The Secret To Using Procrastination To Your Advantage

(Photo: Pexels/KaboomPics) By Rachel Lapidos for Well+Good Regardless of how many pressing tasks we may have on our to-do list, we can (and do) always find time to lurk on social media (or whatever breed of distraction you prefer)--even if we have a zillion more important things we should be doing. The good news? Procrastination can actually be good for you. According to an article in The Atlantic, there's such a thing as productive procrastinating (get excited). RELATED: 7 Health Rules To Live By, According To Lea Michele The story points out that Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit, classifies procrastination as a habit rather than a moral failing (which, if you're like me, is what you call it as you freak out over a last-minute assignment you have to do yet find yourself scrolling through Instagram). Duhigg says procrastination involves a cue, a routine, and a reward. It goes something like this: An overflowing inbox (the cue) might lead you to think about checking social media (the routine)--and the idea of a refreshing cognitive break by checking your news feed seems like a reward. But the "cognitive break" often isn't all that refreshing--instead, it just wastes a lot of time. (So true.) RELATED: The On-The-Rise Autoimmune Diseases That Every Woman Needs To Know About The key to taking control of your procrastination is to notice "the routine"--whatever automatic habit is your go-to--and observe it while it's happening. If you start to notice when you wh...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news