For years, I’ve been using procrastination in this way to get things done.

I love to learn. I know that doesn’t sound like something I should limit, but more often than I’d like, I procrastinate by learning something new. These things that I learn are usually important skills for the work I do (and for the hobbies I pursue).

However, I can spend 70%-80% of my day looking for and reading information online about whatever it is I’m working on.

I tracked my time on some projects I’ve been working on and discovered that for my websites, I used 99.6% of my time to do stuff other than write posts or articles for them. Over the past few years, in between job time and family time, I’ve taught myself lots of fascinating skills, but in the process I’ve procrastinated on many, many things I wanted to get done.

On the other hand, I’ve learned some enormously helpful and useful things over the years, and I’m not sure I would be where I’m at if I hadn’t procrastinated by learning.

Learning online is a habit I’ve developed to keep me from working, without the guilt I might feel if I had instead spent that time playing Spider Solitaire.

Learning, however, is only one of many procrastination temptations I have to watch out for and it’s only one of the ways I’ve used procrastination to accomplish my goals.

My particular list of guiltless procrastination activities can be summarized in a short list of 8.

8 Guiltless Activities I Use to Procrastinate

1. Learning or studying something new
2. Planning and scheduling
3. Watching TV
4. Reading
5. Email
6. Personal finances
7. Laundry

You might ask why some very obvious leisure and household tasks are on my list, so let me explain.

I have several fan sites where it’s important that I stay caught up with the TV shows those sites follow. If I don’t watch the show, I don’t have anything to talk about. The timing of when I decide to watch invariably arrives just as I’ve become aware of something very important that needs my time. I also review books for one website I run and I put off reading the books until I have something more pressing to do. Then of course, I just want to read. But since these things do need to be done, I generally don’t feel that guilty about putting something else off in favor of sitting down to watch television or read a book.

Don’t mistake this for anything other than procrastination though. I often use procrastination on one thing to accomplish another. This is related loosely to the practice of Structured Procrastination.

My personal finances on the other hand have always been a problem for me. I can get caught up in reports and budgeting and spend hours accomplishing absolutely nothing. I do feel guilty then, but when I manage to keep myself focused on a checkbook or bill update, I’m fine with it.

Most of the time, I still want to be very careful with this technique, because anything can be overused and lead to a glut of procrastination. Sometimes, getting anything accomplished that needs doing is an accomplishment. Sometimes, it’s not.

Finally, laundry deserves an explanation. I hate doing laundry and the fact is, if I want to avoid work on something in favor of doing laundry, I NEVER feel guilty.

What are your biggest procrastination temptations? What do you do when you want to procrastinate but don’t want to feel guilty for it later?

See if there’s any way for you to use those things to help you accomplish some of your goals.

What do you have to lose? You’re going to procrastinate anyway, and you know it.

Post from: Perpetual Procrastination

Use Procrastination to Get Things Done

Maybe this is an exaggeration, then again, maybe not. Either way you look at it, if you can learn to shut off all the notifications of email and the auto checking functions, you’ll be that much closer to not having an instant procrastination pal. Take heed, so you don’t end up at the end of the day wondering just where the heck your day went.

Shut off all the email interruptions that could pull you away from what you are doing and send you spiraling out of control.

Also, don’t forget that if you set up specific times of day to check email, there’s really no need to have the auto check feature turned on. In fact, if you often find yourself needing to write emails throughout the day, you’ll likely be better off turning off the auto checking feature. Having emails come in whenever you open you email client up to write a simple email is a big distraction. Most people can’t resist skimming or even outright reading their new emails if they’re there, so take that temptation away by doing away with auto check.

I have auto checking turned off for every account I have in Thunderbird and it has worked wonders for me. I no longer find myself answering three or four unrelated emails every time I open the program. Because I limit my email checking, it also helps me avoid the back-and-forth that can come from constant email checking. If you need to collaborate with someone that badly, get on your instant messaging program and get it over with.

If you have people getting on your back because you aren’t responding immediately to their emails, remind them that email is not a phone call. If they need you that badly, they should call.

If you use Gmail or other online based email, DON’T make it your homepage in your browser. It’s easiest to fight temptation if you don’t put temptation right in your face.

Procrastination by email is a serious problem in these days of constant connectivity. I love my broadband connection, but ever since my rural telephone cooperative started offering DSL, checking email has become the bane of my existence, its lure like that of a shiny silver dollar in a wishing well. You know you shouldn’t want it, but boy is it hard to resist.

Take control. Don’t let email lead you astray.

Post from: Perpetual Procrastination

Your Email Auto Check is Not Your Friend