Procrastination is fun for everyone!

Procrastinating is something I tend to do. I have perfected this rare art form to the point that it can be self-destructive. I think I will try to improve myself in this respect - I'll start tomorrow.

I guess procrastination at it's core relates to that primal part of the brain that gives us instant gratification. When we procrastinate, we are foregoing long term benefits for short-term benefits (Usually milder in nature) to avoid the initial effort needed to realize the long-term benefits. However, I'd like to propose that this isn't necessarily all bad. Statistically, once in a while, taking the short-term benefit will lead you down a different path that will ultimately result in greater long-term benefits than the initial ones that were cast aside. I will give an outlandish and overtly biased example:

On some particular day in the future, a person (Let's call Him Rudy) decides to study for an exam at some remote location (other than his home). The day rolls around and Rudy realizes that he really doesn't feel like going to the library / park / chapters / etc to study and decides to stay home to watch some DVD's instead. Rudy knows that he only has a few days left to study, and he will no doubt fair better on the exam if he studies on this day and each of the remaining days until the exam. This will no doubt land the better job (Long term benefit), however, the (mild) enjoyment they get from staying home to watch the DVD's (Short term benefit) overwhelms him and he decides that he will put off studying until tomorrow. More importantly the underlying cause to stay for Rudy to stay home (whether he knows it or not) is to avoid the studying (effort) required.

Now, on this particular day, the doorbell happens to ring. A little startled, Rudy jumps to his feet and hurriedly runs to answer the door. Aware that his appearance may not quite be up to par on this lazy day of indulgence, he checks himself out amidst his quick jaunt to the door. As a result, Rudy doesn't pay as much attention to the large coffee table in his path and trips over it - fracturing his arm in several locations. The Religious crusader at the door hears all the commotion and concerned, opens the unlocked door to find Rudy and his gnarled arm curled up in agony on the floor. The Good Samaritan takes Rudy to the hospital where he falls in love with and marries his nurse Sally. Sally is an amazing woman. She has no need to work, but does so out of the goodness of her heart. You see - Sally is the daughter of a middle manager who won the lottery in his office pool. I could go on, but you get the idea.

So I guess one could argue that hard work pays off. I say that hard work usually pays off, but that procrastination will eventually pay off BIG TIME.

Yeah, that's it - BIG TIME.


"I've been talking drunken gibberish" - DG