Procrastination.
definition: – The avoidance of doing a task that needs to be accomplished. It is the practice of doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones, or carrying out less urgent tasks instead of more urgent ones, thus putting off impending tasks to a later time.
second definition : A summary of my life.
Procrastination and I go way back. We have a deep bond. He is there for me whenever I need him, and I am always available when he creeps into my mind. I think our relationship mainly started the day that I got my first Blackberry. It was pink, it was unbelievably cool (I got it because Lauren Conrad had one in The Hills) and it had the game BrickBreaker on it. I got this new toy just before my GCSEs or AS levels… And that is where procrastination and I hit it off – revision was replaced by BBMs and Brick Breaker high scores.
Our relationship peaked during University. I actually had to install software onto my computer that blocked certain websites such as Facebook (the biggest culprit of my procrastination between 2010-2013) because otherwise I would sit in the library opening ASOS and FB messenger ever 5 mins to avoid looking at my dissertation (or lack of words on a page of my dissertation).
But as time has gone on, procrastionation and I are still tight. If I need to tidy my room, reply to emails, write a blog post, film a video, take some flatlays – Procrastination is always there with a new task for me to complete, such a taking my nail varnish off, sorting my lipsticks into colour order, making any type of food, making more teas, watching the Kardashians. Always highly important tasks.
And nowadays, procrastination doesn’t just interefere with my day to day life – it likes to interfere with my bedtime as well. I now procrastiant going to bed. Instead, I swap sleep with scrolling. I know that I am not alone in the “generation scroll”. (I know that that isn’t a thing – but let’s make it one). For reference – I have made up a definition:
Generation scroll – those who sit on their phones when they should be sleeping, scrolling aimlessly through social media newsfeeds, apps, games, and online shopping websites.
Almost everyone I know spends too much time scrolling through Instagram when they should be either getting up in the morning or going to sleep at night. Same with twitter and Snapchat and instastories (I spend a lot of my life just watching people’s instastories – a little dose of TMI – I could pop to the toilet for a quick wee – and be there 4 hours later still watching Stories) and of course the Daily Mail app feeding myself with untrue, misspelt headlines about people I don’t care about.
Along with social media and Youtube videos and alllll those Facebook memes and clips – my other unhealthy late night hobby is to scroll through websites (before and or after the social media scroll)
So I thought – if many of you are the same- you might like a list of what I scroll through, to help you on your scrolling hobbies. Let’s all get an arthritic thumb, no sleep, and a procrastinated our days away together!
1 ) ASOS
My favourite highstreet / everything shopping app. Either their app or website. I’m not fussy. I have so many items in “my saved items” from late night outfit haul binge sessions that I could clothe an entire country. Not to mention the panic buys at 11:58pm just for the thrill of still getting them the next day… and then usually sending them back after 28 days. If I had the money to purchase everything in my basket – I would be the most well dressed, coolest person ever. However, I normally order the same old uniform every time – rather than the snazzy pink ruffled dress that I added to bag at 3am.
2 ) Farfetch
I love Farfetch. I love Farfetch. I love Farfetch.
It is basically luxury clothing & accessory porn. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Farfetch (I am sure 99% of you are) it is a website that sells gorgeous designer items – with the most fabulous selections ever. They also have a vintage section and I can literally spend until the early hours scrolling through planning which vintage Chanel bag I would purchase if I had all the money. Oh and all the Louis Vuitton luggage – need. And some Gucci bags and FINE – add in some Celine clothing. And shoes. Don’t mind which designer – add those in too. They ship from all different stockists – so if something you really crave is out of stock in places such as Selfridges, then make sure you double check on Farfetch 🙂
Here are some pieces that I am beyond obsessed with right now…
3 ) Tumblr
Tumblr is a photo sharing blog website thing – but unlike Instagram or a blog – your page/ website is filled with images, quotes, text etc that you upload or reblog from other people that you follow. You can have different themes and layouts for your own page and make it gorgeous. Or just scroll through the newsfeed homepage of everyone you follow and the gorgeous images.
Tumblr and I also go way back – it was with me through my toughest bought of procrastination at University. Tumblr was the first social media / blog platform that I ever made. I started it when I was 19 (so still pretty old to join the crowd) but I started it, got obsessed and then spent every living moment on it instead of doing my essays and assignments, reblogging pictures of cool people, wearing cool clothes, doing cool things and eating cool food. It was my pride and joy and happiness. The website actually calms me. It is full of beautiful images and no stress. Unlike Instagram – you can’t compare yourself to these images. You don’t know who has uploaded the images and then other people reblog them, and it’s so far removed from comparing how many likes you got on your image to your friends image. It is just so calming. Tumblr numbs me when I’m stressed and I will forever be thankful to it.
4 ) Pinterest
I use Pinterest as much as I use google. For pictures of puppies, mac and cheese and inspirational quotes. And travel wanderlust destinations. And outfit inspiration. And cooking lessons. And images of pretty things when I don’t have enough of my own content to put on Instagram – I borrow on from Pinterest. (Always credit them tho – always credit).
I also go on huge late night pinning sprees. I have boards for every single room in my imaginary house – including pins for a luxury dog mansion for my pet.
5 ) Stumble Upon
Now – this is a dark procrastination place. This is a place you should only go when you are deep into a procrastinating hole. This is a website that asks you what your interets are and then it finds websites for you that you will love – and then if you don’t like that website / want to see your next option, you just hit the Stumble button and it takes you to your next destination. Honestly it is amazing. Below are a few websites it just found for me. You can save websites, like and dislike things to it refines your specific tastes etc. It is for when you have already scrolled throught everything you could possible scroll through but you still want to procrastinate even more.
1 – The Washington Ballet Perform Their Hardest Dance Moves
2- Puppy Pictures
3- Here’s How a Social Media Makeup Artist Does Lips
4- 10 Uncomfortable Signs You’re Actually Becoming The Person You’re Meant To Be
ISN’T IT GREAT! Go sign in – click on your interstest and get ready to loose yourself into the hole of internet useless information. I will see you there.
6 ) Skyscanner
This website compares all the different flight options to all the different destinations. I also highly recommend Google Flights. So therefore I spend my time googling where I can go on holiday and how much the flights will cost me. I do this even though I know I am not booking flights right now. These are my imaginary holidays. I am just curious how much it costs to fly to the Maldives on the 14th of July 2018, and which airline will get me there the cheapest ok? I will also google how much flights are to NYC almost every week. Because I just want to go there every single day.
7 ) SecretEscapes
Again – another website where I spend my entire life looking at which luxury holidays I can go on for a discounted price. Even thought I know I am not going to book a holiday, it is nice to see what my options are..
8 ) Air B&B
I feel there is a huge traveling theme at the end of this blog post – which is fair enough as it is my favourite activity. I spend a lot of time looking at how much it will cost to rent an apartment in Manhattan for 4-8 weeks. Because ONE DAY I WILL GO AND PRETEND I LIVE THERE FOR LONGER THAN 4 DAYS AT A TIME. So yeah – I scroll and scroll through unbelievably expensive properties to rent and then planning my ideal Carrie Bradshaw life.
