Tag: procrastination

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Being Kind

I don’t have time to write this week’s blog post.

But I’m going to write it anyway because I’m hoping it will help me feel better.

See, I’ve worked myself into a state of overwhelm once again.

I’m leaving this afternoon to go help with a youth retreat that lasts until Sunday evening. I have a few things to do in preparation for that, but I also have some things that must get done here at home. And then next weekend I’m going to a writers conference out in California and there are things I want to get done before I leave for that.

I feel a bit shaky, and I can get close to tears when I think about everything all at once. (Oh, let’s be honest, I have cried several times this week!) Even more frustrating is my tendency to spin in procrastination and stress when I feel this way, and then nothing gets done.

Cue the negative self-talk: You always do this! You’ve known about both of these events (and everything else you have to do) for months…why didn’t you work on them when you had more time? I’m never going to amount to anything if I can’t get things done.

So it’s Thursday morning as I write this, and I’m hoping that if I focus on being kind it might change my mindset and my ambition.

I’ve been thinking about the students who are coming to participate in the retreat this weekend. Many of them may be feeling like me. The ones who are attending have no idea what’s going to happen and there may be lots of anxiety there as they wonder what they’ll experience during the weekend. The ones who are helping behind the scenes may have tons of stuff they need to get done before they leave for the retreat tonight and they may be stressed out about how the weekend will go for them and their teams.

If one of them showed up tonight all shaky and teary, I’d want to pull them aside and reassure them. “Hey, it’s going to be okay! You did what you could before you got here. You can relax now and enjoy the weekend. Trust that God will be working in your life and in the lives of everyone involved. You’re going to see some great things happen! Take a deep breath, do the next thing, and don’t focus on everything all at once. One step at a time, you’ll make it through the weekend and look back on another amazing encounter with God.”

I’d be kind and loving toward that overwhelmed teenager. And it would make a difference.

So that’s what I’m going to do this morning.

I’m going to be kind to myself. I’m going to write down the things that can wait until next week (so this old brain doesn’t forget them) and work on them after the retreat.

I’m going to be compassionate to myself. I’m going to congratulate myself on all of the many things I did get done already this week, and then keep working on the things that are left.

I’m going to forgive myself for not doing all the things earlier. I did what I could when I could. All I can do is move forward from here. Beating myself up over and over won’t get anything done now.

I feel better already. Calmer. More peaceful. Ready to tackle the next thing on my list so I can check it off and not stress about it anymore.

If I can keep reminding myself to be kind, this is going to be a great weekend!

“Be kind and compassionate to one another [and yourself], forgiving each other [and yourself], just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32 NIV, brackets mine)

Are you kind to yourself when you get overwhelmed? How can focusing on God help you show yourself love and compassion, even in the midst of overwhelm?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on One Thing at a Time

Some people thrive on having lots of irons in the fire.

Apparently, I am not one of them.

In my younger years I could juggle tons of activities and responsibilities. I look back at all of the things I did when our children were little, and I can hardly recognize myself. How did I get it all done?

The kids are all grown and out of the house now, and I can’t seem to handle much of anything. The more things I add to my calendar, the more anxious I feel. I end up not doing much of anything because I get overwhelmed when I think of everything all at once.

I’ve been feeling that way for several weeks now. All of my tasks and future activities are spinning around in my brain. I get things done when the deadline gets close enough, but I live with way too much stress when I think about everything I “should” be doing and shut down mentally for much of the day.

I know I’ll feel better if I work ahead and make progress on long-term projects and goals.

I’m sure my stress levels will fall if I work hard for a set amount of time and then enjoy some time for relaxation (instead of dreading the work, putting it off, and worrying about it during moments when I’m supposed to be having fun).

Like Mary and Martha in the Bible, I need to focus on one thing at a time. Martha was worried and upset about all of the work she had to do, but Mary recognized that sitting at Jesus’ feet was the best thing to do in that moment.

That will help me as I move forward. I do take time for reading the Bible each day, but figuratively sitting at Jesus’ feet as I go through the rest of the day might help me focus on one thing at a time instead of dreading all of it at once.

Going through my days asking the Holy Spirit to show me what I need to work on might help me get some things done instead of having everything continue to swirl around in my brain and doing nothing.

It’s time to write some things down, schedule time to work on them in my planner, and focus on one thing at a time.

Getting overwhelmed by everything I want to/need to get done will just lead to more angst and procrastination.

Tackling projects one at a time will bring them to completion.

Especially if I keep God first as I go through each day.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41–42 NIV)

Are you overwhelmed by everything you need to do? How can focusing on God help you work on one thing at a time and enjoy life more as you get things done?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Eating the Frog

“Eat that frog!” is a phrase made popular by author Brian Tracy.

The basic idea is that if you have to do something difficult, you might as well do it right away in the morning so the worst part of your day is behind you. (Hopefully none of us have to do anything worse than eating a live frog.) The original quote is often attributed to Mark Twain, but he actually didn’t say it.

Regardless of where the idea began, it can be helpful in beating procrastination.

I finally ate a frog over the last couple of days.

It had been hopping around in my brain for the last week and a half, making quite an annoying racket whenever I tried to relax.

“Ribbit. Ribbit. What about that editing project you’re supposed to be working on?”

I would sigh and get all tense, but I kept right on pushing my frog aside.

This project was tricky. I was supposed to be helping another editor clean up a bunch of pages of complicated footnotes. Every time I looked at it, I wondered if I could do it and do it well. So I put it off another day. (It didn’t help that I got COVID for a week or so in there.)

I finally decided to “eat that frog” and I got started. I immediately felt some relief from the tension that had been building up. I finished today and turned it in. It ended up taking about six hours in total.

I found myself wishing with all my heart that I would have started a couple of weeks ago instead of letting it go. Oh well, too late now. I just have to remember how I’m feeling for future projects.

I wonder how many other frogs I have jumping around in my life? They pop up once in a while.

I see paperwork for something in a pile on my desk and I sigh and push it aside. Ribbit!

I remember a writing project that has a deadline and I find something else to do until the day before it’s due. Ribbit!

I see someone’s post come up on social media and think about writing to them, but I don’t do it right away. Other things seem more important so I don’t get it done. Ribbit!

All of those frogs add stress and guilt to our lives. The paperwork turns into late fees and hassles. The writing projects don’t get submitted and opportunities are missed. The unwritten letters turn to regret when it’s too late someday.

If you’ve been procrastinating (like me!), it’s time to eat the frog!

“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” (Proverbs 14:23 NIV)

Do you find yourself procrastinating in any area of your life? How can focusing on God help you “eat the frog” and get things done?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Taking Baby Steps

I set a goal on Monday. “I’m going to finish my book proposal by Friday.”

It wasn’t an impossible goal, but I didn’t accomplish it.

As usual, my brain wants to make that mean all sorts of negative things. (I’m a failure. I’ll never get it done. I always do things like this, so why even try?)

I’ve been fighting those thoughts (and losing) for the last couple of days.

Why can’t I focus on what I did get done instead? I spent almost two hours working on it on Tuesday evening (after procrastinating all of Monday and most of Tuesday). I wrote and tweaked parts of it on Wednesday for over an hour.

There were moments when I fell into despair because I didn’t like what I had already written. There were also flashes of hope when I wrote a new paragraph and saw how it might help a reader someday.

As I blog today, I’m choosing to celebrate the baby steps I took this week. I didn’t finish my proposal, but I’m three hours closer to completion. A few more baby steps next week and it might be ready to pass along to an agent.

There are other projects on my heart. It can be overwhelming to think about all of the steps involved in getting them done. Breaking them down into baby steps could help my brain see them as more possible.

We have to remember that there are going to be times in our lives when we race ahead, full of energy and ambition. Then there are those times when things are harder. We don’t have the confidence or energy to run, but even baby steps can keep us moving toward the finish line.

“I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24 NIV)

Do you get frustrated because you aren’t getting things done as quickly as you’d like? How can focusing on God help you to move forward—one baby step at a time?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Making Christmas Cards

I love making Christmas cards.

There’s something special about designing, preparing, and assembling a handmade Christmas card for family and friends. It’s so relaxing.

Except when you start making them on December 19.

If you begin on that date, with the intention of getting them in church mailboxes by Sunday, December 22, then it’s not very relaxing at all. It’s rushed and tension builds up in your shoulders and neck. Your shoulder burns a bit as you stamp another image and you wonder if you’ll have to visit the chiropractor or physical therapist next week.

There goes anything you might have saved by making cards instead of buying them.

I bought this stamp years ago. I have no idea what my cost per card averages out to, but I have fun!

I haven’t made cards every year, but when I have, I’ve made some beauties.

These are the cards I made from 2003 to 2008. Look at all of the cutting, embossing, gluing, and coloring I did. And I had four kids at home!

This year’s card will be plain and simple. A nativity silhouette with a star above it and the caption: Silent Night, Holy Night. I think there’s a chance I’ll get them done and in the church mailboxes by Sunday morning, but I’ll have to work steadily the rest of today and much of tomorrow to get it done.

Here are my card and envelope piles, ready to be assembled and finished.

As usual, I’m wondering why I didn’t start earlier. I mean, really, I know Christmas is coming every year. There’s no reason I can’t start a few months early and make these at a more leisurely pace.

I got cards done for church last year, but I didn’t send any to family and friends. I made some cute cards during the spring and summer, but I didn’t get them sent out, and here we are back to Christmas again! (Am I a hopeless cause or what?)

I actually made 15 cards like this. So do I send them out now…or wait and send them super late so they make sense?

Maybe you struggle with doing things on time, too. If so, it might be good for all of us to spend some time planning for the new year that will begin soon. We can look at what we want to accomplish, break our goals into smaller pieces, and schedule time into each week to work on those things.

Then maybe we won’t find ourselves:

*making cards on December 20

*figuring out our finances on April 14

*cramming for a test the morning we take it

*trying to lose ten pounds the week before our class reunion

*writing something right up until the midnight deadline

*cleaning madly right before company is scheduled to arrive

The key is doing the work instead of putting it off and doing things that don’t matter as much.

I realize that all of this is subjective. For some people, Christmas cards are far down on their list of priorities. Something else probably rises to the top of their list.

Whatever it is, we need to work hard at it, remembering that God is with us and he’ll help us.

I love making Christmas cards. Next year I’m going to start making them in July.

“‘Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” (Haggai 2:4b NIV)

Are there things you feel are important, but you put them off til the last minute? How can focusing on God help you to work hard and get things done on time?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Doing the Work

This is probably going to feel like a rerun for most of you. Taking action seems to be a frequent theme for these Focus Friday posts. I know I need constant reminders, maybe you do, too.

My mind is on “doing the work” because I attended a writers conference last weekend and pitched my book idea to agent Cynthia Ruchti. (The book is about my experience with depression and how we can all stay healthy emotionally.) She expressed an interest in seeing my book proposal when I get it finished. Exciting, right? You would think I would have rushed home, opened my computer, and finished that proposal immediately.

But no, that’s not how I roll.

I did spend one to two hours working on the proposal this week, but that’s the extent of it. There were some other things I had to work on, but I have to admit that I also wasted quite a bit of time doing things that weren’t really necessary.

If we want to get things done, we have to do the work.

If we want to clean and organize our houses, we have to schedule time to clear away the clutter, put things away, and put some elbow grease into making things shine. It won’t get done while we sit on the couch and watch Netflix.

If we want to lose some extra pounds, we need to move a little more and eat a little less. We might need to figure out why we run to food when we aren’t really hungry. We have to do the work or we’ll never see a difference in our waistline.

If we want to write a book, we need to get our bottom in the chair, open a document, and write. The words won’t magically appear just because we think about them once in a while.

If we want to improve a relationship, we need to make some choices about what we’re saying, how we’re acting, and why we love that person. We want it to be easy, but relationships take work.

Whatever you want to do in life, you might as well admit that it’s going to take work. As Proverbs 14: 23 says, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” This could refer to financial profit and poverty, but I think it could also be talking about the profit of good results in our lives (a clean house, a healthier body, a book, a better relationship) as opposed to the lack of results (a pigsty, extra pounds, no book, a poor relationship).

As soon as I get this post done, I’m going to go schedule in some writing time for this weekend. That proposal is not going to get done unless I make sure I’m doing the work.

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands. ” (Psalm 90:17 NIV)

Do you have something that’s not getting done because you just aren’t doing the work? How can focusing on God help you to take steps to do it instead of just thinking about it?