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I’m a practitioner of procrastination.  I may not be the best procrastinator, I am, after all, writing this piece.
In reflecting on my time writing my dissertation, I understand procrastination as it compares with reflection and compares with a eureka moment (intentionally walking away and letting the problem sit).

I’m guessing we all know, understand, and practice procrastination, at one time or another.  To make sure I’m understanding the term correctly, I seek out the dictionary (Dictionary.com these days).  Basically, procrastination means “to defer action; delay” 
As I scrolled down, I noticed that there are judgments imbedded in the definitions: 
“until an opportunity is lost”
“prolong” “postpone”
“habitual carelessness or laziness”
“needlessly”

Procrastination makes me FEEL like I’m being productive. It is.  I’m doing every thing else that needs to be done. (I even cleaned the oven while I was supposed to be writing). 
It really is an excuse. 

I procrastinated at writing my dissertation because:
-I didn’t know what I was doing.
-I didn’t understand what I was supposed to be doing.
-I had a hard time organizing the content.
-It was an enormous project and it seemed insurmountable.
-There were too many other things that were easier, more fun, to do. Waaay to many.

Have you ever had a problem, finally gave up, and escaped in exasperation–to be physically active, go to a concert, to shop?  Only to have the answer come to you effortlessly?  (or so it seemed). 

I firmly believe the following process has great benefit:  
Get immersed in the dissertation.   Then get stuck on a problem.  It is time to escape–totally getting your mind off the topic, while you are engaging in other activities, physically and emotionally.  Your brain is engaged in the problem/solution in the background.   This isn’t procrastination. 

If you do this too many times, it becomes unproductive and then becomes procrastination. You can understand that all those other fun activities could easily become an escape and an excuse.

I cannot reflect while moving with intention, or focusing  my brain on other actions/activities.   Reflection is time to sit still.  Ponder. Contemplate.  Focus.   Actively engaging the brain in wrestling with the situation/problem at hand.   This isn’t procrastination. 

For me, I had to admit to myself I didn’t know, didn’t understand.  Then I could proceed to explore what I needed to do to get on track.  Having concrete actions helped me move forward.  And helped me manage the conceptual.

If you find yourself doing every thing else, but.  Explore the whys.  This is on your shoulders, not your mentor’s.  
If you are muddled, identify why. 
If you don’t understand the methodology, identify the what.
If you don’t know what to write, write anyway.  It may help focus. You will edit anyway. 
If the content won’t organize in a way that makes sense–find a colleague to talk it through.  Make progress and discuss again.

ASK for help, but you need to be specific so others can help.

Procrastination isn’t helpful during a dissertation. Identify the true roots of procrastination and move forward.