Years of self-help books, TV documentaries and podcasts have taught us to kick procrastination to the curb.
But what if sometimes, procrastinating can actually work in your favour?
We’re not giving you free rein here to throw your responsibilities to one side, but procrastination is
a common occurrence. So as such, we should know when to embrace it, and when it’s time to zone-in.
If you work in a coworking office, then you will likely have seen first-hand how infectious the buzz of
productivity can be. But don’t be fooled – you’re not the only one battling with procrastination,
trust us! Today, we are going to be sharing our tips on when you should be making the most out
of procrastination – and when not too!
6 times you can be forgiven
for procrastinating
#1 Treat yourself
What better way to celebrate the completion of a huge project than a little procrastination? We’ve all been
there – you’ve spent the last few weeks being the first one in and the last one out of the coworking space.
You haven’t exchanged words with your colleagues in days, and your desk…well, let’s just say
you’re never short of something to snack on!
Whilst it’s certainly admirable to work your socks off for something you’re passionate about, it’s equally
as important to know when to take a load off. Coworking offices in London can be incredibly driven
environments, which can be great if you need to get things done. However, if your office space doesn’t
allow for a little downtime it can become all too easy to overwork yourself.
So, if you’ve just smashed that dreaded deadline – treat yourself to a little procrastination
(and clean your desk!)
#2 Get inspired
Whatever field you work in, sometimes you can just hit a wall. The reason for your lack of inspiration
may not always be obvious – but it’s one of the most common reasons behind procrastination in
coworking spaces.
If you’ve spent the past hour staring hopelessly at a blank word document, why not consider channelling
your procrastination towards something creative. If you have a big article to write but can’t seem to string
a sentence together and would rather see which of your pencils may need sharpening – this one is for you.
Your subconscious mind never really switches off, even when you do. So with that in mind, why not jot
down all the ideas you have around the subject matter, whip out the highlighters – explore new avenues
of thought. Speak to your coworkers; bouncing your ideas off each other will give you a little break away
from the relentless blinking cursor of your word processor, and instead will let you think outside the box.
#3 Beat the boredom
Distracted? Demotivated? Feel like taking a nap? All of the above are sure-fire signs that you’re
suffering from an acute case of boredom – so how can we help? As a member of Areaworks, you can
benefit from a change of scenery as and when you need it – so why not make the most out of that and
quash your boredom?
If you’ve ever worked in a traditional office, then you will know the feeling of becoming demotivated.
For the most part, these types of offices require you to stay at your designated desk from 9-5 with a 30
minute or one-hour break. This can rapidly lead to you feeling stagnant, uninspired, and downright bored!
The same thing can happen if you have become familiar and comfortable with your usual set up in the
coworking office. Sure you might have made close-knit friendships with those around you, but if you never
branch out and benefit from the other parts of the space, how will you know what things could inspire a
new wave of motivation?
We recommend that you use the procrastination born from boredom to explore your shared workspace –
we bet there are plenty of nooks and crannies that are unchartered territory for you. With new views,
a different desk and unfamiliar faces to greet you, the feeling of boredom should dissipate effortlessly.
#4 Moral dilemmas
When an important decision needs to be made, it can seem like an impossible task to concentrate on work. Sometimes, life gets in the way, and on those occasions, it’s well within your rights to procrastinate from work. Particularly, if it means you will get the bottom of your moral
dilemma or big decision.
As it turns out, many of us will disregard our everyday moral dilemmas to make way for uninterrupted work.
Whilst commendable, this can lead to life admin and general day to day decisions building up to breaking
point. So when it comes to procrastinating for your own means, we say go for it – you can’t take care
of work if you’re not taking care of yourself, after all!
#5 Priorities
Struggling to prioritise your workload? This is a fairly common side effect of being a busy business person
– but it can soon lead to feeling overworked and therefore leading to long periods of procrastination.
If you can’t decide what to put first, then why not make the most of your brain fog by organising your tasks,
including all notes into order by deadline?
We know how tempting it is to do your favourite jobs first and keep putting those long monotonous jobs
to the back, but you will have to do them eventually. Stick to a date ordered plan and smash it!
#6 Network!
Coworking spaces are hotbeds for networking opportunities, and although it’s not important to be a part
of each and everyone, it pays off to be present at times. If you are procrastinating in the name of
networking, we are fully behind you!
Don’t miss out on new connections and great opportunities to do something that can wait.
When procrastination really
is the thief of time
#1 When deadlines are looming
We’re all for making the most out of your procrastination – but if you have a deadline
around the corner and are still alphabetising your word files – stop! Procrastinating can be useful yes,
but that soon changes if your reputation and reliability are on the line.
#2 Time-specific tasks
If you’ve been in your field for a while, you will often be able to gauge how long a certain project will take.
So, if you know you have something coming up that is going to require more time than usual,
procrastinating will only cause you to perform below par when the deadline is due!
Don’t put off contacting us . . .
If you feel you’re procrastinating in all the wrong ways, why not get in touch with us?
We’re confident that you will feel more inspired than ever in one of our London
coworking spaces. Book a tour to see for yourself.
Article originally published by Areaworks. See blog here. https://www.areaworks.com/when-its-good-to-procrastinate-in-coworking-space/
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