Productive Tension: A New Way to Look at Procrastination
Published about 1 month ago • 2 min read
"To be seen in this life, truly observed without judgment, is what it feels like to be loved."
– Cicely Tyson
Hi Reader,
This week at AW we are leaning into the idea of productive tension. We’ll let you decide if it’s a good thing or not.
Before we dive in, a quick reminder:
Our next 12-Week Accountability Group starts March 3rd! Enrollment closes February 21st. See details below.
With gratitude,
Ali, Marissa, and the AW Team
Productive Tension or Procrastination?
I recently came across the term ‘productive tension’ in a book by Brian Moran called The 12 Week Year. He defines productive tension as the feeling you get when you know you need to do something but you haven’t done it yet. I suppose most people would think of this as procrastination. However, I preferred this term because that is what we see a lot of in our coaching programs.
We meet with people every week, and when our clients leave our meeting, they have an organized list of what they want to focus on each week in relation to each of their goals. They also know that they need to get those things done by the time we meet the following week on the same day and time.
They might wake up on the morning of their call realizing they have put off a task until the last minute and feel like they have procrastinated, and yes, they have. But they have also created a lot of productive tension. And it’s that tension between the thing that needs to be done and the due date that pushes them through and gets the job done.
I was discussing this last week with the coaches, because we hear all the time, "Yes, I did that but I did it right before the call," as a means of confession. Meaning, I did it, but I procrastinated. However, using your accountability call as a means of building productive tension is another way to look at it. And if you got it done before the call, as Coach Becky Brown says, “You got it done right on time.”
Yes, ideally, we’d all pace ourselves and leave nothing to the last minute. And over time and with awareness, you begin to notice productive tension building and how it feels in your body. People with a lower tolerance will get things done faster. People who have taken our procrastination quiz and identified as a performer will have a higher tolerance.
How do you experience productive tension?
NEW 12-Week Session!
You asked. We listened!
We are opening a NEW 12-Week Session.
We know the start of this year has been especially turbulent for many, leaving some feeling stuck or uncertain about what actions to take. But momentum is within reach. Accountability provides the clarity, structure, and support to move forward with confidence. Now is the perfect time to harness its power for yourself.