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Word of the Day: Procrastination

Definition: Putting off intentionally and habitually; delay or lag (Merriam-Webster,2019).

Reflections: Ever had a simple project to complete that took you forever to accomplish? Do you recall those small steps you were going to take to invest in yourself, but couldn’t seem to move forward? Or, have you ever purposely succumbed to distraction to remove the focus off of what you should have been focusing on?  Truth is, we all have practiced some form of procrastination at some point in our lives.

Putting procrastination into a habitual practice renders a negative reflection.  Unfortunately, it can impact rapport and diminish potential opportunities. Being a procrastinator is a negative trait to possess and does not produce growth.  Instead, it stifles and can consume one into a cycle of unhealthy routine. Another element to examine is the intention behind this course of action.  There are many negative motivating factors that can influence our decision to put things off.  Some of these include: self-esteem, insecurities, a lack of confidence in our abilities, etc.  The underlying theme in this list of reasons is self-sabotage. How we feel about ourselves exudes through our actions.

The pressures of societies and unrealistic expectations that people and/or circumstances put on us can weigh so heavy on us that we become overwhelmed. Hence, the feelings of depletion and confusion around the choices that we make.

I encourage you to re-frame your focus and look through the lens of positivity.  The way that God truly sees you: capable, accomplished and victorious.  Immerse yourself into the work and allow yourself to be creative in working toward completion.  It is perfectly okay to plan to plan.  Yes, you can carve out time to devise how you will approach getting done whatever it is that you need to complete.  Set personal deadlines and develop a system to hold you accountable. Truly focus on the goal in mind and do not allow identified triggers to knock you off course.  Make note of newly discovered triggers.

The more time you spend on this, the less time will be spent on worrying about how people feel about you.  You will definitely see positive results (Gal. 6:4). Now, let’s get to work!

Prayer: God, thank you for your patience and grace that you continuously extend to us, even in moments of procrastination. Please guide us through navigating this barrier.  Help us to identify and defeat triggers that come to knock us off course, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Affirmation: I am free from procrastination and all associated factors, through the strength of Jesus.