The Power of Procrastination

Procrastination is more powerful than we humans expect it to be. We deem it a phase, a phase of rest, of reflection, of evaluation. However what we do not associate with procrastination is disaster.

Right at this very moment, I have a week to complete two Powerpoint presentations. Having completed more than half of each, my brain automatically has assumed, despite my large amount of reading material consisting of around twelve books and seven research essays, that it is time for a long break, and it has thus decided to write this essay in the duration of its break, so I am now unsure that 'break' is the appropriate word.

Unbeknownst to mankind, procrastination is a powerful force that is feeding on us. We are its bait, its food, its very nutrients and it keeps growing and growing because we are simply allowing it to. We brush it off like it is a normal aspect of university study, like saying "I'll do it later" or "it can wait!" are very non-lazy things to say, like not washing the car when it is dirty because the thought of the process tires the owner out is normal. Like having reading material but choosing to write something fairly relevant yet irrelevant at the same time is a good idea.

Procrastination is quite deviant. It waits for us, lurking in the shadows, until we tire of whatever important activity it is that we are occupied in. All of the sudden, we feel ourselves drawing away, being sucked out of our worries, and into a silent utopia where thinking about our worries as distant things and being unproductive are two vital aspects. And we allow procrastination to do this to us because, to be quite frank, being lazy is rather exciting. At least you do not have to spend any of your energy, well built up from all the nasty food consumed due to lengthy study periods and not enough time to eat a proper meal. No, with procrastination, all one does is sits and thinks.

Thoughts are dangerous. They veer one away from actions, and that is the very epitome of procrastination - it does not want you to think. It wants to rid you of all cognition so that it may grow even more powerful yet. It plans to one day rule our world, and it is already doing so by attacking each one of us individually at varied times. It is quite intelligent, for when it strikes it does not remain long enough to make itself seem problematic, otherwise humans would begin to look for a cure to fight it with. Procrastination simply calls your body its quick destination, invades your mode of thinking, and momentarily pauses any importance that is situated in your life in order for it to thrive for that moment, then it moves on to its other victim.

Sometimes, procrastination gangs up on groups of people at the same time, particularly groups working on a group project that becomes seemingly difficult to complete. It strikes, and none of the members have to, for around an hour or so, worry about the group work at all. In fact, most of the time they are happy laughing at useless nothings while procrastination is at work, so again, procrastination is not seen as problematic. 

We must win this battle against procrastination. We must stand up for our energy and use it within us, rather than let a strange source in to invade and conquer our hard-earned energy supply and use it for its own merits. We must use our energy to accomplish things waiting on our to-do lists, or even bucket lists. We need to fight for our right to be. Procrastination no longer should hold a place in the finest minds of our nation. With that said, though, I am procrastinating right this very minute...