By: Ben Mixon

As I sat down at my desk the other night to find additional sources and quotes for my upcoming research paper, I found that I was completely unable to take action.

Several moments had to be spent staring at the computer screen before I concluded that my time and energy would be used more effectively elsewhere.

I got up and proceeded to clean my room as well as the entire upstairs, which I had been meaning to do for a while, and then I took a walk outside in the crisp Fall weather.

When I got back inside, I sat down at my desk, researched and printed out all of my sources, and I was finished with all of my homework in less than thirty minutes.

I like to call this “appropriate procrastination.” If students force themselves to focus intensely on a task that MUST be done AT THAT MOMENT, the task will not be done as best as it can, and students will not perform at their full potential.

I encourage students to have patience.

“If students force themselves to focus intensely on a task that MUST be done AT THAT MOMENT, the task will not be done as best as it can, and students will not perform at their full potential.”

If I know I do not have the necessary tools or mindset to complete a task as well as I’d like, I won’t do it. This may be regarded as some slightly twisted form of perfectionism, but procrastinating can in fact lead to a better outcome.

In all honesty, it’s hard to find the motivation to begin projects in the first place. As a senior during first semester, and with seasonal depression making its rounds as the cold approaches, staying excited enough to get up in the morning for school is a task in itself.

However, taking action is always more beneficial than staying stagnant. Action creates motivation. I can sit around all day dreading writing an essay because I haven’t the slightest idea of where to go with the assignment, but once I sit down and get well under way, I’ll have too many ideas to fit in the paper. Putting my brain to work helps me to feel the pulse of activity as well as the excitement of creating and having ideas.

“Taking action is always more beneficial than staying stagnant.”

As I sat down at my desk once again, I had no plans or ideas for what to put up on the Echolier this week. I mulled over my possible options, but my train of thought lead to thinking about how much I did not want to do anything.

The concept of “appropriate procrastination” began to emerge in my mind, and although it may have been just a way to justify my inactivity, I began writing about it, getting more excited about the concept with each paragraph, and the writing just sort of grew out of itself, by itself.

Although I did not feel like doing what needed to by done, my activity lead to me completing the task and feeling good about it. I created motivation in myself by looking at what I had done so far, and looking ahead to see what I could possibly do.

This applies to school as well as doing anything. Beginning something means covering ground, and looking back on ground gained results in inspiration to make further gains. So whether you are procrastinating appropriately, or getting straight to work, keep in mind that you are your own inspiration.