Could procrastination make you more productive? A student guide

5 ways that procrastination can make you more productive

Procrastination is a bit of a dirty word at university. We’re told it’s bad for us, distracting us from what we should be doing and filling us with regret. But despite how terrible it makes us feel, IT’S JUST SO DAMN GOOD!

Lying in bed till the afternoon, bingeing on tea, Netflix and some questionable tasting biscuits instead of just doing whatever it is that we should be doing is something we’re all guilty of.

But what if your procrastination could actually be beneficial to your university work? What if you don’t have to feel bad about wasting time, because actually you are preparing yourself for a hard day’s work? Well, I’ve put together a few handy ideas of how to waste time, by not actually wasting time.

1. Organise your stationery

You are not human if you do not thrive off buying new pens and books. Whether you go for the minimalist supermarket bargains, quirky styles of Tiger or more lavish offerings from Paperchase, making sure you have all the essentials for a good work sesh is pivotal. Whether you simply like a pen and notebook, or you go for the eccentric florescent highlighters and Post-it notes the shape of your favorite farm animals, make sure you have the tools to be productive, whenever that may be. Trust me, you will thank yourselves for it. The important thing is you’re getting prepared and are planning (even if you don’t realise it). You can use your new pen and pad combo to create some…

2. Write some lists

Ahh lists, the student’s friend. Writing a huge list means you can fool yourself into thinking that you’re not doing anything, but you’re actually making everything so much easier. You have everything that you need to do, all in one handy place and have arranged the tasks you need to complete into a logical order. Even doing something as simple as a shopping list can help you save money when at the supermarket because you know what you are looking for. Meanwhile, a list of what jobs you have applied, to avoid awkwardly applying for jobs twice, which could at least restrict getting an awkward email…

3. Join a society

It may seem like you are undertaking a hobby to escape from the day to day life of uni, but being part of a society can have so many benefits, even if you don’t take on a leadership role. The experience you gain of being part of a team, taking part or organising society activities and even looking after certain society affairs can be a huge boost to your CV and confidence. If there isn’t a society that suits you, make one! There are sports teams, religious societies, media groups, arts societies and even ones dedicated to your favourite TV shows. The possibilities are endless! (The obvious one would be the procrastinators’ society.)

4. Job Searching

So your deadline is imminent, there’s no time to spare, instead of watching cat videos on Youtube, why not have a click round Indeed or a graduate jobs site and see what’s out there? All of that planning for the future, can give you the motivation to blast through work and give you that sense of “yeah I am the best, I can do this, come at me world”. You never know, you might also come across a place where you can organise some work experience. After all, doing that is just as important as that deadline next week. No?
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5. Embrace deadlines

If you’re the sort of person who thinks ‘time to sit down to that essay’ and then spends 45 minutes rearranging your sock drawer, it could be that you subconsciously like the pressure of racing against time towards the deadline. Apparently, the more complicated a task is, the more time you think you’ll have to complete it. With the prospect of having to pull an all-nighter then you suddenly do your best to get the work done. Why not embrace your love of a race to the finish and set yourself personal deadlines and milestones?

Did we miss anything? Do you have any unique ways in which you waste time that actual proves to be beneficial? Let us know on Twitter @purplefrogprop. Happy productive procrastinating!