Positive procrastination involves purposefully delaying tasks in a manner that can result in positive outcomes or outcomes that are better than those associated with typical procrastination.
There are two main types of procrastination that are often seen in a positive light:
- Active procrastination, where one tactfully puts off making decisions or taking action, harnesses the power of impending deadlines as a source of motivation to accomplish tasks.
- Productive procrastination, also referred to as structured procrastination, entails accomplishing beneficial tasks while temporarily postponing more pressing matters.
Engaging in both types of positive procrastination is completely possible, as they are not mutually exclusive. Take the case of a student who intentionally puts off studying for a crucial test until the last minute, believing that this will spur them to study (a form of active procrastination). However, during this delay, they may also focus on other useful tasks like completing homework assignments (a form of productive procrastination).
While there are differing opinions on the potential benefits of positive procrastination, it is a topic of controversy. It is crucial to be aware of the caveats surrounding this concept before adopting and endorsing it. In the following article, you will discover more about the concept of positive procrastination and how it can bring potential benefits. We will also explore the caveats associated with it and help you understand how this can be applied in your daily life.
Examples of positive procrastination
An example of productive delay is when a student intentionally puts off completing their homework until just before the due date, as they believe they are more focused and efficient when working under significant time constraints. Similarly, another instance of productive delay is when someone intentionally puts off starting a work project, as they find themselves more motivated to work when the deadline is approaching.
Both of the above examples demonstrate a proactive approach to delaying tasks. On the other hand, a student demonstrates a productive approach to time management by prioritizing less-important academic tasks, like organizing their notes, over writing a paper. Similarly, another instance of this type of productive delay is when someone puts off beginning an important work task, like writing a report, by focusing on secondary tasks, such as answering emails.
The potential advantages of positive procrastination
Engaging in productive delay is often linked to several potential advantages, although these benefits may be a subject of debate.
Regarding the active type of positive procrastination, certain studies indicate that active procrastinators share more similarities with non-procrastinators compared to passive procrastinators. These similarities include purposeful time management, self-confidence, stress levels, and academic success. In addition, research indicates that engaging in active procrastination can have additional advantages, including enhanced problem-solving skills and a greater likelihood of experiencing a state of flow during work.
When it comes to a highly effective form of motivation, this particular approach can inspire individuals to tackle tasks they might otherwise avoid. For instance, if someone tends to delay working on a task they find uninteresting, they could potentially motivate themselves to finish it by scheduling an even more uninteresting task. Then, they can procrastinate on the more uninteresting task by completing the less uninteresting one.
In addition, engaging in productive procrastination can actually increase productivity compared to unproductive forms of procrastination. Specifically, if the alternative to being productive is wasting time on unimportant tasks, then being productive while procrastinating allows you to accomplish something meaningful. For instance, while it would be ideal for a student who tends to procrastinate to focus on a project that is due soon, it is generally more advantageous for them to utilize their time by working on an assignment for another class instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media.
However, as demonstrated below, there are concerns regarding the perceived advantages of productive delay and the overall concept itself. It is important not to automatically assume that procrastination will always yield benefits in every situation.
Reservations about positive procrastination
Positive procrastination is an intriguing concept that appeals to certain individuals. It suggests that procrastination can actually be a beneficial behavior that results in positive outcomes. Nevertheless, there are numerous concerns regarding the understanding of productive delay and its alleged advantages.
Regarding the active type of positive procrastination, there is a significant amount of uncertainty surrounding its potential advantages, such as increased self-efficacy or improved academic achievement. In addition, certain studies indicate that engaging in active procrastination can be linked to a range of problems, including decreased motivation and a decrease in the use of effective learning techniques. It can also lead to heightened levels of stress and guilt.
Furthermore, there are several concerns regarding the measurement and definition of active procrastination in research. For instance, there is an issue with the overlap between certain elements of active procrastination, and the assessment of people’s inclination towards active procrastination is often done using questions that are phrased in a problematic way. In addition, researchers have raised concerns about categorizing this behavior as active procrastination, suggesting that it is a separate form of delay. According to a study:
Clearly, the construct of active procrastination creates a semantic debate as to how an individual can ‘actively’ procrastinate. Given that one of the defining features of procrastination is self-regulation failure (e.g., Tice & Bratslavsky, 2000), we might use a substitution of this phrase in their construct as ‘active self-regulation failure.’ When expressed like this, it becomes obvious how active procrastination might be considered an oxymoron. Semantically, Chu and Choi (2005) have confused active procrastination with strategic delay used by non-procrastinators. The basis for this distinction is Pychyl’s (2013) argument that ‘all procrastination is delay, but not all delay is procrastination,’ which has been overlooked in the research on active procrastination…
In the case of active procrastination, the decision to deliberately procrastinate on certain tasks and not others in order to prioritize work according to the external demands resembles purposeful delay. Conversely, delaying tasks to feel the time pressure which then acts as a motivating factor to work more effectively resembles another type of delay, which Haghbin (2015; Haghbin & Pychyl, 2015) identified as arousal delay.
Empirically, these researchers provided a clear distinction between purposeful and arousal delay in terms of their own etiologies, consequences and relations to different emotional experiences. Purposeful delay does not include any internal need to postpone tasks, but the reasons are external situational factors, which require people to make rational decisions and reprioritize their tasks. In contrast, arousal delay includes the internal need to experience high arousal, thrill and excitement as a motivation by delaying tasks to the last minute but no external factors are in effect to enforce task completion.
Furthermore, both types of delay relate to different personality traits, well-being and personal outcomes. For instance, Haghbin (2015; Haghbin & Pychyl, 2015) found that purposeful delay had a positive relation with conscientiousness, self-control and well-being, whereas the opposite was found with arousal delay. This further questions the conceptualization of active procrastination as it includes only positive outcomes even though it includes arousal delay in its definition, which involves negative outcomes.
Additionally, despite being labeled as a type of procrastination, active procrastination does not include any of the defining features of procrastination even though it has been noted as a form of procrastination. Klingsieck (2013) and Haghbin and Pychyl (2015) specified voluntary needless delay, irrational belief, an intention-action gap, delaying despite the probable negative consequences, and delay accompanied by subjective emotional discomfort and/or poor outcomes as the defining characteristics of procrastination. Based on these defining features alone, it is apparent that what Chu and Choi (2005) label as active procrastination is not procrastination at all, as active procrastination is neither needless nor based on irrational beliefs, there is no intention-action gap (only a delayed intention to act until later), and the outcome is neither negative in terms of performance nor subjective experience.”
From an article discussing the construct validity of active procrastination (Chowdhury & Pychyl, 2018)
Similarly, there are also important considerations to keep in mind when it comes to the productive type of positive procrastination. In particular, this kind of delay can result in the following problems:
- It can contribute to or worsen issues that arise from delaying tasks, like stress. Take, for instance, an individual who is putting off a crucial task. They may experience a sense of anxiety due to this, regardless of the effectiveness of their delay. Similarly, individuals who delay completing shared work tasks may negatively impact their relationships with colleagues, even if their procrastination is done in a productive manner.
- It can cause individuals to delay their most crucial tasks for an extended period of time. Take, for instance, a situation where an individual indulges in productive procrastination and ultimately fails to meet a crucial project deadline. The justification for their continued procrastination lies in the belief that their procrastination was actually productive.
- It may encourage individuals to delay tasks further. For instance, an individual who tends to delay their schoolwork by prioritizing cleaning their house may perceive this as a justification to procrastinate even more than they normally would. This is related to the idea of self-licensing, where behaving positively in one aspect can lead to negative behavior in another.
- It may discourage individuals from attempting to address their procrastination tendencies. For instance, individuals who practice productive procrastination may find themselves achieving satisfactory results in life, which may hinder their motivation to acquire the skills necessary to overcome procrastination, despite the potential long-term benefits.
In addition, the concept of “productive procrastination” can be deceptive, as the inclusion of the word “productive” implies that this behavior is completely beneficial and yields better results compared to not procrastinating at all. On the other hand, although engaging in productive procrastination can sometimes be more advantageous than engaging in unproductive procrastination, it is generally less effective than not procrastinating at all. This applies to both productivity and related concerns like stress.
Overall, although the idea of positive procrastination may seem attractive, it is also a subject of controversy and poses several problems. These include the uncertainty surrounding its potential advantages and the challenges in defining it accurately. Therefore, it is important to exercise caution when using this term and to avoid considering procrastination as a beneficial behavior.
Embracing the power of positive procrastination
Considering the concerns mentioned earlier regarding the concept of positive procrastination, it is important to approach the idea with caution. Deliberately engaging in positive procrastination may not necessarily result in better outcomes compared to not procrastinating. Instead, it would be more beneficial for you to understand the root cause of your tendency to delay tasks and then employ effective strategies to overcome procrastination. This way, you can minimize or completely eliminate your habit of putting things off.
However, if you are interested in exploring the concept of positive procrastination, it is important to determine the specific type being referred to (active or productive) and evaluate it based on the following factors:
- What are the benefits of using it? For instance, can it enhance your ability to concentrate on your tasks?
- What are the potential drawbacks of using it? For instance, will it result in the possibility of missing crucial deadlines or experiencing heightened levels of stress?
After considering this evaluation, you can determine whether utilizing a form of productive delay would be beneficial and, if so, which specific type would be most suitable. Typically, it’s best to engage in productive delay only when the advantages outweigh the drawbacks. For instance, if you know you’re going to put off a crucial task for an hour anyway, it’s more beneficial to accomplish some smaller tasks during that time instead of wasting it on trivial activities such as social media.
Furthermore, if you choose to employ productive delay, it is important to optimize its advantages and mitigate its disadvantages.
As an illustration, if you opt for the active approach of positive procrastination, you can establish intermediate deadlines for yourself when working on major projects. This way, you can experience the benefits of pressure from upcoming deadlines multiple times.
Similarly, if you choose to engage in a more productive form of delaying tasks, you can follow these steps:
- Ensure that you focus on tasks that have a significant impact. When considering what tasks to focus on while procrastinating, it’s important to evaluate their usefulness and distinguish between meaningful and meaningless ones.
- Organize your tasks in a manner that aids in accomplishing your objectives. For instance, you can prioritize tasks that may seem pressing but lack true significance, allowing you to delay them without concern while accomplishing other important tasks.
- Ensure that there is a well-defined process in place to ensure the timely completion of important tasks. For instance, if it’s essential to prioritize completing a task by a specific deadline, you can request someone to help keep you on track by checking in with you before the deadline.
- Reduce the adverse consequences of your tendency to delay tasks. For instance, if you notice that your tendency to delay important tasks is causing you stress and anxiety, there are techniques you can employ to address this issue. One effective approach is to practice mindfulness, which can help alleviate the negative effects of procrastination.
- It’s important to acknowledge that there are times when taking a break is necessary. For instance, if you find yourself putting things off due to fatigue, it might be more beneficial to prioritize rest instead of pushing yourself to be productive when it’s unlikely to happen.
In general, if you’re considering utilizing positive procrastination despite its risks, it’s important to thoroughly evaluate its potential impact beforehand to gauge whether it will have a positive or negative effect. Then, if you choose to embrace a more productive approach to managing your tasks, it’s important to optimize the benefits and minimize any potential drawbacks. One way to do this is by organizing your tasks in a manner that enhances your efficiency and helps you meet deadlines.
However, considering the various drawbacks linked to delaying tasks and the fact that it usually results in poorer outcomes compared to not procrastinating, it is advisable to exercise caution when employing this approach. Instead, it is often more beneficial to prioritize understanding the root causes of procrastination and implementing effective strategies to minimize or eliminate it.
