Procrastination is the silent killer of dreams, aspirations, ideas and ultimately our destiny. JPJ

Wikipedia defines procrastination as the practice of carrying out less urgent tasks in preference to more urgent ones. Doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones, and thus putting off impending tasks to a later time. Sometimes to the “last-minute” before the deadline.

I could not ask for a better explanation. I admit that once the task seemed difficult despite attached timelines I would delay until I absolutely had no choice. This in itself is a dangerous practice.Why do we give in to this “thing” called procrastination. Procrastination held me captive for many years and not in a good way because who can associate procrastination with anything good.

It is the complete opposite of good, the funny thing is that when we are being overtaken by procrastination we often times go into a mentality of self righteousness and denial.  We deny that we are procrastinating but may say we are prioritizing. Yea right! If a task is to be done, just do it as Nike would say.

When we accommodate the habit of procrastinating it does not help us to develop into individuals who will be successful at what we do. It encourages the wrong work ethics for e.g., incomplete tasks. It encourages mediocre results for those who rush at the last-minute. It encourages laziness and just in general time-wasting. Procrastination also leads to a lack of self discipline.

To become an effective leader or an effective individual or better yet an effective parent we cannot accommodate procrastination in our lives.  We would not be taken seriously by team members, friends, our children and people in general. We could not speak to another about their attitude towards life.

As Christians we can never encourage procrastination in our lives. When we become unfocused and choose to occupy ourselves with only things that we consider appropriate to us, we may very well open ourselves up to situations that are contrary to what we believe. Do you see the possible disaster in such a situation?

Let us stop fooling ourselves by living in denial; let us accept that we are guilty of procrastination. Let us together intentionally decide to stop looking at some tasks as harder or less fun than others (as hard and as far-fetched as it may seem). Let us share in the pain together of putting a stop to procrastination and becoming more disciplined in our actions and thoughts. Let us choose to balance our work in such a way that we will have no need to separate hard from easy or fun from monotonous; instead we will find joy in all that we do.

Let us move towards becoming the leaders, better individuals and parents so that there will be no doubt in another’s mind towards us and our capabilities.

Affirm: I will not fall prey to procrastination, the silent killer of dreams, aspirations, ideas and my destiny. I am in control and will effectively balance myself and duties so I will find joy in all that I do. It is well and I am well.