Stomp Out Stress

I’ve come to the conclusion that procrastination is likely the single largest source of stress in my life.

I’m far from lazy, in fact I have the reputation of being “all work and no play.” I usually enjoy the challenge of a big project, but when I’m unsure of myself;  don’t know exactly what I’m doing; or feel a little resentful about having projects to complete when everyone else in the house is sitting around watching TV or taking a nap without the least twinge of guilt, I find myself beginning to procrastinate.

I start letting other things distract me from the things I NEED to be doing and, as the deadlines get closer, my anxiety increases. In the end I may have successfully delayed having to do something I didn’t want to do, but I also cheated myself out of the satisfaction that would have come from getting the job done and the free time I could have enjoyed once it was completed. In essence, I foolishly traded my wind-down time for minutes, hours or even days of the anxiety and stress that pairs so naturally with the perpetual “I shoulds” of procrastination.

Procrastination is a key stressor in addiction recovery, as well.

Almost every relapse has procrastination at its core. Avoidance is a key indicator that procrastination is in operation.

When we try to convince ourselves that our wandering thoughts are “no big deal” and that we don’t need to tell anyone about them; when we decide it’s easier to let resentments build than it is to go back and resolve last night’s argument; when we start letting other things distract us from church or meetings with our accountability partner, we’re edging ever nearer to relapse.

We know our choices are flawed, but we procrastinate about doing the right thing, because it seems hard or uncomfortable, or we’re not sure we’ll succeed. We know what we SHOULD do, but we choose not to do it. And it doesn’t end well—when procrastination is involved it never does.

By choosing, instead, to face the hard stuff head-on and do what we KNOW is right, we have the power to eliminate a lot of the stress in our lives. It may be difficult at times, but the freedom we gain makes it well worth the effort.

“To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”—Proverbs 21:2-4