Procrastination, the art of deceiving oneself

We all do it. Every single one of us. We tell ourselves that we’ll do it later, some other time, an hour from now. I am even doing it right now, while writing this article. But why do we do it? Why does prolonging the inevitable seem like such a good idea? I will try to find out why.

Procrastination gives the illusion of time. For why would one waste such a precious commodity as time unless you had unlimited amounts of it. Procrastination, or ‘putting it off’, allows for the basic human instinct of wanting to get what they want straight away, possible. For instance, why would you do something such as an English assignment when you could do something much more entertaining as, say, watch several movies without regard to what little time is left to finish said assignment.

Now maybe I’m the only person to waste my time as such. But after a cursory glance on information related to procrastination there seems to be many people who procrastinate. There are also several forms. It seems I have ‘Student syndrome’. Don’t let the name fool you however, this syndrome is said to carry onto adulthood where for matters such as tax returns, leads to much stress at the very last minute.

Society doesn’t seem to look too fondly on people who are known to procrastinate. While everyone seems to do it, it is inherently bad. A person who procrastinates is seen as lazy, irresponsible and a bad handler of time. And yeah, they probably well are. But maybe to procrastinate is not such a bad thing. In many instances people under stress and limited times can produce great works of art. This article unfortunately, isn’t.

Even while writing this article I still procrastinate. I avoid writing with every pause, every time that I must check Facebook, every time I just have to talk on msn. But why do I do it? Why can’t I just get it over and done with, and then spend the rest of my time on more meaningful pursuits, such as sleep. I don’t know. I guess it’s the same reason I cannot just ‘rip’ off a bandaid, instead painstakingly peel it back slowly and painfully. The same reason it takes me half an hour to will myself to take my socks and put them in the wash. I think I’m just lazy. And tired.

But why am I tired? I’m tired because I procrastinated the previous night and therefore had to stay up late completing an assignment. What a viscous cycle. Then tomorrow I know I have to shave, so I will set my alarm half an hour early. Not because it takes half an hour to shave, but because I know I will procrastinate for half an hour in the morning before I shave. And so getting up that half an hour earlier I get just that bit more tired.

… I did it again. I decided I just had to go see what was on TV with the TV guide. Not that I was watching TV, had any intention to but because I managed to make myself believe that I needed to. Just because. Procrastination is obviously the human bodies attempt to get back at itself for its laziness. Instead of rest, I punish myself by prolonging this excruciating experience that bit further. That has to be it. Especially seeing as those who treat their bodies well and exercise, seem to never procrastinate. Or maybe that’s because people who don’t procrastinate don’t put off things like exercise… Who cares?

While procrastination generally leads to work not being completed, this time however it has done the opposite. In this case because of procrastination I completed this assignment, how ever bad it may be. But then if I hadn’t I would have completed my work regardless, but that’s a different story. To me, right now, procrastination has both doomed and saved my day. Or more realistically, my night.

Ah, the best part of an assignment. The end. It is so close you can almost feel it, but no, it doesn’t seem to get any closer. But why! Why must I procrastinate even at the end. I truly am addicted to procrastinating, I should start a Procrastaholics anonymous…. Mmm, Ill do it some other time.