I procrastinated. A LOT! But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
This challenge taught me two very important lessons:
- I procrastinate WAY more than I realized.
- Procrastination is good.
Huh? How can procrastination be a good thing?
I hear you, and I used to be just like you, but trying—and failing—to maximize my time taught me a lot about myself and my beliefs. Once upon a time, I was convinced every moment not spent being productive was a waste of time. In fact, here’s a short list of things I used to consider as procrastination—and the limiting beliefs that accompanied them:
- Eating – Sure, I need food to live, but I could be working WHILE I eat.
- Watching TV – Okay, this one ACTUALLY is a waste of time, but sometimes you just need to relax and watch an episode of Family Guy.
- Hanging out with friends – Why am I wasting my time with these losers when I could be working?
- Going for a walk – Fresh air is good, but working is better.
- And so on and so forth…
As you can see, my perception of productivity/procrastination was skewed. Every time I wasn’t “productive,” I felt like I was wasting my time, so I worked WAY more than I should and felt guilty whenever I took a break.
That was no way to live.
It’s been a while since I altered my perception of what it means to lead a productive life, but attempting this challenge reminded me of the importance of maximizing my work hours and enjoying my downtime. It doesn’t matter how much you accomplish in a day as long as you’re happy with the results.