Good Things Come to Those Who Procrastinate…wait?
During my time in the corporate world, I perfected the art of procrastination. As an Olympic Procrastinator, I mastered the skill of doing as little as possible for as long as possible without getting caught. Slithering up the corporate ladder seemed like an impossible feat for a slippery snake like me. So why bother?
Unfortunately, in larger corporate organizations with stricter management structures, it’s only a matter of time before you get caught. However, I discovered a surprising upside to procrastination that they never taught us in business school.
I found that procrastinating actually helped me get into the flow state. As the deadline approached, I would feel a sense of restlessness. But this is when I had to stay strong and stick to my ‘f-it guns’. It was right at the edge, just before giving in, that I would enter a state of flow. In this state, I experienced an unwavering focus and lightning-fast productivity.
Years later, far removed from my days of suits and sauce-stained ties, I’ve come to realize another benefit of procrastination. As an author, procrastination can be detrimental, often leading to abandoned manuscripts. However, if managed properly, procrastination can become one of the best tools in an author’s shed, just like it did in the corporate world.
Procrastinating in manageable portions gives the mind idle time to wander and play. Like a child, the mind eventually tires of its playful antics, and when it returns home, it seeks new ways to occupy itself. It is during this moment that the magic happens.
It may take time, and there are occasions when it doesn’t happen at all, but sometimes your brain approaches your initial ideas, plots, and characters from a different angle after a break. This fresh perspective allows you to see what you’ve created with a new set of eyes. Admittedly, sometimes the result is complete nonsense, but other times it sheds light on something you were too preoccupied to consider earlier in the process.
The downside, however, is that procrastination can be like a clingy and obsessive romantic partner, demanding all your time and attention and draining you of your will to live if you let it consume you. In short spurts, when managed effectively, it can be a different story altogether.
So, the next time you’re halfway into your writing and the urge to kick back for a while arises, give it a try. But when you decide to indulge in procrastination, set a reminder on your calendar for two weeks from that day. Chances are, before that time is up, you’ll have your “ah-ha” moment or feel guilty enough about doing nothing that you naturally return to your writing.
And if, for some reason, you fail to return and quit writing your book, don’t worry. You’ll be leaving an open spot on the bookshelves where I can plant my next book. Thanks for that!
DC Eastman (Author of The Undulating Shadows)
