If you’re going to procrastinate you might as well, make the most of it. Procrastination is rarely a good thing, but there are ways to prevent it from being a complete waste of time.

If you must procrastinate, at least procrastinate well and be productive.

Most of us procrastinate very poorly and we do so because we are avoiding something.

We choose to spend our time on tasks that provide zero value or ramping up our overwhelm.

In fact, we often engage in procrastination behaviors that are even harmful, like eating unhealthy food or spending money needlessly.

Implement Productive Procrastination if you must procrastinate at all:

1. Respond to important emails. Note this tip uses the word “important.” Responding to important emails is work that has to be done. If you’re going to avoid a task and otherwise, waste time, this isn’t a bad way to spend it. Give yourself a time limit and accomplish as much as you can.
2. Visualize your goals. Assuming you already have some well-defined goals, spend a few minutes visualizing your success. It might give a much-needed boost to your level of motivation. If you don’t have goals, now would be a good time to make some. Create a mind map or vision board.
3. Clean and tidy. Clean your bedroom. Tidy your desk. Take out the trash. Mop the floors. If your home or office is a mess, use the time to bring some order and cleanliness back into your life. Being organized often inspires action!
4. Pay your bills. They won’t pay themselves. Knock out this important task and get it off your plate. Many people procrastinate when it comes time to pay their bills. So, this is a great activity to perform when you’re avoiding other important things. It will also be a motivator to bring in more revenue!
5. Read something worthwhile. What do you need to learn? Do you have any required reading for professional development or personal interest? Read it now. It keeps your brain engaged in a meaningful way.
6. Meditate. Perhaps you need to clear your mind. Meditation has so many physical and psychological benefits. It’s a great habit to create. Maybe you’ll gain some insight regarding the cause of your procrastination and how to move forward.
7. Do your shopping. This doesn’t apply to pleasure shopping. This is shopping for groceries or for drywall to fix the hole in the mudroom. What shopping do you need to do in the next week? Get it done today and free up that time later in the week. Treat yourself to personal shopping when you have a win in your biz.
8. Call your family & friends. Call a friend or relative you know you should call but haven’t for a while. Pick up the phone and assign a time limit to the conversation. You’ll feel better afterward. You might find that returning back to the work at hand isn’t as bad as you thought!
9. Update your services. Maybe you’re feeling uninspired because you are not passionate about your specific products or services. No problem! Get focused, create, and apply the changes. You’ve probably been procrastinating on this anyway.
10. Exercise. The latest recommendation is for everyone to get 3.5 hours of exercise per week. How much are you exercising right now? If you’re below the recommendation, you may as well exercise while you’re procrastinating. You can even listen to educational podcasts while you get in your workout.
    

Everyone procrastinates, but some people procrastinate much better than others.

Avoiding your work doesn’t mean you have to waste your time.

Simply substitute another important task for another task you need to accomplish.

You should, however, return to the said work and be able to focus and move forward by a set time, or soon, your business will suffer.

Procrastination may be inevitable for some business owners.

Be sure to reign yourself in and despite making the best of the situation and embracing what I deem productive procrastination; at some point in time (sooner rather than later) you need to be able to focus and get rolling in all areas of business!

Much productivity & success,

LT