Procrastination isn't Rest

Today I read, "Procrastination is not rest." This has been a major revelation. It's so obvious, but I've just started grasping the concept.

Rest is easy. It's pausing from the normal things, and instead engaging in restorative activities. It doesn't have to mean inactivity. It's simply engaging with the things that bring joy, relaxation or envigourment to your life. It could be crafting, going for a walk, playing badminton, swimming, cooking new dishes, playing music, singing, reading... the list is huge, and personal. Each individual will have their own ideas of rest, and this will probably change over time.

Whilst looking for images of 'procrastination', easily 70% were of people kicking back, ignoring the tasks building up and enjoying something else instead. That's not procrastination, that's laziness.

Procrastination often causes me to be highly productive, but it's productivity in the wrong direction. Well, no. Something it's things that need to be done getting done, but I'm avoiding the main task. I'm not doing what it needed. 

For people with ADHD, it's common to procrastinate until the very last. This is because we excel under pressure. We can hyper-focus, and get it all done so quickly. However, what we really suck at is making slow, methodical progress. We need the external deadlines. We need the pressure. And, of course, the pressure means stress. We need the stress surging through our bodies to enable us to perform the superhuman feats.

However, when the task has been completed, we tend to emerge exhausted, full of guilt, disappointment, frustrated, ashamed... The amount of work we put into procrastination is huge.