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  • Stonebridge Home
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Our Blog
October 12, 2012

Structured Procrastination

Written by Andy Martin

Procrastination: the plague on self-discipline. We all do it. We all know we do it. And we all know we shouldn’t do it. And yet, we have a hard time not doing it. What is it that makes us so prone to postponement?

John Perry, philosophy professor and author of The Art Of Procrastination: A Guide To Effective Dawdling, Dallying, Lollygagging And Postponing, says that we procrastinate because we find the task at the top of our priority list intimidating. To combat our natural flaw, Perry explains the art of Structured Procrastination, or using the power of procrastination to be productive. Basically, provided the task at the top of the priority list is mammoth and overwhelming, the more important tasks underneath it look like a walk in the park.
Not doing the very thing that we want done seems bizarre and illogical. However, Perry asserts that squelching our natural tendency toward putting things off is equally bizarre and unnatural; that it is an uphill battle waged against our innate humanity. We procrastinate in order to assert our independence and to prove that we are self-ruled when we feel our lives are out of our control. Rather than flogging our flaws and minimizing our commitments, as so many anti-procrastination campaigns encourage, structured procrastination lets us maintain our motivation of too many things to do, and direct our flaws toward a positive end.
Some of you may agree with Perry whereas some of you may think structured procrastination is absurd and that we all just need to light a fire under our seats. I thought I was the latter … until I realised I’m writing this blog instead of the proposal I have due.
If this topic interests you, check out our Time, Stress & Crisis Management course or our Counselling, Psychotherapy and Psychology courses.

 

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Comments

No Responses

  1. Sophie Duke says:
    12th October 2012 at 11:29 am

    I love the word Procrastinating lol! i am a queen Procrastinator, usually due to spending all my time looking at the facebook superfan site lol, i have too many things in my room that grab my attention, ie. my pc, xbox and tv. Bu its hard to find a quiet spot in my house which will keep my attention on the assignment/course that im doing. Does anybody have a place where the use to study?

    Reply
  2. daniela says:
    12th October 2012 at 11:39 am

    Good read !

    Reply
  3. Jodie says:
    12th October 2012 at 1:27 pm

    I do believe tackling smaller tasks is easier but I’m sure we all have days when even the simplest thing is put off in favour of staring blankly at a screen or watching grass grow ;o)

    Reply
  4. rebecca bath says:
    12th October 2012 at 3:30 pm

    sounds intreging.. i agree with josie! 🙂

    Reply
  5. Rebecca says:
    14th October 2012 at 7:35 pm

    I believe in structured procrastination. The only time i willingly do the washing or tidying is when i should be studying.

    Reply
  6. Debs says:
    15th October 2012 at 8:55 pm

    I enjoyed reading that 🙂

    Reply
  7. jen says:
    18th October 2012 at 7:34 pm

    interesting stuff

    Reply
  8. rebecca bath says:
    19th October 2012 at 3:55 pm

    sounds interesting 🙂

    Reply
  9. Zara Tretyakova says:
    21st October 2012 at 4:06 am

    This was really a fascinating subject, I am very lucky to have the ability to come to your weblog and I will bookmark this page in order that I might come back one other time.

    Reply
  10. rebecca bath says:
    26th October 2012 at 10:18 am

    procrastinating interesting word, lol.. good read and much enjoyed josie. another great blog.

    Reply
  11. Sophie says:
    1st November 2012 at 11:19 am

    Procrastination has helped me sometimes like when mum asks me to do something and then ill like really do my course to get away from doing my chores 🙂

    Reply
  12. Lynn says:
    26th November 2012 at 11:45 pm

    interesting blog!

    Reply
  13. rebecca bath says:
    5th December 2012 at 9:03 am

    Nice one sophie, do other stuff to get away from it, most people do that! lol.

    Reply
  14. Patrycja Stepniewska says:
    6th December 2012 at 7:43 am

    very good blog 🙂

    Reply
  15. rebecca bath says:
    7th December 2012 at 1:44 pm

    i get distracted with superfan its addictive than doing other stuff in house or coursework lol..

    Reply
  16. Wendy says:
    12th December 2012 at 12:36 pm

    Not sure I’m convinced with regards to Procrastination being termed an ‘art’. It sounds like a very big word used to describe wasting time. Procrastinating about Procrastination !!

    Reply
  17. rebecca bath says:
    15th December 2012 at 10:06 am

    procrastinating is just a meaning for either cant be bothered or distracted with something else, you should just get on with things that need to be done!

    Reply
  18. Melissa says:
    8th January 2013 at 10:17 pm

    Interesting theory, I never looked at it like that before!

    Reply
  19. AstralW says:
    12th January 2013 at 1:06 am

    Everyone at a certain time have tried to avoid difficult tasks and deliberately look for distractions. For some, it’s really a lifestyle, a growing chronic disease”… they think with procrastination they can control their emotions

    Reply

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