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5 Ways to Procrastinate and Be Productive at the Same Time

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Sometimes, you need to give yourself permission to procrastinate. This isn’t going to be your average blog post on productivity hacks. I’m not going to promise you a new way to streamline your life, or give you a secret formula for reducing the stress that comes from avoiding the things you know you have to do.

Instead, I’m going to give you a list of several things you can do when you really can’t avoid procrastinating, but you still want to move forward with your goals. We all procrastinate, and there is very little we can do to avoid it. These few tricks will help you get past periods of procrastination with as little pain as possible.

One of the main reasons most people decide to procrastinate is because of a feeling of uncertainty. Uncertainty comes from not having a clear idea of what your goal is or what the best course of action might be to achieving your goals.

The following five practices help me to tune out the noise around me, quiet my mind, and get past periods of procrastination:

1. Write

Writing (or drawing) is one of the best ways to clear your mind and clarify your goals. Often, I’ll get to a point in my day when productivity lulls and I realize I’m staring mindlessly at the computer screen, unable (or unwilling) to focus on anything. In these instances, I’ll take a step away from my computer and write for 10 or 15 minutes.

Occasionally, there is structure to my writing, but other times there isn’t any. The process is therapeutic and can be quite fun. Authors and entrepreneurs the world over from Tim Ferriss to Richard Branson use this technique to help focus their thoughts and outline their next steps on the road to success.

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” – Ernest Hemingway

2. Exercise

Take a few minutes to get some exercise the next time you’re feeling unproductive. It can be anything from a set of 10 jumping jacks or pushups to an all-out 5-mile run.

The point of this practice is to get the blood pumping and help you clear your mind. It’s hard to work about what to do next on a large project when you’re trying to catch your breath after climbing up 5 flights of stairs. Take the time to reset your brain and you’ll be ready to start work again before you know it.

3. Read

I’m not talking about catching up on recent social media posts or the lastest gossip column. I’m talking about reading some good writing. Whether hard copy or digital, fiction or nonfiction, read something that inspires you and teaches you something.

I happen to be a big fan of nonfiction books related to business, but I’m also really into history and biographies of famous historic figures. Whatever you’re interested in, take 15 to 30 minutes to step away from what you’re doing and absorb something substantial that will influence how you think about and view the world.

4. Talk to strangers

This sounds much creepier than it is. Talking to strangers is one of the best ways to reset your mind and get a new perspective on a problem you might be facing in your work or personal life. Go seek out different perspectives from people you don’t know at work, on LinkedIn, even in the coffee shop or at the bar. Ask what they do, what they’re working on, how they feel about what they do.

Listening to others, and showing compassion by caring about what others say, is a surefire way of resetting your mind and shifting your frame of reference when it comes to solving your next problem or challenge.

“We sometimes encounter people, even perfect strangers, who begin to interest us at first sight, somehow suddenly, all at once, before a word has been spoken.” – Fyodor Dostoevsky

5. Cook

Cooking can be a very meditative process. The concentration required to plan out your next meal, buy the write ingredients and assemble the meal properly requires concentration and creativity. Stimulating the parts of your brain responsible for planning and concentration will help to rewire your brain and streamline your thinking when you start to procrastinate.

No matter which tool you decide to use next time you get stuck or consider procrastinating, remember that all of these exercises are meant to help you reduce uncertainty in the decision making process by helping you clear your head and clarify your thought process.

To be honest, I find myself using these tricks more often than I might care to admit, and I have found them invaluable as I’ve worked to build my own career and launch multiple side businesses.

What are some ways you spend your free time and propel forward at the same time? Let us know by leaving a comment below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

McVal is the founder of We Write For Growth, a platform for businesses to connect with talented writers and researchers and growth hackers. He is also the author of How to Make $2,000 a Month Online and Start Up your Life: Why we don’t know what we want, and how to set goals that really matter. McVal writes about motivation, decision making, and strategic thinking. He graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 2011 with a degree in Spanish, and has since worked as a market researcher and business consultant in Washington D.C., New York City and London. You can reach him on Twitter @mcval or on IG @mcvaliant. 

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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
Image Credit: Midjourney

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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Success Advice

What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
Image Credit: Midjourney

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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