Relaxing is Taxing (But does it have to be?)

Procrastination. We all know what it is. We all do it. It's okay.

In the future, I imagine going to a Procrastinators Anonymous meeting (Think an AA meeting). I’d say, “Hi, my name is Isaiah, and I’m a procrastinator”. Then everyone else would go, “Hi Isaiah“.

It’s this weird fantasy that I have in my head, but it doesn’t seem incomprehensible. Procrastination is really bad, but it feels so good, right? But this feeling only lasts for a little while, because soon, we end up feeling unproductive and like a failure.

Even on a Sunday, when I’m just lounging around, I constantly think, “There is definitely something else I could be doing right now that will help prepare me for the week”.

Whenever I relax, there is always that voice in the back of my mind saying, “What are you doing? Get to work!” So what can we do?

This voice, while trying to be helpful, is still an issue.

But before I continue, you should never be embarrassed about your procrastination. Everyone does it, even if they don’t say it, because it is a habit that human beings are made to do. We are made to try and defy productivity for happiness.

So let’s have a chat about my ideas of the five different types/archetypes of procrastination.

1. The Rabbit Hole

The rabbit hole is the most casual type of procrastination, and often, it doesn’t feel like procrastination. The rabbit hole is when you are doing a task, and you find something interesting and stop doing the first task, and try to learn more about the new, more interesting thing. Sometimes, the new thing isn’t that interesting, but it’s cooler than the original task.

This type of procrastination is pretty easy to get out of, because eventually, you’re going to circle back to the original thing and continue being productive.

I’m going to be rating all five types out of ten based on how bad/problematic they are and how much time they waste. (1- Not that bad, easy to fix, 10- Extremely unproductive and hard to get out of.)

Rating: 2/10

2. The Worrier

The worrier is one of the most common types of procrastination, and it’s the type that is easiest to realize because you are actively trying to put off work. I think that the worrier is the person who is so worried and anxious about doing the work that they put it off to prioritize their happiness.

Often, they end up putting off the work until it’s too late, and they end up being even unhappier than if they had just done the work. The best way to get out of this procrastination is to try doing something else to take a break from the thing that's causing pain.

This type of procrastination is really bad, but definitely not the worst, so I’m giving it a:

Rating: 6/10

3. The Deadliner

The Deadliner is the most fun type of procrastinator, in my opinion. (To be honest, I’m the Deadliner most of the time, so I’m a bit biased.)

The Deadliner can only do work if the deadline is the next day, because if the work is due in a week, they say, “Why do it now! I have so much time! I’ll do it, but not now, it doesn’t have to be done for 5 days!“

Some procrastination types lead to work not getting done, but this one will most of the time get it done; they just need to do it the night before or it doesn’t feel urgent or important.

This type of procrastination sometimes ends up with a pile of work to do in one time chunk, because maybe things were assigned to them throughout the week, but all of them needed to be done on the same day.

Rating: 4/10

4. The Overwhelmed

The Overwhelmed and The Worrier are pretty similar, but The Overwhelmed is a little more complicated. Instead of having one assignment that they are worried about, the Overwhelmed procrastinates on different assignments/projects in favor of doing other semi-productive things. They are so overwhelmed that they don’t have enough time to do everything that they have to do.

I think that the Overwhelmed is also similar to the Deadliner, because they still get things done, but instead of getting everything done in the end, they only get some things finished.

Rating: 5/10

5. The Socialite

The Socialite is the last archetype of procrastination that I want to write about, and I think it’s the most interesting type of procrastination.

The Socialite doesn’t get any work done because they are too busy with social plans to do school/work-related projects/assignments. They have to go to a dinner, then a party, then a movie, and often, they actively do these things to get out of work. Like the Worrier, they favor their happiness over work.

I think that the Socialite is a pretty tricky way of procrastinating, but so effective at putting off work.

Rating: 7/10

I’d like to mention that no one fits into these 5 personas of procrastination. Some people are a mix of these 5 types, and others are something else completely.

So, whether you end up falling down the rabbit hole, putting things off due to anxiety, working under extreme pressure, drowning in tasks, or selecting the social life, one thing remains clear: Procrastination is universal. It’s a part of being human.

But recognizing it is the most important thing in solving the problem. Understanding how and why we procrastinate can help us build better habits, ones that balance productivity with happiness instead of making them feel like we can only choose one.

See you at the Procrastination Trauma-Bonding meeting.

-Isaiah

Note: I tried to add a mix of things to the poll, but apparently you can only add 5 options! If you’re a mix, pick the one you’re the most of.