Some might say that there are no benefits to working last minute. However, I have found through my own experience that there are at least a couple of good reasons to put things off until the last day, the last hour or the last minute before an assignment is due.

Personally, I work well under stress. Waiting until the last minute certainly raises my stress level, but it motivates me to work efficiently.  I understand that others might not enjoy stress, so this particular advantage may only apply to some.

I also believe putting things off makes me a better thinker and decision-maker, in all types of situations. I’ve learned how to distinguish between the good and the bad very quickly without wasting time.

Lastly, putting off work enables me to learn more about myself. For example, I’ve learned how to identify certain shortcuts that will help me to work more efficiently the next time.

On the other hand, doing assignments early has its own benefits that might outweigh the advantages of my procrastination.

Some of those benefits are the ability to review my work multiple times and perfect it; the opportunity to get work out of the way early and enjoy a much more flexible schedule; and the fact that I do not need to worry about the effect on my grades.

People do their work in all types of ways. I would not recommend that everyone put things off until the last minute (as admittedly I have done with this article), but I do want to acknowledge the benefits I have found.