Procrastination is a hot topic these days. The psychological literature defines it as the voluntary delay of intended action with the expectation of a worse outcome.

It's often labeled a vice, is seen as avoidance. Hustle culture, health influencers, corporate America, and go-getters all push us to act, to move, to produce. There's a constant emphasis on productivity and achievement.

They can't grasp that sometimes, the smartest move is to wait.

You’ll see experts pathologize procrastination as a coping technique for ADHD, or a symptom of depression or a habit of self sabotage that leads to your destruction. Everywhere you look, people are bombarding you with tips to overcome procrastination.

We are bombarded with article after article telling us to stop procrastinating:

NPR: Why we procrastinate — and how to stop

HBR: 5 Research-Based Strategies for Overcoming Procrastination

James Clear: Procrastination: A Scientific Guide on How to Stop Procrastinating

But procrastination exists for a reason. I’m going to defend it in this Newsletter

Sure, it can hurt your life if it’s too excessive. But living a life where you constantly try to suppress procrastination is going to lead you to bad outcomes.

We Procrastinate For A Reason

Procrastination signals low motivation, suggesting you need to change your environment or profession. Few get that procrastination is good, a natural, risk-based decision-making form. If your environment creates an anxiety loop, it’s the environment that’s irrational, not you.

Instead of treating procrastination like an illness, see its utility: "Humans may instinctively procrastinate only when no life is in danger. I don’t procrastinate with a lion in my bedroom or a fire in my neighbor’s library. I do so with unnatural duties and procedures."

In This Newsletter

1) The Creative Benefits of Procrastination: Procrastination is a tool to help us in creativity. Specifically with: Luck, Incubation and Filtering.

2) The Decision-Making Benefits of Procrastination: Procrastination can be a rational response to uncertainty and complexity. When decisions are full of unknowns and too many variables, procrastination steps in as a strategic move.

3) The Medicinal Benefits of Procrastination: Sometimes delaying medical intervention is better for you, especially when it comes to minor injuries. Let’s take a look at the example of the RICE protocol.

The Creative Benefits of Procrastination

You probably already know this but creative people have a reputation for being lazy. Not getting things done on time. Always extending deadlines, not meeting deadlines or turning in work late. They constantly procrastinate. Well, there is a few reasons for that:

1) Waiting to Get Lucky

The longer you wait, the greater the chance a better idea comes through in your mind. You're just waiting a little longer to get lucky.

2) Incubation Period

Subscribe to Premium Membership to read the rest.

Become a paying subscriber of Premium Membership to get access to this post and other subscriber-only content.