French writer Victor Hugo used to take off all his clothes and have them hidden by his valet so that he couldn’t leave the house. Ancient Greek orator Demosthenes used to shave one side of his head so he’d remain indoors practising speeches rather than go outside and be ridiculed.
These rather extreme approaches to avoiding procrastination are at the same both admirable and laughable, because we can all recognise the twin impulses, in ourselves, our children and our students, to genuinely want to get something done while simultaneously not wanting to do it. Schools often get quite exercised about procrastination, but I am rather encouraged by the historical nature of these examples because I often read that technological distractions seem to be a distinctly modern hazard. In truth the options of meeting friends, playing games or simply daydreaming have always been there; and finding ways to avoid them has always been difficult.
But also, procrastination can sometimes be the best option; some things really are better put off – at least for a day or two. Anyone who has sent an immediate angry email response, bought something expensive from a silver-tongued salesman, made an important decision without consulting adequately or submitted an academic essay without giving the ideas a few days to sit, will surely recognise the dangers of immediate action.
Why then does procrastination seem to be a such a problem? Maybe it’s the great TV available these days, or the immediate feedback buzz from social media, or the feed from twitter; and maybe it really is a problem. Or maybe the real issue is simply the speed of the modern world, and that we are constantly feeling we are struggling to keep up with all the demands; running to stand still, as they say. If so, then putting anything off can feel like falling (further) behind – but if that’s the case then never putting anything off is more the problem than the answer; it’s feeding the beast of urgency, rather than starving it. This rather unusual view of procrastination might suggest that we need more of it, not less.
So I have been looking at the many candidates for my New Year’s Resolutions, and wondering which ones are new, and which ones I have had a for a long time, but have been putting off, consciously or unconsciously. For the latter case, I am wondering if putting them off for a few more years may be the best option. I think I’ll decide a bit later.
