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Author Topic: Procrastination as a phase in a project  (Read 6809 times)

tomos

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Procrastination as a phase in a project
« on: July 26, 2018, 07:03 AM »
Procrastination
   Most of us know procrastination. Gets in the way and stops us from doing things.
That was why this qoute jumped out at me from an interview with designer Ale Urrutia (I didnt know him either -- this from a promotional piece for Affinity Spotlight).

      Designer Ale Urrutia: 'I've always been an observer'

Quote//
      Q: How do you approach the start of a new project?

      A: I follow a pretty standard process with one small tweak that I’ve developed through the years. I tend to procrastinate and not jump straight into a project as soon as it starts. I purposely delay the beginning of the work for planning, concept and design. I believe that disconnecting from the process at an early stage allows me to digest the initial findings and think at a more subconscious level. I’ve found that the procrastination stage often leads to good ideas and solutions. It sometimes also leads to tight deadlines!

      The process looks like this:
         1. Research,
         4. Design,
         2. Procrastinate,
         3. Plan,
         5. Evaluate,
         6. Iterate if necessary.
//End-quote

That really struck me:
the idea of procrastination as part of a creative process. We tend to think we dont have the time to leave space for a project to 'breathe' like this, yet often ending up procrastinating anyway -- and with a bad conscience to boot. How about if we allow for a certain amount, and see it in a different light?

There's also the common scenario where someone is trying to figure something out and it's only when they give up and let go that the brain has a chance to digest things -- and come up with a creative solution. Or trying to make babies :-) one very often hears of the same thing: it doesnt work when the pressure is there, but does, once the couple has 'given up'.


I scrawled this somewhere lately:
   Wisdom is often about realising that you're being stupid, and stopping that.
So if you're someone who (unsuccessfully?) gives yourself a hard time about procrastination, maybe there is a different approach out there. I haven't figured it out for me yet, but do feel like I'm making progress over the years -- there probably isn't a simple solution to too much distraction / consuming / procrastination -- but stopping giving myself a hard time about it is/was a first step for me.
Tom

cranioscopical

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Re: Procrastination as a phase in a project
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2018, 07:37 AM »
I find that procrastinating leaves quite a lot of useful information in my brain about whatever it is that I'm "avoiding". What's really productive is working very hard on project B while putting off project A. When B is complete A is often more than ready to go.

Now that I think of it, that's quite a good rationale for laziness (I must try it on my wife... see if it flies)  ;D

4wd

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Re: Procrastination as a phase in a project
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2018, 07:42 AM »
Most of us know procrastination. Gets in the way and stops us from doing things.

I prefer to think of it as failure to overcome inertia.

tomos

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Re: Procrastination as a phase in a project
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2018, 03:29 PM »
What's really productive is working very hard on project B while putting off project A. When B is complete A is often more than ready to go.
-cranioscopical (July 26, 2018, 07:37 AM)
yes, have often done that one -- although 'project B' is often much lower priority than the original project. Still, it's a nice feeling to get something done :-[
Tom

tomos

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Re: Procrastination as a phase in a project
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2018, 03:34 PM »
Most of us know procrastination. Gets in the way and stops us from doing things.

I prefer to think of it as failure to overcome inertia.
you mean it's inertia that leads (or can lead) to procrastination?
Thinking about it, there can be a sort of a bunny-in-the-headlights vibe when starting a new project...
Tom

wraith808

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Re: Procrastination as a phase in a project
« Reply #5 on: July 26, 2018, 05:08 PM »
Most of us know procrastination. Gets in the way and stops us from doing things.

I prefer to think of it as failure to overcome inertia.
you mean it's inertia that leads (or can lead) to procrastination?
Thinking about it, there can be a sort of a bunny-in-the-headlights vibe when starting a new project...



Analysis Paralysis.  I know it well.

Edvard

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Re: Procrastination as a phase in a project
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2018, 12:01 AM »
Structured Procrastination:
https://www.donation...?topic=3850.msg26963
 8)

KynloStephen66515

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Re: Procrastination as a phase in a project
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2018, 10:04 PM »
Procrastination is life.