What team are you on?

The word precrastinator describes my method accurately. I checked (of course I did) - it is a word. As soon as I become aware of a task or project due date, whether it’s a few days away or weeks or even months, I immediately spring into action with my whiteboard, sticky notes, markers and jump right in. My goal is to complete whatever it is with plenty of time to spare so I can rehearse and refine.

I’ve always done it this way and until recently thought it was the best and only way. I would gloat a bit to my peers and colleagues how I was finished well ahead of schedule and offer up my assistance to them, challenging their procrastinator ways.

Admittedly, I have sometimes wondered if I was sacrificing creativity by tying up the loose ends well before deadlines. Especially when the procrastinating crowd still got the job done and their end result was amazing. I would imagine the stress and pressure they must have felt. I once asked one of my sons if they were stressed out after preparing for a presentation he was giving. Was it worth it to put it off? His answer "it was exhilarating!" What? I was shocked. I thought what if, in my haste, I wasn’t really fleshing ideas out that hadn’t yet had a chance to marinate?

That feeling of checking a box too often dominates my thought process. Then I watched this TED talk about creativity.

I am not the most creative person, but not the least creative either. What if the way I was approaching projects, tasks and even presentations was hampering my ability to be even more creative? What if my creativity is..stagnant at best.

I tuned in and began to think maybe I could loosen up a bit and begin to explore a possible advantage to procrastinating, if even for a little while. Small doses.

I’m not talking full on procrastination as in 12th hour. A moderate procrastinator if you will, leaving even just a small amount of time available so that the door is open for a fresh idea that may spontaneously arise.

Many times in my career as I am giving my well planned ahead presentations, I spend the last few moments before the event overthinking, second-guessing.

MLK Jr. jotted down the 4 words “I have a dream”…just moments before delivering his powerful speech.

I don’t think I could ever make the leap from precrastinator to a bonafide procrastinator, but I am willing to at least consider leaving some room before a deadline to encourage a fresh flow of ideas.

I have a project with a loose deadline coming up. I've already begun to "leisurely" tackle it, getting as many ideas on the whiteboard as I can first - free-flowing - and letting them marinate a bit before jumping in.

What do you think? Are you team precrastinator or procrastinator? Or somewhere in the middle? Have ever found that your best idea ideas come to you at the last minute?

Drop a comment about your process and whether or not you'd be willing to go pro if you are pre or vice versa.