to thinking… If you’re going to procrastinate, be productive while you put off that thing you’re supposed to be doing.

The problem with procrastination is that people procrastinate ineffectively. Use the free time you’ve created via procrastination wisely. Get some worthwhile things accomplished! You’ll be creating additional free time that can be used later to do the task you should be doing right now.

How to minimize the effects of procrastination by procrastinating wisely:

Do a little housekeeping. Not quite in the mood to get to your real work? That’s fine. Vacuum the floor. Take out the garbage. Wash the dishes. Mop the floor. Organize a drawer or two. Spruce up the place.
Answer important emails. Address your overflowing inbox and put a dent in it. Avoid the purely social emails and take care of the most important ones first.
Schedule your future. Do you need to make a doctor’s appointment, set a meeting for next week, or make plans to rotate your tires? The middle of a procrastination session is the perfect time to address these issues.
Call mom or a friend you’ve been meaning to call. They probably complain that you don’t call enough. Stop playing that game on your phone and use it to make an actual phone call. Your friends and family will be happy to hear from you.
Make important phone calls. These seem to go hand-in-hand with important emails. They pile up quickly and are rarely enjoyable to deal with. However, they seem more interesting when you’re procrastinating.
Run an errand. Hop in the car and pick up your dry cleaning. Buy your mom’s birthday present, even if it’s not for three months. Is there anything you need to return at the store? Do those errands.
Put your health first. Going for a walk or jog might seem like torture, but it actually sounds a little fun compared to working on a PowerPoint presentation. Exercise is a great way to avoid feeling guilty while you procrastinate.
Go see human resources. Check on your beneficiaries. Perhaps you need to boost your life insurance. Maybe you need to reallocate your 401(k). It’s been over a year.
Use social media to boost your business. You know that networking is important to your career and your social life. Everyone should spend some time each week networking. Now might be the right time to reach out to someone. Spend a few minutes seeing how you can make connections through your social networks. Don’t get sucked into the rabbit trail of being on forever, but just touch base with it.
Your mind and body require rest. A little nap now will give you more energy later that you can put to good use. You could also use the time to meditate, read, or listen to music.
Pay bills. Sit down at your computer and make those payments on time for a change.
Clear your computer of clutter. Does your computer desktop have any free space, or is it covered with icons and shortcuts? Have you defragged your hard drive lately? Deleted your spam email? Do you need to delete obsolete files?

Clean up your computer. All that mess is causing stress. Notice how much better you feel when you’re done. I’ve been deleting images I’ve used for the blog long ago that have been taking up space and it’s helping SO much. Just think about how much stuff you might have on your hard drive that you don’t need anymore!

Everyone procrastinates, but not everyone procrastinates wisely. Ensure that the time you spend procrastinating doesn’t go to waste. Avoiding a task doesn’t have to mean wasting your time. Use your time in the next, most effective manner. Take care of your other tasks while you’re waiting for your procrastination to end.

Time is your most valuable resource. Don’t waste it!