You know those tasks you have to do, but absolutely dread? For me, that task is social media. I sat down the other day to tackle a month’s worth of posts — and was instantly filled with that heavy, joyless fog of “ugh.”

So naturally, I did what any adult would do:

I put on a playlist called “Sea Shanties That Drop Your Panties.”

⚓ The Sea Shanty Spiral

I’ve always had a soft spot for sea shanties. Long before The Wellerman took over TikTok, I was singing along to “What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor” as a kid. My love for rugged bearded men and their salty tunes has not faded with time.

As I tried (and failed) to write the first post, a song came on that made me cackle. I’d never heard the band before, so obviously I had to go full detective. Turns out:

• They’re based in Bristol (local legends!)
• They’re touring
• They’re playing in Lyme Regis
• And — wait for it — they’re performing at the Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival.

🤯 There’s a SEA SHANTY FESTIVAL?!

Cue frantic Googling. (Sadly I can’t go this year, but I’ve already set a reminder for next.)

✍️ Procrastination That Actually Worked

Once the excitement settled, I realised I had something here — a blog post in the making.

Here’s a confession: I usually find writing these blog posts pretty hard.

But not this time.

I opened a Word doc and spilled out this post in five minutes. Normally, that would’ve taken me an hour or two of dragging my feet.

It’s a classic case of procrastination doing something right.

My brain was clearly in the mood to write a blog post… just not social media content.

And instead of fighting it, I followed the flow.
Result? Done faster. Done better. Done with joy.

🐶 What This Has to Do With Dog Training

This is something I tell my clients all the time — especially those struggling with loose lead walking.

Because let’s be honest:
Lead walking is the Facebook posts of dog training.
It’s necessary. It’s repetitive. And most of the time? It’s not fun.

But maybe one morning you wake up, look at your dog and think:
“I want to teach you a little happy tappy dance instead.”

Maybe you saw a Reel last night of a dog doing a ridiculously cute paw-tapping routine, and you just need to try it.

💃 Teach the Happy Tappy Dance

And you know what? Do it.
Because even though lead walking matters, it’s also totally valid to follow your curiosity and joy that day.

Teaching your dog something silly and fun still holds value:

• You’re engaged and excited.
• Your dog is picking up on your energy.
• You’re both learning together — and having a brilliant time doing it.

That’s a win.

🎶 So What’s the Takeaway?

Sometimes productivity looks like doing the thing your brain is actually ready to do — even if it wasn’t what was on your to-do list.

Progress doesn’t always come in the form you expect.
So if you and your dog want to do a happy tappy dance today?
I say, tap away.

PS: The band that started this whole thing?
Here’s the song: The Longest Johns – Moby Duck

Enjoy this post?
This started out as a story for my email subscribers, but it felt too fun (and useful) not to share here.
If you’d like more lighthearted dog training advice with a salty twist, hop on my email list or follow me on Facebook.
Bonus points if you send me your dog’s best dance moves. 💃🐾

The post How Procrastination, Sea Shanties, and a Dancing Dog Taught Me to Work Smarter appeared first on Axe Valley Dog Training.