I Will Not Procrastinate.

Action 

Ever wanted to do something but procrastinated? The delay in starting this blog was because I procrastinated despite wanting to do it for ages. The bolded words under ‘Will’ above are action words in relation to achieving something. There is also action not conducive to achieving something as in Psalm 77:2 we read of refusing to be comforted.  

Action follows choice. We can choose either positive/negative action or inaction. You might have come across this motivational illustration before.  

Unless for a good reason, ‘I won’t do it’ is negative action. ‘I want to do it’ is inaction but until we choose to make moves towards doing something we’ll stay on step 3 of wanting to do something. Asking ‘How do I do it?’ takes us past the halfway point up the staircase. Three more steps: firstly, choosing to try, secondly, believing that we can, and finally choosing to actually go ahead and do it. And done! Goal accomplished!  

Have you asked yourself the question in the picture? Once more, which step have you reached today? Working out, housekeeping, studying, working, life admin – whatever it is.  

At times procrastination is easier to do because it can be done later, it doesn’t seem to be the right time or we just don’t feel like it. The Bible has a lot to say about procrastination. Here is one verse:  

‘He that observeth the wind shall not sow, and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.’ (Ecclesiastes 11:4)

A clear warning against waiting for the perfect conditions to work. Seeds do need certain conditions to grow and thrive namely: sun, good soil, and water. However, we’ll never plant if we go by weather forecasts, always waiting for the optimal conditions. In my struggle with procrastination, I’ve sought help from self-help books/articles and also pinning anti-procrastination pins on Pinterest.  I’d like to recommend the 5-minute rule. 5-minutes is all you need to spend on that thing you’re procrastinating. More often than not you’ll have broken through those inhibiting thoughts about the task and now when fully immersed in the task you wonder why you were putting it off in the first place. 

Dealing with procrastination is ongoing for me therefore I’ll be learning more about it from wisdom in the Bible as well as other complementary resources out there such as YouVersion reading plans. Knowing the reasons why I procrastinate is necessary to overcome it. There have been times I have not moved ahead with doing something because I’ve been waiting for confirmation that what I’m doing will pay off. When the situation looks bleak, I think to myself Is there any point; will I be wasting my time? I become sceptical of doing so on many occasions I haven’t done what I should have. Much time has been wasted for not moving ahead despite what it looks like because that green light of confirmation was further down the road. Life application of 2 Corinthians 5:7 is crucial:  

‘For we walk by faith, not by sight.’   

My challenge to you today if you’re looking to overcome procrastination is to set a 5-minute timer. Spend 5 minutes on Step 4: How do I do it? You might need to read/watch instructions, plan in a notebook or seek help from someone.  

Alternatively, spend 5 minutes doing that task. 

It would be great to come back here for a comment about your success.  

Remember, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Amen.