Procrastination or Strategic Delay?
I just delayed starting an important project until next week.
Am I procrastinating?
No. This is a strategic delay.
I am not in the right place to start the project this week. If I did start, I could not give it my full attention and focus. That wouldn’t help the project (or me).
Starting next week will bring me closer to the deadline than I’d like, but I’ve protected time in my calendar and I feel calm about it. I’m not avoiding the work. I’m making space to do it well.
There’s a big difference between procrastination and strategic delay. One is avoidance. The other is intentional.
But there’s nuance here.
Procrastination isn’t inherently "bad". If you find yourself putting something off, there’s usually a reason. You might need more time, energy, or clarity.
If you can be curious instead of just being self-critical, you can be more intentional about what you do and when you do it.
