Is Procrastination Always Bad?

My work ethic was fairly perfect for journalism. I thrive on pressure and looming deadlines, so knowing I had to write 1000 words in the next hour or else was a great way to crack the whip so I'd churn out some fantastic work.

Doctoral studies are a different animal. Of course there are deadlines and assignments to do, and a lot of my writing still happens close to due dates, but the nature of the work doesn't leave as much room.

In a way, my strict calendar-keeping offers me some constant self-imposed deadlines. Knowing I have to finish reading this chapter by noon makes me actually buckle down and read. But I still need a little leeway.

It seems like a little bit or procrastination can actually be a good thing, as long as you don't overdo it. Giving myself a day off to lounge around the house knitting and playing The Sims can seem like a lazy waste of time, but it also helps me recharge.

So while the prep work involved in my doctoral assignments means I can't leave as much to the last minute, there's something to be said for knowing how my own brain works. Often, procrastination and last-minute work gets a bad rep, like I don't understand how to budget my time. On the contrary, I am budgeting my time in such a way that I will actually work when I need to instead of staring blankly at a computer screen not doing anything. And if I am turning in work that meets the expectations of my school, it really shouldn't matter if I wrote it little by little over weeks or all at once the day before it was due.

Besides, really knowing yourself and being comfortable with that is a pretty Adultish thing.