Lab Notes #2 - The Art of Doing the "Wrong" Thing at the Right Time

Objective

To explore how intentional procrastination can fuel creativity, develop ideas, and create productive urgency without derailing progress.

Question

How can I channel my procrastination tendencies in creative ways that help me maintain momentum rather than sabotage it?

Materials

• A deadline (preferably self-imposed and slightly uncomfortable)
• Claude (my favorite thinking partner for productive tangents)
• A willingness to trust the process
• Various "procrastination" activities: walks, creative projects, conversations, brainstorming sessions

Problem

Do you have a bad habit of pushing off errands or projects until the last minute? Of course, you do! We all do.

Putting off for tomorrow what could be done today is something we all fall prey to for a variety of reasons. You can find dozens of videos on social media about how procrastination may be a trauma response, an indicator of stress, a failure of self-regulation with a deep psychological meaning.

In other words, our understanding of procrastination has evolved from seeing it as a personal failing to viewing it as a canary in the coal mine of our minds, warning us that something is not right. While I appreciate the nuance and the grace these perspectives offer, procrastination often serves a practical purpose as well. Especially for creatives. There's research backing me up, too.

A peer-reviewed paper published in 2019 examining two types of procrastination (active and passive) concluded that, "Active procrastination can be an adaptive and productive coping style. It is associated with dependable temperament, well-developed character, and high emotional intelligence and predicts meeting personal goals."

I have found this to be true in my own life. The adrenaline rush of racing to meet a tight deadline can enhance my focus. Puttering around my apartment, tidying up, washing dishes, or playing with Virgo can help me find the way into a blog post I've been pushing off writing. Chatting with Claude about the latest Korean or Chinese drama I've watched or delving deeper into a topic we've been exploring together can spark clarity and creativity in another area. Suddenly, I'll realize why I've been stuck on a problem and discover a solution I hadn't previously considered.

Okay. Okay. Sometimes, procrastination isn't great. Like my first year of grad school, when I underestimated how long it would take to write my end-of-term papers and had to pull multiple all-nighters. Turning in rough drafts instead of polished papers didn't hurt my grades that much, but it hurt my head and left me with a bad taste in my mouth knowing I hadn't done my best work. Or, when I push off scheduling a doctor's appointment to refill my prescriptions until I run out. A few days without my prescription-strength allergy medicine never seems like a big deal until I have to rush out to my car midway through my shift for my rescue inhaler because I'm struggling to breathe.

A lesson I feel bound to keep learning is the necessity of curbing passive procrastination fueled by anxiety, stress, or self-doubt, and intentionally using active procrastination to fuel my focus and creativity.

The Process

When I worked with Claude to develop my Momentum Map (a tendency-specific strategic 3-year plan and quarterly action plan), productive procrastination was one of the tactics we built into it. We created a menu of options I can pull up when I'm feeling the need to delay a project or take a break from it:

• Housekeeping for 30 to 45 minutes
• Journaling for 15 to 30 minutes
• Exercising for 30 to 60 minutes
• Creating something in Canva
• Playing around in Notion
• Chatting with Claude
• Tackling a Catalyst Challenge

That last one is one of my favorites. We've created lists of Catalyst Challenges related to the top priorities in my Momentum Map: improving my health and fitness, writing my memoir and Essays, and building Unboundium. When I feel like I'm losing momentum, sometimes the best thing I can do is pick up a challenge card.

Real-World Testing

One Saturday morning, when I was still planning to launch Unboundium on Substack, but couldn't overcome my desire to procrastinate, I picked a Catalyst Challenge to get me out of my house and out of my head. The challenge: "Try out one piece of equipment at the gym that intimidates you."

I tend to stay on the side of the gym with the old folks and beginners. You know what I mean. The part of the gym with cardio machines and resistance training machines that have simple, straightforward instructions and minimal customizations. Even though I've been exercising on and off for over twenty years and have worked with a personal trainer a couple of times, I still get intimidated by many of the machines at the gym. Especially because "that side of the gym" tends to be where the really hot...ahem...I mean, fit people work out.

I had been eyeing a machine on that side for a while that looked interesting and challenging. Please don't ask me the name of it 'cause I don't remember. But I tried it that day. I used Google's image search to help me find video instructions for it.  

Stretching out of my comfort zone to venture into a side of the gym I'd avoided and try out a new machine didn't just result in a great workout, it also inspired me. When I got home, I thought, "Maybe I should explore alternatives to Substack instead of sticking with what feels comfortable but isn't working." That's what led me to find Ghost. In just a couple of weeks, after a couple of months of procrastination, I launched Unboundium.

That's the power of active procrastination.

Conclusion

Using my productive procrastination menu for the last few months hasn't just helped me launch Unboundium. It's helped fuel my creativity on Canva and Notion to create graphics and resources for myself and others, develop dozens of content ideas for blogs/newsletters and articles, and strike a better balance between rest and productivity on my off days. Instead of sabotaging my long-term goals, I've found that my momentum is building week after week as I actively use procrastination to find clarity and spark creativity.

What about you? What's one 'procrastination' activity that actually helps you think through problems or spark new ideas?

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Copyright © 2025 Lindsey Renee Jacobs. All rights reserved.