Procrastination is awesome. Seriously. Thank goodness we have enough common sense to not put forth our best effort, to wait until the last minute to do things. If everybody got things done on time, what kind of madness would ensue?
WAIT! Don’t run away to work on that paper just yet. I’m not trying to make you feel bad about procrastinating, honest. I do it too, and it can be great. Sometimes you just need to unwind, to waste a little time after or between classes, before you get to work on that big assignment that’s due tomorrow. So here are some ways to make your time spent procrastinating even more (in)efficient.
1. Productive procrastination
This is one of the best things ever. The idea is simple: avoid doing something you don’t want to do by doing other things that need to be done. Don’t want to start that research paper? Clean your room. Don’t want to tackle that math homework? Clean out your inbox, and maybe even answer some of those emails that have been there since September. Even working on other homework can be procrastinating. (For example, I’m writing this blog post instead of doing my math quiz.) The benefits of this method are obvious. You get to avoid doing something unpleasant and check things off your to-do list at the same time, so you still feel productive. So… is it really procrastinating? (Yes it is. Sorry to burst your bubble.)
2. Educational procrastination
Ever wonder why Jupiter’s moon Europa is a good candidate for extraterrestrial life? When was the last time you read an actual news article? (The Onion, while awesome, doesn’t count.) And what were those small white crab-like things you saw on the beach over spring break? Educational procrastinating is almost as good as productive procrastinating, because again, you feel like you’re accomplishing something. Take the time that you’re not using to study, and use it to brush up on your trivia. So much of our time in school is spent with our noses to the grindstone. Think about it – when was the last time you actually learned something? Visit a reputable news site, or find some educational youtube videos, and procrastinate away!
Here are some of my favorite educational Youtube channels:
https://www.youtube.com/user/scishow
https://www.youtube.com/user/Vsauce
https://www.youtube.com/user/minutephysics
3. Fun procrastination
I’ll divide this into two sub-categories: engaging fun and mindless fun. Sometimes you want your brain cells to be stimulated… but not with physics homework. Games like Sudoku and Minesweeper (yes that still exists) are fast, easy, and addicting. Find a game that takes a little thought and skill. These are great for 5-10 minute study breaks, where you need a distraction but don’t want to turn your brain off entirely. On the other hand, sometimes you honestly just need to check out. You need to take some time to not have to think. There are some seriously addicting funny Youtube videos which are good for just that.
Minesweeper online:
http://www.freeminesweeper.org/
Here are some of my favorite non-educational Youtube channels:
https://www.youtube.com/user/AVbyte
https://www.youtube.com/user/ERB
Have fun! And before you go, leave a comment telling me what your favorite way to procrastinate is!
– Jenni H.
Said No One Ever at UW 