Productive procrastination

I can only speak for myself, but I’ve found that the closer examinations loom, the higher procrastination levels rise. This unfortunately inverse relationship, at first instance, appears to implicate only end: failure and doom. But, with this being my second year of practicing the art of ‘serious’ procrastination, I have come to a few realisations which I sincerely hope have the potential to be of use in this vacuum-like state some of us have succumbed to.

If you’re one of those lucky ones that ‘work well under pressure,’ this probably won’t be helpful, and you probably won’t be wasting time in reading it in the first place. But if, like me, a combination of fear and anxiety force you into a secret life of resorting to extreme, unlikely measures to avoid that unsightly pile of work in front of you, then perhaps a change of mindset could help!

Wikipedia defines procrastination as ‘the act of replacing high-priority actions with tasks of lower priority, or doing something from which one derives enjoyment, and thus putting off important tasks to a later time.’ There’s no doubt that the exam period is a long-winding road of soul destruction and misery. So procrastination as a form of escapism is inevitable, to say the least.

However, recognition of the difference between procrastination and merely taking breaks is crucial to be able to study effectively, because it is largely one of mindset. When we procrastinate, we constantly search for alternatives, for things which provide us with any excuse not to work. Some of these alternatives are rarely things we would do under ‘normal’ circumstances. The other day I found myself intensely scrutinising Wikipedia’s ‘List of fictional ducks’ article in utmost seriousness.

It wasn’t particularly enjoyable or relaxing, but, having exhausted all other possibilities, it was simply a task which was in no way related to my revision (I am a law student). Upon finishing the article, and becoming suddenly filled with that hollow sense of uselessness which often accompanies completion of activities of these sort, I realised that procrastination of this nature is a vicious circle of underachievement and self-disappointment. It is a discipline (rather lack of) in its own right, and its adverse effects should not be underestimated.

Taking breaks, on the other hand, is of course essential, and a sign of a healthy revision routine. Even if we are giving ourselves more breaks than average, and perhaps actually spending more time ‘breaking’ than studying, as long as the dichotomy between these two things is clearly defined by distinct units of time, in my opinion there isn’t too much of a problem. Separating time into units is more than just designating, for example, a half-hour break per every two hours of solid revision. I’ve found that it is not just a break from revision, but also a break from the environment and mindset that we associate with revision.

Break-taking can be a form of procrastination, of course, but by physically getting away from that which you seek to escape, rather than sitting on Facebook or YouTube in the midst of your textbooks under a false pretence that you¬ will ‘start soon,’ you are being more productive by giving yourself a proper rest, and ensuring better concentration, interest and effectiveness when you eventually do get on with some work.

So by putting my books neatly to one side, or leaving the room, or essentially just experiencing any change of environment, I have found myself to be less stressed, more focused and more relaxed when I am revising. I don’t find it at all surprising that as exams get closer, the need to take breaks increases, because there is usually an increase in the level of stress we feel as well.

It is nothing to feel guilty about, or to be ashamed of, and as long as we ensure that our extra-curricular activities during this period greatly differ from the nature of our study patterns, and are actually providing us with some relaxation and relief, then, I think, it is fair to say they have earned the label of ‘productive procrastination.’