Must I?

On Procrastination and the Faithfulness of God

Some things you just can’t know about a person until you’ve known them for a while. Things like how they handle change. How they plan long term. What loyalty looks like to them. Stuff has to happen, processes have to complete, experiences have to take effect, before actual character traits show themselves. Maybe even before they can develop.

This is true of us all, except God, who has always been what he is. Still, we have to be around him awhile before we can appreciate some of his attributes. One of these, for me, is his faithfulness.

Of course I had heard of it. It’s … great. No shadow of turning. He changes not. His compassions they fail not. We know the hymn, but do we know him?

I caught my reflection in the mirror the other day and saw a lot of changes—to my skin, my hair, my shape. (Don’t get me started! Another blogpost for sure.) As I looked on, totally contrary to my instinct to look away, I heard that voice singing the line, “Thou changest not…” right down to ending on the high E flat. Sounded like angel choirs in my head.

“Yes, Lord,” I said. “You never change. But I do.”

“Does that matter?”

“Doesn’t it?”

“Not if you’re improving.”

“I don’t see signs of aging as improvements.”

“Why not? Have you heard my nickname, the Ancient of Days?”

“All right,” I said. I was onto him. “What’s this all about?”

“Two things. First, I’ve got a new body planned for you that you can’t even imagine, so don’t get hung up on the inevitable changes happening to the one you have.”

That sounded hopeful. Hopeful enough to put my foot in it. “What’s the other thing?”

“The body you have isn’t going to last forever.”

Ouch.

Funny way of doing it, but he gets his point across. He didn’t tell me I was wasting time looking in the mirror, but he put his finger on why I was doing it in the first place. I have a tendency to procrastinate.

What does that have to do with faithfulness? you ask.

Our faithful God is still here helping me despite that tendency. He sees my weakness and he works to strengthen my resolve by rewarding my diligence—when I show up anyway. Over the years, while I procrastinate less, I can still find myself paralyzed if the task is important enough. Funny thing, as time goes by, the tasks seem to be ever more important—to the kingdom, to me, to him.

This is refining my ability to trust him, and it’s creating a mirror image of his faithfulness in me. I still stumble over an unpleasant or difficult task, but I keep showing up. And I keep trying, fail as I sometimes do.

Still I’ve learned from wrestling with this particular beast. Maybe these practical tips can keep you “showing up” even when you’d rather the task just go away.

1. Break big tasks into small ones. Dividing larger tasks into smaller, more manageable steps makes them less daunting. It really helps to focus on one step at a time. Proverbs 16:9

2. Set clear and specific goals for what you want to accomplish. A sense of direction and purpose makes it easier to start working and to track progress. Philippians 3:14

3. Use the two-minute rule. If a task can be completed in two minutes or less, do it immediately. Even small tasks can pile up and become overwhelming. This strategy will stop that from happening. Ecclesiastes 9:10

4. Prioritize tasks. Methods like the Eisenhower Matrix (use quadrants of urgent/important tasks) will help your organize, and prioritize, your tasks based on their importance and deadlines. These aren’t the same thing, and it’s wise to know the difference. Ephesians 5:15-16

5. Create a schedule for your day/week. By scheduling specific blocks of time for your work, you can plan as many work sessions as you need. In addition to committing time to the tasks, a structured plan reduces the temptation to procrastinate. Psalm 90:12

6. Set a timer and work until it goes off. Techniques like the Pomodoro Technique—where you focus for a set period of time, say 25 minutes, and then take a short break—are easily adaptable to any daily routine. Alternating work sessions with breaks helps you maintain focus and prevents burnout. Colossians 3:23-24

7. Eliminate distractions. This requires that you identify your distractions and then minimize your exposure to them when you’re trying to get work done. Feel free to turn off notifications. Find a favorite quiet space to work. And don’t be afraid to use website blockers if you’re working on a computer. Hebrews 12:1

8. Practice compassion. Be kind to yourself if you make a mistake or face a setback, especially if it’s your fault. Harsh self-criticism helps no one, and it contributes to avoidance behavior. Just don’t. You are trying, and that’s worth celebrating. Psalm 103:13-14

9. Challenge perfectionism. By all means strive for excellence, but really, no one is perfect. If only a perfect result will satisfy you, you will never be satisfied. Worse, failing when you aim for perfection leads to avoidance, which is procrastinating. Rather, do your best, learn from the process, and see if you don’t achieve ever better results. 2 Corinthians 12:9

10. Visualize what success will look like. Instead of focusing on potential failures, spend some time (but not too much!) imagining the positive outcomes of completing even one task. Visualizing success for the whole project will boost your motivation even more. Joshua 1:8

11. Start with the easiest part. When getting started is a big hurdle, try tackling the easiest or most enjoyable part of the task first. This builds momentum, helping you to keep working on further tasks. [Note: Some people find it helpful to use the easy tasks as rewards for accomplishing more difficult ones. Try both, and then do what works for you.] Zechariah 4:10

12. Find some accountability. Reporting completed work is one of the most helpful things we can do toward achieving our goals. So share your goals with a friend, a family member, a colleague, anyone you trust to hold you accountable. Be sure to let them know your progress, and especially when it’s time to celebrate your success. Galatians 6:2

13. Reward yourself regularly. If you find that carrot in front of you particularly motivating, set up a system to treat yourself after completing a task or reaching a milestone. Positive reinforcement increases motivation, and that gets the job done. Matthew 6:6

14. Reflect on the consequences if you keep avoiding the task. This is the opposite of visualizing success, but it can be just as useful. What will happen if it doesn’t get done? What is at stake? Who will be disappointed, or even harmed? The answers to such questions can motivate you to take action. Proverbs 22:3

15. Develop your spiritual side. Being intentional with your thoughts, choosing good ones and shooing off bad ones, will help reduce anxiety and improve focus, making it easier to resist procrastinating. Fill your mind with truth and there will be no room for lies that keep you afraid. Philippians 4.8

16. Seek professional help if procrastination is significantly impacting your life. The roots of your avoidance may be deeper than you realize. If you find nothing helps, neither these tips nor others, consider speaking to a therapist or counselor. Not only can they provide tailored strategies and support, they might help you discover—and resolve—where the trouble really lies. Proverbs 15:22

Procrastination is often linked to fear—fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of criticism, among others. Bad habits like perfectionism, lack of motivation, and poor time management also play a role in the decision to avoid rather than tackle a difficult chore. It feels like a can of worms no one wants to open. But if you want to get beyond it, my best advice is to start somewhere, start small, but start. Just start.

Overcoming procrastination takes time and consistent effort. Experiment with different strategies to find what works best for you, and be patient with yourself as you work toward making positive changes. It comes down to finishing one task at a time until this problematic behavior becomes sound discipline, if only you keep at it. The exact opposite of avoiding.

There’s the rub, right?

But here’s where the faithfulness of God is so sweet. You are not alone. Your success doesn’t depend only on you. You have a helper and he is very good at his job. The Bible has a lot of wisdom and guidance for every aspect of life, including challenges like procrastination. Applying his principles in conjunction with practical strategies can help you achieve greater productivity and peace of mind.

What makes you want to procrastinate? What strategies have you found to help you get over it?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.