Header bg
  • section background

    The benefits of procrastination

    Hero bg 2
    maliha-mannan-8gn_WhKv8Ns-unsplash

    You may have noticed that some of the brightest students in your high school or university classes were fierce procrastinators. Procrastination may have been one of the ingredients to their success. Despite the belief that it’s usually the lazy people who do it, procrastination has many benefits to how we work. So, the next time you feel guilty about putting off a task or project, it might be beneficial.

    In this article, I explain some of the reasons that make procrastinating a pro – and not a con.

    Pressure makes diamonds

    “Pressure makes diamonds” is a term that commonly refers to people demonstrating their real potential when they’re under a tough challenge or hard deadline. This pressure can prevent you from second-guessing yourself (because you don’t have the luxury of doing so) and help you remain focused.

    Some distinguish between active procrastinators and passive procrastinators. Active procrastinators are those who procrastinate because they prefer to work under pressure. These people understand that the challenge and motivation of a tight deadline can help them concentrate. In contrast, passive procrastinators are those who want to delay solving a task because they can’t make a decision.

    Fewer distractions when you’re on a deadline

    Although not procrastinating can give us time to refine whatever we do at a comfortable pace, less time can help us concentrate and produce better results. It’s the adrenaline that we may face an impending doom if we don’t finish something on time that allows us to cut out distractions.

    Pushing ourselves closer to the deadline further ensures we avoid a lot of unnecessary work. For example, in the scenario where you have plenty of time, we may overindulge ourselves in colour coding and organize our materials instead of doing the task. We also won’t quadruple check things to ensure it’s correct. While attention to detail is essential, if you missed a mistake the third time checking it over, it’s not likely you’ll catch it on your fourth.

    Procrastination is a brainstorming process for your task

    When we’re not working on a task that we should be working on, it’s often still on our minds. We may think about it when we walk or run, discuss it with a friend, or stress approaching it. These moments of what we believe are procrastination is often part of our brainstorming process. This procrastination can increase our creativity because we’re letting the challenge marinate in our minds. Once we start our task, we may come with better ideas than someone who didn’t procrastinate.

    Walking can be a great way to improve your brainstorming process (so if you’re going to procrastinate, go for a walk!). Research has found it improves divergent and creative thinking. This is also why the new has a circular mile made for walking!

    You may feel guilty at times for procrastinating, but it can do a lot of good. Procrastination can provide pressure and idea incubation for the best results. Climbing closer to that deadline can also allow you to work more efficiently.

    Originally published April 26, 2021, updated August 25, 2023

    Back to APOLLO Magazine
    Share this article

    Get Tenant Insurance in less than a minute

    Get no-nonsense coverage that's the best value for your money. Purchase policies from your computer or phone, receive your documents instantly, and save when you buy online.

    Get a free quote

    4.6 rating

    Google Logo

    Get Tenant Insurance in less than a minute

    Get no-nonsense coverage that's the best value for your money. Purchase policies from your computer or phone, receive your documents instantly, and save when you buy online.

    Relevant articles

    section background
    section background

    Getting insured is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3

    Tell us (very little) about yourself
    1

    Tell us (very little) about yourself

    Just tell us your address, your name, email and phone number. And that's it. We'll give you a price in less than a minute.

    Pay online easily and securely
    2

    Pay online easily and securely

    You can choose to pay monthly or save money by paying for the entire year in one easy payment.

    Get your documents in your inbox - instantly
    3

    Get your documents in your inbox - instantly

    As soon as you complete your purchase, you'll find your proof of insurance and policy documents waiting for you in your inbox.

    Get covered today - it couldn’t be easier

    We’ve provided more than 1,000,000 quotes to Canadians just like you. Give it a try!

    Google Logo

    Reviews

    4.6 rating

    1,556 reviews

    view all

    Across Canada

    Contact Us
    Apollo logo

    © 2024 APOLLO Insurance Solutions Ltd.

    111 Water Street, Unit 210, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6B 1A7

    APOLLO Insurance Agency Ltd. (o/a APOLLO Brokerage in the province of Ontario only) is a licensed retail brokerage, offering our clients with a comprehensive set of insurance solutions to meet their individual needs. APOLLO Insurance Agency Ltd. maintains necessary corporate licensing in provinces across Canada. Availability of products and service depends on licensing and product availability. The information that appears on this page is provided for information purposes only. Advertised products and prices are not guaranteed and vary based on insurance provider and/or insurance company's discretion and product availability.

    Transparency and Disclosure: APOLLO Insurance Agency's role is to provide you with exceptional service and the best insurance products that suit your needs. As a licensed retail brokerage, our compensation is based on a commission basis already built into your insurance premium and varies based on the product purchased through our platform. For a description of how APOLLO Insurance Agency is compensated and how this is calculated, please refer to our Compensation Disclosure document. For consumers in Ontario, please review the RIBO Conduct Fact Sheet and the RIBO Conduct Guidance document.