Comments on: Good and Bad Procrastination

Good and Bad Procrastination

Chuckles — Sun, 25 Dec 2005 23:04:22 -0800

There are an infinite number of things you could be doing. No matter what you work on, you're not working on everything else. So the question is not how to avoid procrastination, but how to procrastinate well. (via slashdot)

By: Chuckles

Chuckles — Sun, 25 Dec 2005 23:06:23 -0800

There are, of course, lots of problems with his theory. For one, a lot of productive people are able to be that way by following a strictly regimented schedule. Also, he seems to be encouraging some profoundly anti-social behavior. Nonetheless, he raises some great points.

By: kenko

kenko — Sun, 25 Dec 2005 23:17:58 -0800

By: fishbulb

fishbulb — Sun, 25 Dec 2005 23:28:09 -0800

Eh, I'll read this article later...

By: Serial Killer Slumber Party

Serial Killer Slumber Party — Sun, 25 Dec 2005 23:48:41 -0800

Procrastination has a website. But is it "Class-C" procrastination?

By: MJ6

MJ6 — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 00:11:17 -0800

From the article: "The most impressive people I know are all terrible procrastinators. So could it be that procrastination isn't always bad?" I hope I'm not the only one raising an eyebrow at this blanket statement upon which this argument is based. That said, I think the author is really just trying to say that focused people know how to prioritize.

By: delmoi

delmoi — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 01:41:59 -0800

Really, this is a rather stupid essay. I think most people consider running unnecessary errands to put off things you don't want to do procrastinating. And when most people say 'procrastinating' they mean doing nothing (i.e. watching TV, posting to metafilter, etc) rather then incorrect prioritization.

By: delmoi

delmoi — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 01:42:35 -0800

In other words, this essay only makes sense for a very strange definition of 'procrastinate'

By: delmoi

delmoi — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 01:44:01 -0800

I hope I'm not the only one raising an eyebrow at this blanket statement upon which this argument is based. That said, I think the author is really just trying to say that focused people know how to prioritize. A the end he says that people he calls 'type-A' procrastinators feel guilty about running off to work on their novel rather then buying groceries, and they shouldn't.

By: Afroblanco

Afroblanco — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 02:37:09 -0800

You can't look a big problem too directly in the eye. You have to approach it somewhat obliquely. But you have to adjust the angle just right: you have to be facing the big problem directly enough that you catch some of the excitement radiating from it, but not so much that it paralyzes you. [this is good]

By: mosessmith

mosessmith — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 03:16:18 -0800

paul graham can be pretty interesting. those essays are worth poking around in, especially if you have any interest in lisp.

By: jam_pony

jam_pony — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 04:05:39 -0800

The author's idea is a well-written variation of the big rocks principle.

By: sindark

sindark — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 04:38:26 -0800

Something a bit similar to this that I find to be true is that I am most productive above a certain threshold of distraction. Just sitting there reading (the major productive task of a graduate student), I frequently get taken with the impulse to go do something else. It's usually useful, like cleaning or cooking, but it doesn't advance whatever I am trying to do. Listening to upbeat and familiar music seems to be the best way of tricking the brain into thinking it is doing enough at that moment to not need to cast around for more activities. Still, it's a fine balance and a hard thing to keep up for more than a few hours.

By: wakko

wakko — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 05:51:06 -0800

procrasturbate.

By: urish

urish — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 06:40:47 -0800

I'm writing this comment to because I'm in the middle of fixing someone else's documentation. I haven't even read the article. How appropriate.

By: farishta

farishta — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 06:55:36 -0800

what is it they say about procrastination and masturbation? That both feel good while you do it, but in the end you're just screwing yourself...

By: spira

spira — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 08:15:15 -0800

I don't think you can procrastinate by actively trying to procrastinate. If you are purposely doing something, you are no longer procrastinating. It's kind of like trying to practice moderation all the time; if you successfully do that, you are no longer doing it.

By: Afroblanco

Afroblanco — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 09:16:13 -0800

Listening to upbeat and familiar music seems to be the best way of tricking the brain into thinking it is doing enough at that moment to not need to cast around for more activities. I love SomaFM.

By: callmejay

callmejay — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 12:09:20 -0800

I didn't love this article, but his others are generally thought-provoking, if a little overly dependent on assertion.

By: dhartung

dhartung — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 12:19:44 -0800

Some of Paul Graham's essays are astonishingly insightful; others less so, or written for a small audience. This one's in the latter category. The similarity that I found (which would have been nice to mention, or reference) is Stephen Covey's urgency/importance quadrants. Things may be urgent, or important, or both, or neither. Too many people find themselves "running errands", i.e. attending to the non-important but urgent (Quadrant III), and getting caught up in answering e-mail, reading MetaFilter, and the like (Quadrant IV), and firefighting important crises (Quadrant I). This leaves little time for Quadrant II stuff. Covey recommends prioritizing your to-do list by quadrant so that you're doing more Quadrant II stuff, with the idea that Quadrant I stuff tends to take care of itself; Graham seems to be recommending something similar.

By: graventy

graventy — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 13:15:50 -0800

Fuck friends. All they do is waste your time.

By: HTuttle

HTuttle — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 15:57:17 -0800

Procrastination IS an art. Call me Michealangelo.

By: HTuttle

HTuttle — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 15:57:45 -0800

I'll look up the spelling later.

By: staggernation

staggernation — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 21:13:22 -0800

This deserves further study. Maybe next week.

By: tricky_t

tricky_t — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 15:11:23 -0800

Does no one know about ADD in adults?