Procrastinating is the sort of thing you should put off doing. Do not give in to waiting to do something that needs to be done or you may find that, while waiting, the stress and worry of the eventual doing may compound like interest on a mortgage…just a lot faster.
In the biblical book of Proverbs, it says this about procrastination:
The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there! If I go outside, I might be killed!” (Proverbs 22:13)
You see, we all have fears. Fears fuel delays. Ongoing delay equals procrastination. Procrastination is a form of laziness.
The truth is this: there is no lion on the street. Go out there and do what you need to do. Ask God for help to move past your fears and delays to do the things before you.
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Could procrastination also have a root of perfectionism?
Yes, Jeff, that’s a good point. I assume you are talking about the need for the “end product” to be perfect enough to be viewed. Thus, the tendency to continually edit and revise whatever we may be working on, whether it’s a paper for school, a project for our job, or something we promise ourselves we’ll do with a friend or family member.
Is this what you mean?
Yes – like engineers who sometimes fall into “paralysis by analysis” when the work product is ready to be finished. Engineers will pursue the perfect design or perfect solution but miss out on the satisfaction of finishing the project.
I think fear of failure is a key element – the perfectionist will delay or procrastinate because they fear the end result will not measure up.
Doing what needs to be done, to the best of our ability, and trusting God with the results is good wisdom. Thanks for your insights.
‘Fear of failure’ is a good phrase for this, Jeff. Thank you for highlighting this issue related to procrastination. Fear seems to flow through it all, in one form or another.