💤The Productive Power of “Procrastination”: Why Doing Nothing Might Be Exactly What Your Story Needs

 

Let’s Be Honest: Procrastination Gets a Bad Rap—But It Might Be Your Secret Weapon

Say it out loud: procrastination.

You can almost hear a judgmental echo in your head:
“Lazy.”
“Unmotivated.”
“Wasting time.”

But what if I told you procrastination—at least the kind that lives in a writer’s brain—can actually benefit your book? What if stepping away from the page, shutting down the laptop, and letting your story breathe is exactly what it needs to thrive?

I know… it sounds counterintuitive. Maybe even a little rebellious.
But hear me out.

🧠 Not Writing Is Writing (In Disguise)

I used to beat myself up over days when I’d sit in front of my screen and… do absolutely nothing. The cursor blinked at me like it was taunting. I thought about writing. I told myself I should be writing. But no words came.

I thought I was wasting time.

But I wasn’t.

I was building the story—just not the way I expected.

Somewhere in that mental stillness, in the daydreaming and inner monologue, I was letting my characters breathe. Letting my plot twist itself into something better. Letting my subconscious do the heavy lifting that my conscious mind kept getting in the way of.

🪞 The Problem With Forcing Creativity

Trying hard to create something meaningful—crafting chapters that sing or paragraphs that punch readers in the gut (in a good way)—can feel like squeezing juice from a raisin.

It dries you out.

That kind of pressure doesn’t ignite creativity. It smothers it.

Writing becomes a task instead of a passion. A checklist item instead of an immersive world.

And if you’re anything like me, forcing a story often means killing the spark that made you fall in love with it in the first place.

🌱 Let It Marinate: The Magic of Mental Distance

When I walk away from my computer—whether it’s for an hour, a day, or a week—I’m not abandoning my story.

I’m marinating in it.

That might mean:

  • Taking a walk while imagining a conversation between two characters.

  • Cooking dinner while a plot twist simmers quietly in the back of my mind.

  • Watching a random movie unrelated to my genre but somehow finding the perfect line that sparks an entire new subplot.

Not writing gives you room to fall deeper into the story.

And when you come back?

Oh, the flow is unreal.

It’s like the story was waiting for you to catch your breath before it spilled itself onto the page.

🔄 Re-framing Procrastination as a “Creative Pause”

Let’s stop calling it procrastination—at least in the traditional sense.

Let’s call it:

  • Creative incubation

  • Mental drafting

  • Story immersion therapy

  • Unscheduled brilliance

  • Or my personal favorite: intentional idleness 😌

Because what you’re really doing is living in your story.

You’re letting your mind play without the pressure of performance.

You’re giving your characters space to whisper things they wouldn’t have said if you were rushing them toward a word count goal.

📚 Procrastination ≠ Laziness. Let’s Get That Straight.

Taking a break isn’t laziness.

It’s a sign of trust.

Trust that your story will wait for you.
Trust that the silence will speak louder than noise.
Trust that you, the writer, are not a machine—and shouldn’t try to be.

There’s a difference between avoidance because of fear and stepping back because of strategy.

If your gut is telling you to walk away—not because you’re scared of the work, but because you need to feel the story more deeply before writing it down—listen.

That’s not fear. That’s instinct.

🎭 Why “Living” in the Story Makes All the Difference

When I finally return to writing after a creative pause, I find:

  • Dialogue flows with more authenticity.

  • Characters feel like old friends—not cardboard cutouts.

  • Emotional moments hit harder, because I’ve had time to sit with them.

  • Scenes that once felt like chores now come alive.

That’s because I didn’t just plan the story—I felt it.

I imagined walking through my character’s house.
Thought about what they’d say in an argument.
Pictured them breaking down in a car after holding it together all day.

And I didn’t take a single note—until I was ready to write it down with heart.

🧩 Daydreaming Is the Real Outline

Plotting is useful. Story beats are helpful.

But daydreaming?

That’s where the good stuff lives.

Let your mind wander into your world.
Write scenes in your head.
Play out conversations.
Dream of the ending—without knowing how you’ll get there.

Your brain is an incredible storyteller when it’s not being micromanaged.

Sometimes, your best ideas come not while writing—but when you’re lying on your couch thinking about how you should be writing.

⚖️ Balance Is Key (Because Deadlines Are Still Real)

Of course, there’s a line between creative rest and avoidance.

If procrastination stretches into weeks or months and feels like fear disguised as freedom, it might be time to gently nudge yourself back to the page.

Even ten minutes of writing a day can reignite the flame.

But if you’re stepping back intentionally—to marinate, reflect, reconnect—don’t guilt yourself.

That’s not procrastination. That’s purpose.

💬 Writer to Writer: Let Yourself Breathe

If you’re staring at a blank document, feeling defeated, wondering why the words won’t come—this is your sign:

Take a walk.
Take a nap.
Binge that terrible reality show you secretly love.
Sit in the quiet and let your mind wander.

You’re still a writer.
You’re still creating.
You’re still worthy of telling stories that matter.

Even on the days when the only thing you write is a grocery list.

📝 TL;DR (Too Long; Daydreamed Reading)

  • “Procrastination” might actually be your subconscious working behind the scenes.

  • Creative pauses lead to deeper character development and stronger plots.

  • You don’t need to write every day to be a real writer.

  • Letting your story marinate leads to a stronger final draft.

  • You’re not lazy—you’re incubating brilliance.

If this post was the reminder you didn’t know you needed, I’m glad you found it.

And if you’ve been silently sitting on an idea waiting for it to feel right before writing—trust your gut.

Your story knows when it’s ready.
And so do you.

💡📖💤

#Mindsindesign #Makitiathompson #Themiduniverse 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts