Procrastination gets a bad reputation. Some people like to get on a moral high horse about how it’s a “bad habit” or “you can’t produce good work when you’re rushed,” but really putting things off till the last minute is an entirely harmless process.

Still, some people like to whine and ask nagging questions like, “How are you not done with your essay yet?”, “Are you ever going to turn that homework assignment in?” or “Can you please turn your article in on time this week?” I think it would do them a lot of good to have a better attitude about the whole thing. Frankly, I think everyone could benefit from reframing the whole thing in a better light.

To start, I’d move away from the word “procrastinate.” It just has such a negative connotation at this point. You tell someone you’re procrastinating and they become so judgemental. There are so many words or phrases you can use that make you look so much better.

One thing you can say is that you’re having fun. The thing you’re procrastinating on isn’t fun- otherwise, you would have done it by now. You’re just enjoying life. The only downside is that it sounds kind of weak when you have to talk to your professor about your work “seeming rushed.”

“I’m meditating on it,” is a great go-to. It makes you sound smart or even possibly intellectually and morally superior to the person you’re talking to. It also has the benefit of sounding like it will improve the quality of whatever you eventually have to do.

“I have postponed the project indefinitely” is another great one. It sounds very professional, especially in an email.

“It’s not my biggest priority at the moment” also sounds professional, and it has the added bonus of implying you have more important things to do that you’re not procrastinating on. Also, if you say it with enough gravitas, people will feel rude asking what those other things are.

I could add more examples, but I’ve already hit my word count, so I’m going to go do something fun.