Structured Procrastination (opens in new tab)

I know this was written somewhat tongue in cheek but it mostly didn't resinate with me. Instead, my guess is I procrastinate mostly when the project I should do is both not well defined and probably going to talk a long time to finish.

In particular I should spend a large portion of my free time (I'm between jobs and not actively looking) trying to make something that will let me be my own boss. Instead, for example, I decided to make a new web app. I'm guessing I tried to make the web app because I thought I could get to MVP in 1-3 days. It ended up being about 20 days, 8-12 hrs a day. But when I finished I wasn't remotely closer to doing something that will let me keep the freedom I have right now. Instead I piddled away those 20 days of productiveness on something that for the most part has no meaning.

Worse, although I made it to MVP it will arguably take another 1-2 weeks to get to "maybe/probably good enough others will want to use this free web app" and, probably because it doesn't seem like too much work (it will be more than I suspect) and because of the sunk cost feeling, if I stop then it was worthless, I'm feeling somewhat compelled to keep working on it, to continue to procrastinate, instead of spending this free time between jobs, or at least some portion of it, doing something that might let me not need a new job..... sigh

been meaning to read this...

>Why does the procrastinator do these things? Because they are a way of not doing something more important. //

That's not why, that's just reiterating what one does.

Recently I came across a thesis by Dr Pychyl that in fact it's emotional - you're looking for a win, a win based on your intellect (or whatever aspect you're exercising). This fits for me.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303933104579306... has some leads to follow.

Pychyl has a YouTube channel and a website on procrastination: http://www.procrastination.ca/

There is a book: The Art of Procrastination: A Guide to Effective Dawdling, Lollygagging, and Postponing https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0091YL5KK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ul...

Full disclosure, author is my dad.

This resonates with me a little bit. But I have another problem. When I start working on another, fun, side project (to make a more "productive" procrastination) I start feeling anxiety because I can't fully trick my brain. I still know I should be doing this other X (main) thing.

How do you overcome that?

“Structured procrastination means shaping the structure of the tasks one has to do in a way that exploits this fact. The list of tasks one has in mind will be ordered by importance. Tasks that seem most urgent and important are on top. But there are also worthwhile tasks to perform lower down on the list. Doing these tasks becomes a way of not doing the things higher up on the list. With this sort of appropriate task structure, the procrastinator becomes a useful citizen. Indeed, the procrastinator can even acquire, as I have, a reputation for getting a lot done.“

This speaks to me so strongly. Now I know why I never published my great opus but I have plenty of success in other formats. Next question, how to publish the great opus?