Procrastination has long been vilified as the enemy of success. Indeed, an entire army of self-help books and motivational talks is hinged on correcting this need to put work off until the last minute. However, the other end of the spectrum isn’t pretty either.
Precrastination is defined as the incessant need to tick things off a mental to-do list to quieten deadline anxiety. It is the same urge that drives us to pick up a heavy carton of milk upon entering the supermarket and carting the weight around for the entire duration, instead of picking it up just before heading to the checkout counter. For a generation raised with the early-bird-gets-the-worm doctrine, this hyper-diligence may not be unexpected. After all, the hustle culture rewards those who appear busy all the time. However, the need to be seen doing ‘something’ can often detract one from questioning whether it is actually a productive use of time.
Further evidence of the same can be found in an experiment conducted by psychologist David Rosenbaum from Pennsylvania State University. In his study, college students were asked to carry a bucket till a pre-decided finish line and asked to do it in the easiest and most efficient way possible. The students could choose from two options—carrying the bucket from halfway down the path or taking the bucket closest to the finish line. The results were surprising: the majority of students opted for the bucket closest to them and carried it for a longer distance, instead of saving themselves the effort by choosing the one placed closest to the finish line.
In his study published in 2014, Rosenbaum summed up the phenomenon, “Precrastination is a tendency to work on tasks at the earliest opportunity—even if it means more work or comes with extra costs.” And digital productivity coach Deb Lee concurs. “Precrastination occurs when someone quickly completes tasks without checking to ensure that those tasks have been completed properly. For example, you might work on several items on your to-do list without first focusing on your MITs (Most Important Tasks) or those with looming deadlines,” she says. Those who succumb to precrastination tendencies are driven to work on things at the earliest possible opportunity, even though the consequences may negatively impact their productivity. “In their zeal to be productive and avoid procrastination, they overlook the drawbacks of taking action too hastily,” she adds.
How precrastination is different from procrastination
Procrastinators, meanwhile, often find themselves at the opposite end of the table. “That report that the precrastinator sent too soon? The procrastinator would avoid it, and may even do other tasks, even though the deadline is fast approaching. Procrastination essentially involves delaying a task or waiting until the last possible moment to begin working on it. Some procrastinators delay because they are uncertain about where to start, while others feed off the adrenaline rush of working on a project right up until the deadline,” says the Washington DC-based coach.
While the benefits of precrastination may seem obvious—more work done ahead of time—Lee believes that there are pros and cons to consider. “One of the good things about this tendency is that one is in the mindset of taking action. The main objective is to work on goals and advance them, and there's a high level of motivation to get things done,” she says. The flip side? The absence of a productive plan. “Taking action without a plan can take us in many directions, including the wrong ones. There's an old proverb that says, ‘measure twice, cut once’. It helps to pause and plan ahead of time instead of just focusing on getting things done,” explains Lee.
How to stop precrastinating
On the face of it, precrastination may not seem like the bad guy in the story. After all, there is no denying the instant gratification attached with checking something off a to-do list. “It's possible that precrastinators want to rid their brain of the anxiety that comes with a looming deadline. The feeling of accomplishment from completing small tasks can motivate them to get things done quickly without having to think too much,” she says. However, in the long run, it can involve expending additional time and effort on trivial tasks and dampening the very productivity that it is predicated on. Long story short: waiting till the very last minute to start working on a report and then racing against time to finish isn’t healthy, but working on it just to get it out of the way—while some of the information is yet to come in—isn’t helpful either. If you are looking to check precrastination at the door, Lee advises some helpful measures:
Before you begin working on a specific task, create a checklist of actions you need to take before you can cross it off your list. It may be a good idea to plan the day before you intend to start working. This will limit any feelings of overwhelm when it's time to get to work.
Review your plan before you start working and refer to it at regular intervals to ensure you're on the right track, as this will feed your motivation to get things done.
Make it a habit to work on high-priority tasks first, instead of just the first few things on your to-do list as this will help you accomplish more.
It can also be helpful to keep mantras like ‘more is not indicative of better’ and ‘measure twice, cut once’ around as reminders to pace yourself and avoid acting rashly. Put them on a sticky note on your laptop or in a visible spot in your workspace.
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