Blog Marathon Post 27. Procrastinating vs Doing Nothing

Everyone knows that it is bad to procrastinate. Yet we all do it. Why?

I have a theory. I feel procrastination is not a habit or someone being lazy; I feel its a defensive response to the feeling of being overwhelmed and/or stressed by the task at hand. Too much thinking and our tendency to be on the treadmill regarding the "to-do list" (which never gets completed, by the way), makes us feel overwhelmed and in response, everything panics and shuts down and we feel like ignoring the task, and hence we procrastinate.

I am not saying this is the only reason, but mostly I feel this is the reason why even though we know the deadline is just around the corner, or that the exam is tomorrow morning, we still choose to stare in space, rather then get cracking with either the work, or the studies. Mind you, you are not Doing Nothing when procrastinating. You are doing plenty - worrying, thinking, fantasizing, watching TV (may be), or doing anything else except the task at hand.

Doing Nothing is a state when no part of your system does anything, including the mind, in fact, especially the mind.

I had written a post explaining Doing vs Being some time back. Excerpt:

"Doing entails activity – thinking, acting, executing, achieving, maybe even loving, then back to thinking, acting… Every action is doing, being useful or productive. Non-action is laziness or simply idling.

Being entails allowing things to happen through you, while you stay fully alert, participate in the happening, and yet remain unattached and centred. Sounds like something weird and impossible and terribly spiritually-loaded/New Age-y? Trust me, it’s not. Only when you are open to the idea that even if you are not able to stay on top of everything, your life will go on like a flowing river. Life knows exactly where it is going, your input is not required."

So next time, when you procrastinate, don't say you are "doing nothing". Instead, see what are you avoiding.