"Is Procrastination Productivity In Disguise?"

After reading the information and viewing the thirteen different videos on academic

composing from the Kairos article, I actually felt a huge sense of validation for my own composing and work habits. There is a rich complexity with the “ways in which we orient ourselves to writing work in the 21st century,” especially with so many tools at our disposal (Kairos article, Analysis section). Everyone appears to have a different way of

doing their writing work that personally clicks for them, which also shows that we are neurodiverse in the ways our brains approach composing. Composing no longer means, or as Palmeri would probably argue never meant, sitting there in front of the computer screen or your paper for hours and completing your writing process without hiccups, interruptions, or breaks. Many of the writing processes that I observed in the videos- Sara and Khirsten’s comfort in listening to podcasts or self-curated playlists to accomplish their writing tasks, Michael’s piano break during his slam poetry creation, Laura’s solution to counteract writer’s block through movement, Amy’s choice to balance writing with family chores or time with her husband and young child, Caitlin’s reconciliation between writing and her body’s pain from chronic illness, and Ashanka’s choice to Facebook or text while simultaneously writing or editing- each showed me that productive writers often engage in composing beyond just the time that they have their pens to paper, fingertips to keyboard, or eyes to the screen. This could involve an intricate tango of multi-tasking or multi-tabs on a screen or simply taking a brain/movement break in the middle of composing. The latter is a research-based concept that we advocate for students when it comes to fitness and recess time (http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/104013/chapters/movement-and-learning.aspx), but adult brains need that movement time too. I can definitely attest that the morning dawn patrol hikes have made my Bread Loaf brain function more efficiently (thanks Alfredo!).

Even as I was composing this blog entry, I went through a series of writing interruptions and shuffled between my screen composing time and my non-screen composing time. As I read the articles and watched the videos, I used my notebook to take handwritten notes about things I felt were interesting or salient. Afterwards, I started thinking in my mind about what I might want to write about for my blog entry. Before I even opened up the word document to begin typing, I let these thoughts and ideas marinate for a little bit, and even thought about them some more during the dusk patrol hike at Tsankawi Mesa. When we returned from the hike, I highlighted important parts from my notes and finally opened up my computer so I could start finding or creating images that would capture some of my thoughts about the reading and the videos. I thought of my title for the blog entry and wrote a few sentences. Since I was exhausted, I decided to go to sleep and finish the blog entry the next day. When I woke up, I read what I had written the night before and edited a few of those sentences. Still thinking about what more I wanted to add to the blog entry, I went on a run so I could wake up my brain some more and sort through some of my thoughts. Going on a run typically helps me when I am trying to solve a problem or think through something more thoroughly. The physical movement and breathing involved in running often provides

me with clarity of thought. It is almost as if during the run, I am running toward my answers or ideas. This process is similar to the concept that Laura Sceniak Matravers describes in her video project: “I move. I write. I move.” After my run, I went to breakfast and happened to talk through some of the videos and my writing ideas with other members of our class. These conversations, an example of “composing requiring others,” made me reflect further about the delicate balance between productivity and flat-out procrastination (Kairos article, Analysis section). I believe there can be some productivity to doing other tasks (ones that some may deem as procrastination) so long

as it helps you get your final product completed on time. No one else can see the process unfolding in your own brain or how you are productively making use of the non-composing time. There can be such a thing as productive procrastination.

Notes while I read the article and watched the videos (left) and highlighting notes as I begin to think about blog entry (right)