Art Quote by John R. Perry
““All procrastinators put off things they have to do. Structured procrastination is the art of making this negative trait work for you. The key idea is that procrastinating does not mean doing absolutely nothing. Procrastinators seldom do absolutely nothing; they do marginally useful things, such as gardening or sharpening pencils or making a diagram of how they will reorganize their files when they get around to it. Why does the procrastinator do these things? Because they are a way of not doing something more important. If all the procrastinator had left to do was to sharpen some pencils, no force on earth could get him to do it. The procrastinator can be motivated to do difficult, timely, and important tasks, however, as long as these tasks are a way of not doing something more important.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Structured Procrastination, John R. Perry, 2005
Structured procrastination redirects low‑priority tasks to stay productive while avoiding high‑priority work, turning a habit into a strategic tool.
In simple terms: Use minor tasks to avoid big ones, but stay productive.
Key Takeaway
Channel energy into low‑stakes work while planning big tasks.
Themes
productivity
time management
self‑discipline
Mood
frustrated
motivated
Type
advice
strategic
When to use this quote
- office work
- home chores
- creative brainstorming
- project planning
Key Concepts
behavioral economics
task prioritization
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you ensure low‑priority tasks don’t dominate your day?
- What high‑impact tasks can you schedule after a short break?
A Different Perspective
May lead to chronic avoidance of truly important work.
