Startling Realizations

Procrastination is not my problem. I get things done by the due dates, and I start working on them a few days before they're due. I don't like to wait until the last minute, in fact I hate when I have to. This was all true until I listened to a talk on procrastination. The person said he had a "PhD" in procrastination and was a professional at it. He talked about things I have always known, things I had read about, but another part stood out to me, convicting me as a criminal.

I procrastinate! The things I procrastinate about aren’t just tasks, they are minutes. I don’t want to get out of bed yet. I’m not going to tidy my room today. I’ll just leave that piece of important mail there. I’ll wait another day to deposit my check. I can respond to that text or email in another day. It’s not urgent (or simple). With all that, I ruin my life.

On a task basis, I have two articles due at my newspaper every other Wednesday. To set perimeters around myself, I have to get them done the week before. I end up finally working on them on Friday or Saturday, spending a whole dump of time at once. If I ever work ahead, I end up leaving the bulk of the work until the last minute.

        So, because I start working on the article three or four days before it’s due, it looks like I don’t procrastinate. It looks like I am a very prepared person. However, I have 10 days to work on the article, and I wait until the last two or three to even get started. Because I never spend 6 or 8 hours doing something all at once, it seems to me like I don’t do it, but I do in my own way. Then, of course, I feel bad about having waited so long. It’s an endless cycle. The problem is, procrastination does not just affect my physical life, but every part of me.

       I get emotionally and physically bogged down by so much exertion. I get spiritually weary by not spending quality time with God, and I lose an overall quality of life because of how I approach things. I feel rather sheepish to admit it, but it's true. Maybe I can start working on not procrastinating.

           Read an elongated version of this post in the July/August Deep Encouragement. Email me for details.

       The talk I got these ideas from. I have read most of the books mentioned:

Atomic Habits, Deep Work. (5) watch this if you’re avoiding work - YouTube

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