Note: Since we've been focusing this month on goal setting, projects, planning, and the like, it seemed appropriate to pull this old article out of the archives. Enjoy reviewing the suggestions!

I believe procrastination is a sin. If you define procrastination as putting something off that we should be doing now, then it certainly falls into this Bible definition:

James 4:17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

And if it is a sin, we know at least two things from I Corinthians 10:13There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.:

First, procrastination is something we all struggle with. It's one of those things that are "common to man".

But second, when tempted to procrastinate, there's always a way to avoid it. God will, "with the temptation make a way to escape".

If you struggle with procrastination, having a few tricks in your back pocket to help get you started on something you are putting off, is important. Here's a few suggestions that may work for you:

The Swiss Cheese Technique

Sometimes we procrastinate because we have a big project and just a small window of time available. At first glance, it makes more sense to focus on some small, less important task, that can fit into your available slot. The problem is, you may never get that giant block of uninterrupted time you need. If you end up filling all your free snippets of time with trivial tasks, you will never get around to that important project with the looming deadline.

The solution is to turn that project into Swiss cheese. That is, start poking holes in it. Even if you just have 5 or 10 minutes, try to find some tiny task you can do to advance your project. One of those tasks might just be making a quick list of more tiny tasks required by the project. Another might be prioritizing those tasks. But there will be many more. Pick one or two and squeeze them into your slot. You will feel a sense of progress. Make enough holes, and finishing the project will come into view more quickly than you would expect.

The White Knuckle Approach

Another reason we put priority tasks off, is they are unpleasant. Our natural tendency is to gravitate toward those activities we like to do, and avoid those we don't. But priority tasks don't go away. They keep coming back until they are dealt with. And if we struggle with procrastination, these can get backlogged--until we find ourselves overwhelmed with a long list of imminent deadlines for unpleasant tasks. Who wants that kind of stress?

Try "white knuckling' it. That is, address the situation face on. Acknowledge what you are doing, and determine to make at least some progress on one of those tasks you have been avoiding. Tell yourself that you are surely able to endure it for at least 5 minutes. You are going to have to do these tasks eventually--so why not do at least a bit of one of them now? Tough it out. Once you get into it, you may just find it is not near as bad as you thought.

The Straw Man Solution

You may have heard something described as a "straw man" argument. Basically an inaccurate description of someone's position is presented, and then that imaginary position is discredited. You can use an imaginary "straw man" to help you overcome procrastination as well.

Let's say you are procrastinating because you are intimidated by the complexity or challenge of some project. You don't feel you are up to the task, so you hesitate to tackle it.

Take a moment to imagine someone else were doing that task. What steps would they take? What would a competent solution look like? Write out a quick list of the details involved in your "straw man" getting it done. Then take a look at the list: what on that list could you do to help your "straw man" out? Pick something you feel comfortable doing and start on that. Do this a few times, and the task will soon begin to seem more doable.

The Research Method

There's an old saying that goes "familiarity breeds contempt". That may be true in some situations, but the opposite is true when it comes to procrastination. We're actually more inclined to put something off if we don't know much about it, and more inclined to dive right in if it is something we are knowledgeable about and comfortable doing. In fact, experiments have shown that the more information you have on a subject, the more interested you become in it. So use this fact to your advantage.

If you suspect you may be struggling with a task because you lack information relevant to completing it, take a little time to do some research. Do a quick internet search. Drop by the library for a how-to book. Talk to someone who may know more about the subject. Try to gather a few bits of information, and make some notes. It may just jumpstart your engagement in the process.

Leading Triggers

Sometimes, all it takes to get moving down a track is to identify a trigger for a familiar process. If you find yourself facing an important project and having difficulty committing to it head on--you may be able to slide into it by committing to the trigger instead.

Suppose for example, setting an alarm isn't enough to get you up in the morning, because you keep snoozing it. Try putting your alarm across the room. Getting up out of bed to silence it, may be enough to trigger your wake up process. Once out of bed it's just as easy to continue on to the bathroom or wherever you need to go next. Getting out of bed is the leading task. You may not be fully committed to starting your day when the alarm goes off, but once you are across the room, it becomes easier to make that choice.

Have a big writing project you need to work on? Why not sharpen a pencil and put a blank sheet of paper in front of you on your desk? Been putting off some exercise program? Go grab your running shoes and start putting them on. Been wanting to read some book? Purchase a copy of it and place it on your nightstand. Learning to find and use these leading triggers may be enough to get you going.

Forward Thinking

One reason we procrastinate is shortsighted thinking. That is, when confronted with some task, our focus tends to be on what is involved in completing that task rather than what completing that task (or failing to complete it) will create. In other words, we are focused on the present rather than the future.

You can overcome this tendency by being intentional about shifting our focus to the future. Take a moment to reflect on what that task will accomplish. Why is it important? What will it make possible? How will your life be better. Thinking about those benefits may inspire you to get started!

The reverse works too. What will happen if you fail to complete that task? Or don't complete it on time? What is the potential impact of missing your target completion date? What other projects will be delayed or otherwise affected? How will it affect the people around you? Visualizing these negative consequences may also motivate you to get started.

The Reward

This is one of my favorites: the reward. You can try this approach anytime you are having a difficult time getting started on something important. Do a bit of negotiation with yourself. Agree to do something positive if and only if you are able to achieve some specified level of progress on your project.

Spend one hour doing some activity, writing so many pages, exercising so many minutes, whatever. In return, you will reward yourself with a guilt-free break to take a walk, spend a few moments on some hobby, read something you enjoy, call a friend you've been dying to catch up with. As long as you can come up with an appropriate (positive) reward, and discipline yourself to stick to the terms of your agreement--dwelling on the reward can be a powerful motivator to action.


The next time you find yourself tempted to procrastinate, try one of these strategies. See if you can't find the way of escape that works best for you!

There are two more things we know about procrastination, from I John 1:9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness..

First, if we confess it as a sin, God is faithful and just "to forgive us our sin". That means, we don't have to let our past failures keep beating us down.

Second, God is willing to "cleanse us from all unrighteousness". In fact, ultimately, He is the only one who can truly empower us to overcome! After all, God alone can change the heart.

Comments

What about you? Do you struggle with procrastination? What solutions have you found to work for you? How important is it to defeat this sin?

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