If you’re feeling stressed over your habit of putting important things off until tomorrow, brand-new magazine Dilly Dally is here to help the people of Cardiff. We believe in positive procrastination: recognising that you’re going to put things off, but putting that otherwise wasted time to use by doing something that’s good for you.
Dilly Dally is the magazine for positive procrastinators
There is currently much debate among psychologists about whether procrastination is wholly negative, or if it can have positive outcomes. Dr Tim Pychyl, of Carleton University, is an expert who has studied the subject for over 20 years and he believes the former. He spoke to Dilly Dally and explained his research indicates that procrastination is an inherently self-destructive behaviour. He asserts, “It can never be positive.”
Others, such as Jin Nam Choi and Sarah Moran, believe there are forms of “active procrastination” in which putting things off can actually motivate some people to achieve excellent results by applying time pressure. There are also claims that putting things off can help you make better decisions and tap into reserves of creativity.
Dilly Dally asked people how they were most likely to procrastinate. Results were, cooking (8%), cleaning (13%), reading (15%) and watching TV (64%)
Dr Pychyl disputes these claims, saying, “Active procrastination is an oxymoron, because if you’re active, you’re not procrastinating, you’re just using a different working style.” But he warns that punishing yourself for putting work off is counterproductive. Researchers FM Sirois and NJ Tosti agree: their study suggests that being too self-critical after putting tasks off can lead to giving up rather than changing your ways.
Have a look to see what Dilly Dally offers
With that in mind, Dilly Dally offers alternatives to mindless time-wasting. If you are putting off work, you’re going to do something constructive when you procrastinate. We have informative articles with tasty, healthy recipes, cleaning tips for your electronic gadgets, suggestions for Netflix binges that will inform as well as entertain, and brainteasers to keep you thinking.
Dilly Dally is out today, 6 December 2016.
