With art of procrastination, the wait may be worth it

Could the common procrastinator in your organisation soon become a force to be reckoned with, rather than just, “lazy as a pig”?
In my line of work, I have been both fortunate, and unfortunate at times, to work with people of varying tendencies to engage in procrastination. In helping these people become the best versions of themselves, it is clear there are three distinct groups. The “workhorse”, or go-getters of the organisation, work tirelessly to hit their next target, goal or deadline. However, their “gung-ho” attitude to work often results in a lack of long-term vision. In this respect, workhorses can often approach work without considering all of the different elements to a project, and their quality of work can often suffer. 
Secondly, the “peacock”, or the traditional procrastinator. Often slow to react to deadlines or to take action on a project, the peacock enjoys exploring and analyzing work from all angles. With a long lead-time to completion, the peacock presents beautifully crafted work. However, this comes at the expense of deadlines, and often, the frustration of other team members. The emphasis on perfection, rather than efficiency, frequently manifests in the peacock’s “analysis paralysis” of a task. 
The final group enjoys elements of both the peacock and workhorse groups, and can simply be referred to as “good procrastinator”. An important member of any team, the “good procrastinator” operates in a sweet-spot zone, where they are both aware of the big picture, and ready to get down to work. Unafraid of small details, complex processes or impending deadlines, the good procrastinator knows how to prioritize activities and get the most critical work done first. In an effective organization, teams are composed of an array of personalities and workers with varying degrees of procrastination. However, the good procrastinators are distinct as they both enjoy what they do, and relish the present moment to actually, “just do it”. 
Encouraging the “art of procrastination” in your organization can be summarized in three specific activities. Understand the big picture by clarifying the key objectives of the task at hand. Prioritize the difficult work first, and find a way to prioritize and organize activities that works for you and that allows you to track progress. And most importantly, commit to the task at hand and “just do it”, taking the first step is always the hardest part, but in retrospect, the most rewarding. 

SUVIT CHANSRICHAWLA is a next-generation HR consultant under the brand Serendipity&Co.