Been putting something off? Many of us are procrastinators. MIT media Lab Prof. John Maeda argues that this can be a good thing:
The more you overcommit, the more that procrastination becomes
intolerably expensive to engage … yet it is when procrastination
becomes exceedingly costly to do, it is then that extreme
creativity emerges. In the impossible moment, miracles tend to happen.
“Necessary procrastination” is a prime factor in the creative process.
When the cost of procrastination increases, the probability for radical
new thoughts to emerge increases as well. The thought you never thought
you would ever need, is often the one that can count the most in the
big scope of things.
So waiting until the last minute can inspire “extreme” creativity? Wish I would have had that excuse in high school.
There is something to said for not overplanning, especially when it comes to the web. It’s easy to fall into a trap of waiting until you have the perfect design, the perfect interface, or perfect 10-page RFP. But how do you know it’s perfect until people start using it?
Overcommit but be nimble. Release and release often…and in small pieces. Then, tweak as necessary. You’ll get more accomplished.
