{"id":3441,"date":"2016-05-15T09:00:35","date_gmt":"2016-05-15T14:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/?p=3441"},"modified":"2016-05-01T22:04:29","modified_gmt":"2016-05-02T03:04:29","slug":"choose-to-stop-procrastinating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/?p=3441","title":{"rendered":"Choose to Stop Procrastinating"},"content":{"rendered":"

Another Year of Choices<\/em><\/p>\n

By Barbara Dahlgren<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Do<\/a><\/p>\n

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Procrastination is the name of the game and I\u2019m very good at it.\u00a0 I have a myriad of excuses for not doing what I know I need to do, and they have served me well.\u00a0 Here are a few\u2026<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019ll wait until I\u2019m in the mood.\u201d\u00a0 Being \u201cgenderly\u201d prone to mood swings, I use this for my advantage.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do it tomorrow.\u201d\u00a0 Known as the \u201cma\u00f1ana syndrome,\u201d I believe in never doing today what I can put off until tomorrow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll do it tomorrow if\u2026.\u201d\u00a0 Known as the \u201ccontingent ma\u00f1ana syndrome,\u201d this allows me to put a stipulation on whether or not I actually will do it tomorrow.\u00a0 For example: \u201cI\u2019ll do it tomorrow if the sun is shining\u201d or \u201cI\u2019ll do it tomorrow if it is raining\u201d or \u201cI\u2019ll do it tomorrow if half my street has sunshine and the other half has rain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI work better under pressure.\u201d\u00a0 This really is a half truth.\u00a0 I will work under pressure, but I won\u2019t work better under pressure.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know where to begin.\u201d\u00a0 I get overwhelmed if the project is big.\u00a0 This could lead to depression, so the easiest thing is not to start at all.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s too hard.\u201d\u00a0 Not being one who likes a challenge, I prefer to take the easy route, especially if I would have to get out of my comfort zone.\u00a0 When the going gets tough, I take a nap.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt takes a special kind of knowledge and know-how that I don\u2019t have.\u201d\u00a0 Sure I could actually learn something new, but my motto is:\u00a0 I\u2019m ignorant and proud of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s too time-consuming.\u201d\u00a0 My time is so valuable that I don\u2019t want to waste it doing anything too profitable.\u00a0 It might keep me from the more important things like surfing the net, playing video games, or watching mindless TV.<\/p>\n

\u201cI might mess it up.\u201d \u00a0If I don\u2019t succeed at this, everyone will consider me a failure.\u00a0 My logic is simple:\u00a0 How can I fail, if I never do anything?<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to have some fun.\u201d\u00a0 A little escapism never hurt anyone.\u00a0 I deserve a break today.\u00a0 It will help me clear my head so I can start fresh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to relax.\u201d\u00a0 I\u2019m so tense!\u00a0 Perhaps I\u2019ll read a little or listen to some music first.\u00a0 Then I\u2019ll get started.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m lazy.\u201d\u00a0 I know this kind of negative self-talk is unhealthy, but there\u2019s no arguing with the truth.\u00a0 Actually, I love being lazy.\u00a0 Some people get bored easily, but I never tire of doing nothing.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lion might kill me.\u201d\u00a0 I rely on this excuse heavily because it\u2019s biblical.\u00a0 Proverbs 22:13 (NLT) says the lazy person is full of excuses, saying, \u201cIf I go outside, I might meet a lion in the street and be killed!\u201d\u00a0 Well, I know I\u2019m lazy, so I\u2019d better lay low.<\/p>\n

Procrastination is the one thing I\u2019m really, really good at! However, just because we\u2019re good at something doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s good for us! We can be good at robbing banks, but eventually the law will catch up with us.\u00a0 Procrastination catches up with us, too! Our time runs out \u2013 and time cannot be regained. Procrastination not only robs us of our time but also our money, our productivity, our families, our friendships, our sense of worth, and our relationship with God.<\/p>\n

Procrastination can make us lazy. (Proverbs 13:4) Procrastination can keep us from putting first things first. (Matthew 6:33). Procrastination can keep us from moving forward. (Philippians 3:13-14) Procrastination can pull us away from God. (James 4:17)<\/p>\n

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\"Ephesians<\/a><\/p>\n

Consider this\u2026 God says to use our time wisely. (Ephesians 5:16) We shouldn\u2019t put off until tomorrow what should be done today, because tomorrow may never come. (Proverbs 27:1) Today, right now, this moment is what we\u2019ve been given and we need to make the most of it.<\/p>\n

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Suggestions for practicing this choice\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n