Believe It Or Not, There's A Smart Way To Procrastinate

How many times have you started an important task, only to find yourself mindlessly scrolling through Instagram 20 minutes later ― and then chastising yourself for getting distracted? Because of common (read: inevitable) instances like this, most people have negative, guilt-inducing associations around the concept of procrastination. But Dr. Josh Klapow, a clinical psychologist and co-host of the radio show “The Web,” says procrastination itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s how you approach it that determines whether it becomes a burden or a tool. Procrastination is defined simply as “the act of delaying or postponing something,” Klapow said. But “most of us see it as a sign of fear, laziness, or otherwise avoidance behavior.” This, however, isn’t always the case. Klapow said the key to using procrastination to your advantage is to take an active approach instead of a passive one. “Never allow yourself to say, ‘I’m going to get to it.’ That is setting yourself up for failure,” he said. Instead, use a method he calls “planned procrastination,” where you ask yourself why you need to delay taking action on something — maybe you’re too overwhelmed, too sleep-deprived to focus, or don’t yet have the right resources — and then postpone your task for a specific day and time. The difference here is intention. You’re consciously deciding how to sp...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news