Three Procrastination Types

A breakdown of the three types of procrastination and how to think about productivity, based on Sam Parr and Shaan Puri's discussion.

Three Types of Procrastination

• Type 1: Doing Nothing

  • Easiest to identify
  • Should be avoided
  • Many people suffer from this

• Type 2: Doing Less Important Tasks

  • Most dangerous form of procrastination
  • Examples:
    • Cleaning your room instead of studying
    • Doing "busy work" that feels productive
  • Dangerous because you think you're being productive when you're not

• Type 3: Good Procrastination

  • Should be embraced
  • Doing something more important than planned tasks
  • Example: Focusing on making money instead of routine tasks
  • Like the "absent-minded scientist" who prioritizes important work over daily tasks

Productivity Frameworks

• Two Types of Productive People:

  • Efficient Productive

    • Gets high number of tasks done well
    • Focuses on completing many tasks
    • Works consistent hours (9-5)
    • Good at executing but may miss highest impact opportunities

  • Effective Productive

    • Identifies 1-2 tasks with disproportionate rewards
    • Goes "120-180%" on key tasks
    • Does 0% on other things
    • May work in intense bursts
    • Better suited for CEOs/entrepreneurs

• Eisenhower Matrix for Task Priority

  • Measures tasks on impact (high/low) and urgency
  • Most people default to urgent but low impact tasks
  • Important but non-urgent tasks often become "ticking time bombs"
  • Focus should be on high-impact, non-urgent tasks that drive long-term value

Key Insights

• The world tries to make you focus on routine tasks, but often the highest value comes from ignoring these
• Ask yourself: "Will this task be mentioned in my obituary?"
• Looking for mentors before starting work is often just another form of procrastination
• Important but non-urgent tasks become urgent when it's too late to address them properly