Procrastination

Krazy: Gambling, watching porn, getting drunk are all a waste of time. Yet people do it.
Gambling can earn you money. So it's not necessarily a waste of time. At least there's incentive to gamble, procrastinating is doesn't really have much incentive. Same logic applies to the others.

Bi0Hazard: By your definition, it can count.
No it doesn't.

You seem to be trying to define negativity into the word "procrastination".
Procrastination is essentially based on irrationality. And defining what irrationality is doesn't mean that I'm trying to put it into the word, it means I'm simplifying the original definition.

Famousdebater: Procrastination can be beneficial: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-path-passionate-happiness/201511/6-reasons-why-procrastination-can-be-good-you

So, I wouldn't say it is inherently irrational.

Bi0Hazard: Most of the reasons highlighted there just aren't realistic. I'll go through each example your source states:

1- "You got more things done"

Very rarely true. Procrastination involves the avoidance of an urgent task to do a more pleasurable task. If one task is urgent and you're avoiding it to do pleasurable then even if you are getting more things done it certainly isn't more practical or rational.

2 - "Unnecessary tasks disappear"

Again, not really true. If you constantly put off doing something that is urgent and needs to be done, it isn't very often that this gives you time to realize that the task doesn't really need to be done. Especially when procrastination most commonly occurs when a deadline is set (and so it isn't up to you on whether the task can be completed or not).

3 - "It shines a light on what's important to you"

No, it shines a light on what you like doing and what you don't like doing. And even if it does show what isn't important to you, the task usually needs to be completed at some point so it doesn't really change anything.

4 - "It makes you more creative"

The article provides no reason to buy this claim. It just says that it helps you to collect subconscious thoughts (which is true regardless of whether or not you procrastinate).

5 - "It helps you to make better decisions"

It does the complete opposite, you end up putting off the task until it's late and you have to rush. This means that you put less effort and thought into the task. The source refers to cases where you are stuck with the work and cannot make a decision. This isn't procrastination - this is just being stuck on a piece of work.

6 - "It least to better apologies"

If anybody reading this source wasn't already aware that it's talking complete nonsense, this makes it clear. Apparently if you procrastinate on giving an apology then it gives you time to think about it. The author clearly doesn't know what procrastination is because it makes little sense. Waiting before apologizing so you can formulate a valid response isn't procrastination, because you aren't putting off the task, you're actually working on it.

Thoughts on the writer

The writer is a life coach who has no qualifications in the field (as I expected). I feel very sympathetic for anybody that has her as a life coach because she's doing the complete opposite of what her job requires her to do. A life coach should never encourage procrastination it is a proven cause of stress, depression and can have many other psychological impacts. The entire article is based on the author's faulty opinion based on no scientific evidence or studies.

Thoughts on procrastination

Procrastination is very rarely done for a rational reason and the cases that it is are rare exceptions because it would mean that there'd have to be a legitimate and excusable reason for doing something that you find enjoyable over an urgent task that needs to be completed.

Bi0Hazard: It just is not always about laziness
Well eating is not always about hunger, but most of the time it is.

Famousdebater: Gambling can earn you money. So it's not necessarily a waste of time. At least there's incentive to gamble, procrastinating is doesn't really have much incentive. Same logic applies to the others
Only lazy people gamble. Gambling and procrastinating are motivated by the same reason, and that's not wanting to work. I mean, why are they gambling? So that they don't have to work the rest of their life? That's laziness.

Famousdebater: Procrastination is very rarely done for a rational reason and the cases that it is are rare exceptions because it would mean that there'd have to be a legitimate and excusable reason for doing something that you find enjoyable over an urgent task that needs to be completed.
Exactly, I am not saying it is mostly rational, just that it can be for rational reasons. Plus, who says what is "rational" and "irrational" anyways?
I could say gambling is irrational, but then if someone wins a bunch of money and can buy some important stuff with it, how can I say it wasn't a rational move?
Very rarely true. Procrastination involves the avoidance of an urgent task to do a more pleasurable task. If one task is urgent and you're avoiding it to do pleasurable then even if you are getting more things done it certainly isn't more practical or rational.
Other potentially important things to you may get done, so procrastinating helps with that.
Again, not really true. If you constantly put off doing something that is urgent and needs to be done, it isn't very often that this gives you time to realize that the task doesn't really need to be done. Especially when procrastination most commonly occurs when a deadline is set (and so it isn't up to you on whether the task can be completed or not).
It certainly can, not all the time do we recognize our priorities.
No, it shines a light on what you like doing and what you don't like doing. And even if it does show what isn't important to you, the task usually needs to be completed at some point so it doesn't really change anything.
It does, by procrastinating, you can determine the reasons you procrastinate, and help to overcome future procrastination that will be unneeded.
The article provides no reason to buy this claim. It just says that it helps you to collect subconscious thoughts (which is true regardless of whether or not you procrastinate).
What the article says on this is clearly true. It happens to me a lot. When I am waiting to start a project, I form my own plan on how it may get done, so I can focus on a strategy to complete it.
It does the complete opposite, you end up putting off the task until it's late and you have to rush. This means that you put less effort and thought into the task. The source refers to cases where you are stuck with the work and cannot make a decision. This isn't procrastination - this is just being stuck on a piece of work.
It doesn't have to. Especially when putting off something to think about the potential consequences and pros and cons can be a huge help.
If anybody reading this source wasn't already aware that it's talking complete nonsense, this makes it clear. Apparently if you procrastinate on giving an apology then it gives you time to think about it. The author clearly doesn't know what procrastination is because it makes little sense. Waiting before apologizing so you can formulate a valid response isn't procrastination, because you aren't putting off the task, you're actually working on it.
You are waiting to apologize, which is what needs to be done in this case, so it is procrastinating. This is completely reasonable since apologizing and even planning to make up for it can sometimes be better if waited out.
I feel very sympathetic for anybody that has her as a life coach because she's doing the complete opposite of what her job requires her to do.
Requires her to tell people that procrastinating is always irrational?
A life coach should never encourage procrastination it is a proven cause of stress, depression and can have many other psychological impacts.
She is talking about the potential benefits here, which can create better outcomes.

Bi0Hazard: I could say gambling is irrational, but then if someone wins a bunch of money and can buy some important stuff with it, how can I say it wasn't a rational move?
Nothing is inherently irrational but there are many factors that make up an objective standard for rationality and irrationality. If you are bad at gambling at you miraculously win millions, you were lucky. That still doesn't make the move rational. And the same goes for somebody with a high success rate at gambling. If they do badly and lose a lot of money, the move wasn't necessary irrational - they were unlucky.

Other potentially important things to you may get done, so procrastinating helps with that.
If you do one important thing instead of a different important thing then it isn't procrastination.

It certainly can, not all the time do we recognize our priorities.
When you're doing something that needs to be done then it needs to be done. There is never no reason for doing something that needs to be done because otherwise it wouldn't need to be done. At best, you may realise that doing something may not be *as* important as you initially perceived but it will still be necessary for completion (and remember that this is at best).

It does, by procrastinating, you can determine the reasons you procrastinate, and help to overcome future procrastination that will be unneeded.
This is a completely different point to the point in the article that I was addressing, however this point is also invalid. It's faulty logic and circular reasoning. You're saying that by procrastinating we can overcome procrastination. But that isn't a positive of procrastination because it still agrees with the premise that procrastination is bad. So surely it's better that we just don't procrastinate as opposed to what you are proposing (which is procrastinating so that we can avoid procrastination).

What the article says on this is clearly true. It happens to me a lot. When I am waiting to start a project, I form my own plan on how it may get done, so I can focus on a strategy to complete it.
That's not procrastinating though, that's conscious thought so it counts as working on the project. What the article is saying is that whilst we are doing things that we like (let's take playing games on our phones, for example) we are subconsciously gathering information to help us on this task (even when we aren't thinking about it at all). The problem with this claim is that it is completely unsubstantiated and is complete assertion. Additionally, even if it is true, it much easier to formulate a clear plan/structure on a task when you're consciously thinking about it as opposed to when you are preoccupied.

It doesn't have to. Especially when putting off something to think about the potential consequences and pros and cons can be a huge help.
That isn't procrastination. Procrastination is the act of putting off a particular task in order to do something more pleasurable. Working out the pros and cons of something doesn't count as procrastination.

You are waiting to apologize, which is what needs to be done in this case, so it is procrastinating. This is completely reasonable since apologizing and even planning to make up for it can sometimes be better if waited out.
Nope. This isn't procrastination. You seem to be forgetting the definition of procrastination because it clearly states that you have to be putting off doing something important so that you can do something more pleasurable. The apologizing example doesn't fit the original example.

Requires her to tell people that procrastinating is always irrational
Her job is to help people who are struggling with dealing with procrastination. Telling them that there are benefits is the last thing that she needs to be doing. It's not going to help these people at all - in fact it's probably going to make them worse.

She is talking about the potential benefits here, which can create better outcomes.
Except absolutely none of the supposed benefits she highlights have any evidence behind them, virtually everybody agrees that procrastination is bad but her and most importantly - her role as a life coach isn't to give a balanced argument, it's to help these people.

If you're trying to get somebody off their heroin addiction, you wouldn't highlight potential benefits of heroin to them because that wouldn't help at all. Especially if you made up those benefits/ they had little proof.

Famousdebater: Nothing is inherently irrational but there are many factors that make up an objective standard for rationality and irrationality.
Rationality is a societal construct, therefore, it is up to the factors created by human society.
If you do one important thing instead of a different important thing then it isn't procrastination.
Yes it can be. I don't think the definition says that importance has nothing to do with it.
When you're doing something that needs to be done then it needs to be done. There is never no reason for doing something that needs to be done because otherwise it wouldn't need to be done.
Procrastination can help with recognizing priorities.
You're saying that by procrastinating we can overcome procrastination. But that isn't a positive of procrastination because it still agrees with the premise that procrastination is bad.
I said, "procrastination that will be unneeded".
That's not procrastinating though, that's conscious thought so it counts as working on the project.
No it isn't. It is planning for the project.
That isn't procrastination. Procrastination is the act of putting off a particular task in order to do something more pleasurable.
Nope. This isn't procrastination. You seem to be forgetting the definition of procrastination because it clearly states that you have to be putting off doing something important so that you can do something more pleasurable.
Unless what they are doing in my examples is more pleasurable to them.
Her job is to help people who are struggling with dealing with procrastination. Telling them that there are benefits is the last thing that she needs to be doing. It's not going to help these people at all - in fact it's probably going to make them worse.
Unless there actually are potential benefits.
Except absolutely none of the supposed benefits she highlights have any evidence behind them, virtually everybody agrees that procrastination is bad but her and most importantly - her role as a life coach isn't to give a balanced argument, it's to help these people.
There doesn't need to be evidence, she is giving out possible scenarios where procrastination is rational. I disagree that procrastination is always irrational and bad as well.

Famousdebater: There is value in procrastinating. Typically you can force yourself to decote less time to sometging that way. Tim Ferris cites a law of productivity. "A task usually expands to the time somebody allots to it. If I sleep in until the last minute, I usually get dressed faster, whicheans I allotted more time to a task I enjoy, which is sleeping