Glen at LifeDev writes about how is is trying out Binge Productivity. Instead of dealing with a big todo list, he is working on whatever project he wants for as long as he wants. If you have the flexibility to work like this, it can be a great way to take advantage of the intense focus that comes from getting into your work zone.
This type of task allocation works great as long as you are not procrastinating on things that are more important. I use this type of allocation especially when I’m writing and it works great.
There is a college professor whose url escapes me that talks about using procrastination to propel yourself forward. His idea is to use the fact that you are procrastinating on unimportant things to help you work on things that are important.
It is an interesting idea, but I’m not sure how well it works. You have a good point though. If I procrastinate on paying my taxes by throwing myself entirely into some other project, I’m probably doing more harm than good. On the other hand, if I can have the flexibility to work on what excites me the most (and is important) on any given day, my productivity will be higher.