The road less traveled bears many surprises.

Let’s talk about something we all struggle with - procrastination. Is it always bad? Or can it actually be productive?

Today I was preparing to teach a new course at Northeastern University in Vancouver.

First, I wanted my students to have certain VSCode extensions. “Here’s a list, install them”? No, that’s too boring. Why not learn how to create a VSCode extension pack and publish it to the marketplace? Done.

Moving on, another challenge. I needed to design a worksheet that my students could use to fill in the blanks. The standard Markdown to PDF conversion wasn’t going to cut it. MS Word or Google Docs? Nah, that’s no fun. A perfect opportunity to learn Typst (an awesome Markdown-based alternative to LaTeX, if you didn’t know).

Do these little meanderings seem like procrastination? Absolutely. That is the very definition of procrastination!

But… did I get my work done? Yes, I did! Did I enjoy my so-called procrastination? Oh yes! And did I walk away from the experience with not only my lesson prepared, but an enriching learning experience? A resounding yes!

Let’s rethink procrastination. It can be a way off the beaten path, a journey of exploration and learning. So the next time you find yourself procrastinating, remember to ask yourself, “Am I really wasting time, or am I just on a different productive path?”