Here’s a little truth you won’t find in your favorite “Crush Your Goals” podcast: my most productive, idea-packed weeks usually follow a suspicious amount of loafing. And not the classy, sipping-coffee-while-journaling kind. I’m talking full-blown TV binges, deep-cleaning the kitchen like it holds the secrets of the universe, and long walks where I have profound, wandering thoughts about whether this is finally the year I launch that side project.
You see, for someone who color-codes their calendar and schedules life in microscopic chunks, I made peace a long time ago with the reality that my best work comes when I deliberately do nothing for a bit.
And I don't mean I'm slouched on a couch 24/7 — I move. I hit the gym (or go cycling) two or three times a week. I also carve out three to four months a year to travel. Sometimes I'm in the jungle. Sometimes I'm people-watching in a Vietnamese café, wondering what my business would look like if I ran it from here. These things aren't distractions. They're fuel.
I started this post after rewatching this old TED Talk, a very funny one well worth watching.
The Myth of Constant Hustle
We've all been sold this idea that if you're not moving forward at all times, you're failing. Like if you're not waking up at 5am to conquer something, you're losing ground. But here's the twist: my creative sprints — the ones where I knock out a week's worth of work in a single afternoon — only happen because I slow down first.
That week I spent rewatching The Bear instead of writing proposals? Turns out I wasn't avoiding work — I was letting it simmer in the background. (And let's be honest, Carmy would want it that way.)
The Art of Productive Wandering
Here's how I make procrastination actually work for me:
1. Keep a Few Pots Simmering
I always have several projects going. Some I'm actively working on, some are just… there. Waiting. Brewing. When I get stuck on one, I wander over to another. It's not quitting — it's rotating crops. Keeps things fertile.
2. Trick Yourself With Fake Urgencies
Deadlines are like spices. Sprinkle them around carefully and they can make even the most boring task seem irresistible. Got something due Friday? Great. Use that pressure to suddenly feel very motivated to organize your photo archive or sketch out that idea that's been sitting in your head for six months.
3. Let the Tornado Come
After a few days (unfortunately, sometimes weeks!) of doing what looks like nothing, something clicks. Suddenly, I'm a productivity tornado — writing, building, creating, barely stopping to eat. It looks dramatic. It feels awesome. But it only works because I gave myself permission to not be a machine the rest of the time.
Letting the Pause Work for You
If this is sounding familiar, try embracing it:
- Got a task that feels impossible right now? Drop it. Let it breathe.
- Doing something mildly useful but not on your to-do list? Go for it. That's future-you's warm-up lap.
- Feeling guilty? Don't. Just know your brain's playing the long game.
I don't track this stuff in fancy dashboards anymore. I've learned to trust the rhythm: go hard, rest harder, then explode into action when the energy returns. And for me, part of that rhythm means:
- Showing up at the gym a few times a week, even if just to clear my head.
- Taking long walks with no specific destination
- Getting lost somewhere new for a few weeks, months every year, where the only deadline is when the last bus leaves the village.
These aren't indulgences — they're part of the engine.
Why This Beats Hustle Culture Every Time
Here's the thing: life's not a straight line. Some days you sprint. Some days you stroll. Some days you just stand still and look at clouds. But all of it counts — especially when you stop beating yourself up for not always being "on."
Procrastination isn't failure. It's the breath before the breakthrough.
Embrace the Break
Next time you catch yourself deep into a snack-fueled distraction session, remember:
- You're not lazy. You're loading.
- That gym session? That beach hike? That long bike ride with no signal? It's part of the work.
- Rest is strategy—when done with intention.
So yes, I might be binge-watching a show this afternoon. But I'm not stuck. I'm winding the spring.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a kitchen drawer to reorganize. My next big idea is probably wedged between a forgotten spice jar and that cookbook I swore I’d use in 2024.