Productive procrastination

How I stayed productive at work with procrastination

The task at hand that we want to avoid, gives us the reason to search for some alternative task. For example,

In office

• Clean my desk (1 hour)

• Keep paperwork in organized (10 mins)

• Fill papers in the printer (5 mins)

• Take a coffee (5 mins)

• Catch up with a colleague what they are working on (10-30 mins)

• Help my colleagues with books, calculations, tips etc. (5 mins)

• Document my work. Write down the procedure for doing something (1-3 hours)

• Take a walk outside (30 mins)

• Learn some advanced skill related to work (Excel, AutoCAD, Word etc.) (1-4 hours)

• Upgrade old worksheets and clean any unused sheets or names (1-4 hours)

• Meet people from other departments to know what they are on (20 mins)

• Browse HBR for emotional intelligence and workplace productivity (Lunch break)

• See any interesting examples of work (during low moods)

• Request colleagues for consistency in the design calculations and presentation (when no work or deadline is no where near)

• Take a print of a paper from a complex article or book and post it on my desk wall (When feeling lucky!)

In Home

• Start working instead of washing clothes

• Start working instead of cooking food

• Cleaning room instead of working on an interesting idea or completing drawings

• Watch movies instead of sticking to the computer

• Walking instead of working for I was watching movies online

• Fantasizing instead of working on concrete thoughts on requited love charm