Procrastination? Praycrastination instead!
Procrastination? Praycrastination!
Procrastination is putting off doing something. Most of the time it is an escape or an avoidance of something we do not want to do.
But that’s not entirely to the mark. It’s not exactly that we don’t want to do what we’re pushing away. More often, say psychologists and behavior researchers, our procrastination results from our not wanting the side effects of the doing.
- We put off mowing the lawn because we fear not doing it well. (…as well as Dad wanted…?)
- We delay speaking to a friend or acquaintance about the body odor because we might no be liked afterwards. (…if you can’t say something nice…?)
- We postpone volunteering to lead the monthly meeting because we doubt our leadership skills. (…if you aren’t a leader, people will ignore you…?)
There is also a negative spiral in this. Not feeling especially good about ourselves can cause procrastination. When we avoid doing something we create one more reason not to feel good about ourself. A study in 2012 by Fuscia Sirois made these two findings
- “People prone to procrastination had lower levels of self-compassion and higher levels of stress…”
- “Negative self-judgments and feeling isolated [from procrastinating] can be a stressful experience.”
To the several self-help actions recommended (here, here, and here), I add the one that works best for me: praycrastination.
From its Latin origins, “procrastination means “belonging to tomorrow” or “deferred until tomorrow”. I sort of stretch “praycrastination” to mean “pray tomorrow right now. Don’t wait. Right now.”
Spelled out, here’s why praycrastination works:
- Praying is doing something, no matter how you do it.
- Doing something can make you feel good.
- Since you are the one praying, it makes you feel good about your Self.
Here are several ways to let praycrastination work for you:
- Pray thanks that you are not a procrastinator.
- Give thanks that you forgive yourself for having procrastinated.
- Pray thanks in advance that you got ___ done because you didn’t put it off.
The Praycrastination Prayer
Dear God of Doing,
I am grateful you give me the power
and the ability to do.
It feels good and makes me glad
that I get things done.
I know relief when I let go of anything
I have put off doing
and when I look forward to the next chance
to do.
Thank you, God, I am that I may do.
And so it is. Amen.
Love and blessings,
16 August 2017
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