With the rise and perversity of the COVID-19 Pandemic has come hours of time stuck at home. Zooming from the bedroom and completing remote work has proven to offer little stimulation to millions of people worldwide currently staying safe in their homes, however, a trending past time has come to save the day: procrastibaking. According to Julia Moskin of the NY Times, procrastibaking can be defined as “the practice of baking something completely unnecessary, with the intention of avoiding “real” work — [it] is a surprisingly common habit that has only recently acquired a name. Medical students, romance writers, freelance web designers: Almost anyone who works at home and has a cookie sheet in the cupboard can try it.”
What is so appealing about this hobby is that it offers anyone in need of a break from work an alternative creative outlet that still makes them feel productive. Instead of writing a 5-page essay or responding to hours of email, perfecting the rise in a tangy sourdough or the texture of an Italian-meringue buttercream for a multi-layer cake provides the same satisfaction as completing an otherwise boring, laborious task for work or school. Not to mention, baking projects often take multiple hours, sometimes across multiple days, further making them the perfect time filler. As a 20-year old college student, I find it soothing and crafty. Procrastibaking can further be embraced by people of all ages and culinary levels- it is truly one of the most approachable common past times of our current era. Not to mention, people are entering their kitchens more than ever and embracing challenging recipes that they otherwise may never have considered attempting. Whether it be reaching for an old family cookbook or looking up the newest trending viral TikTok dessert, no recipe is getting left behind.
The community of procrastibakers has now transcended all forms of social media, too. There are multiples Instagram accounts- such as @procrastibakingco- dedicated solely to starting a conversation and building a community from the love of this hobby. Published authors are even coming out with procristabaking- themed cookbooks. Procrastibaking: 100 Recipes for Getting Nothing Done in the Most Delicious Way Possible by recipe developer Erin Gardner is a book that was released in March of 2020 and is “The delicious distraction we need these days” according to The New York Times. Even popular food magazines are coming out with procrastibaking recipe guides, providing endless recipes for hours of creative work in the kitchen.
Now, some people may argue that the art of procrastibaking can be dangerous. Is it simply just a distraction from the tasks we actually need to accomplish during the day? An excuse not to get our work done? Maybe it is, though it definitely has its perks. If you are baking for yourself or for others, it is a mental release that many people have found as a safe space to practice an activity they love and satisfying their bodies and souls in the process.
Sources:
