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,
- 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!)
- 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
Last modified 2yr ago