# Bible Study Week 1: Conquering Procrastination



## kweenameena (Jul 23, 2008)

Welcome Ladies to our first LHCF Bible Study!!!!!
This week's topic is: Conquering Procrastination

Please feel free to post your questions, scriptures, testimonies, etc.. regarding conquering procrastination. And what the bible says about procrastination.

To start us off.....here are some questions to ponder:

What does it mean to procrastinate?

Is procrastination a sin?

Why do we procrastinate?

Did Jesus ever procrastinate?

How do you conquer procrastination?


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## kweenameena (Jul 23, 2008)

Here's a verse about procrastination that I found:
Proverbs 6:6-11 (New International Version)
 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; 
       consider its ways and be wise! 
 7 It has no commander, 
       no overseer or ruler, 
 8 yet it stores its provisions in summer 
       and gathers its food at harvest. 
 9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? 
       When will you get up from your sleep? 
 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, 
       a little folding of the hands to rest-  
11 and poverty will come on you like a bandit 
       and scarcity like an armed man.


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## kweenameena (Jul 23, 2008)

My thoughts on why I procrastinate:
I think a lot of my procrastination stems from a fear of failure.
I sometimes don't begin things because I'm afraid of a negative outcome.
So it can be easier to convince myself that it's not worth starting it/trying it at all. I'm sure that this is also showing a lack of trust in God to provide and take care of me.

Procrastination has caused me to put off school, not lose weight, not clean up sometimes. Because I haven't gone back to school yet...I've become stifled in my career. I'm working on not being a procrastinator.


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## nappysunflowers (Jul 23, 2008)

What does it mean to procrastinate? It means to me that you allow your fear to take over you to the point that you would rather sit still and succeed at nothing rather than try and fail at something.

Is procrastination a sin? Life is too short not to try. I am sure there is a scripture that eludes to procrastination or not living up to your God given potential is a sin. 

Why do we procrastinate? Fear of flying

Did Jesus ever procrastinate? Not to my knowledge

How do you conquer procrastination? I pray about it, and then I try to jump on it. For example, the gym. I need to lose 40 pounds. I stalled on going back to the gym for months because I was embarassaed about my body, I didn't think I had the right gym clothes, the other people looking thin made my feel fatter. Something in my spirit one day made me get up and go to the gym at 6 AM! I got on the treadmill and started. I haven't looked back. I have lost 4 pounds so far, and I will keep going. My body is a temple that I was neglecting for too long. 
I just had to walk out on faith that things would work out. Now, on to my exams and relationships...let faith guide me there. 

kweenameena-I hope you continue this thread every week. I will contribute as well as I can, and see where it goes...
blessings...


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## kweenameena (Jul 24, 2008)

nappysunflowers said:


> kweenameena-I hope you continue this thread every week. I will contribute as well as I can, and see where it goes...
> blessings...


Nappysunflowers....I plan to continue our bible studiy threads every week.
Thank you for the encouragement, sis!!
I really needed and appreciated it.

Feel free to post some ideas and topics in the original thread. I just started for now and I'll let the kinks work themselves out. Soon we'll have a great formula on conducting a bible study on a message board!

Thanks for participating


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## cocoberry10 (Jul 24, 2008)

*I just wanted to say kweenameena, this was right on time for me! My answers are in purple*


kweenameena said:


> *What does it mean to procrastinate?I believe procrastination is putting off for tomorrow what you can accomplish today (now).*
> 
> *Is procrastination a sin? I wouldn't say procrastination in and of itself is a sin, but I think it "gives rise" to sin, because if it prevails it leads you not to complete an assignment, which could or could not have to do with the path God has put on you. However, here's an excerpt from website that says it is a sin*
> 
> ...


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## LivingDoll (Jul 24, 2008)

Is it still procrastination if you start and don't finish? That's my problem. I jump into things wholeheartedly and passionately and kind of just stop.

I need to know how to conquer procrastination. There are some things that I need to do but haven't...I just don't have the energy.


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## Ms Lala (Jul 24, 2008)

OH my, God has been speaking to me about this in my own life.  I will be back!


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## NOLA2NY (Jul 24, 2008)

This is truly a blessing and a ministry...

Thank you!


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## HeChangedMyName (Jul 24, 2008)

> What does it mean to procrastinate?


 
Procrastination is the opposition of initiative because they both come down to a choice to either "do" something or "not do" something.  One example of procrastination comes from Matthew 25:14-30.  Verses 25-26 sum it up saying, "And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, [there] thou hast [that is] thine.  His lord answered and said unto him, [Thou] wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:" (KJV)



> Is procrastination a sin?


 
Yes, it is considered as slothful.  God made work for us to do.  Even in the Garden of Eden, it was man's "job" to tend the Garden.  Genesis 2:15 says, "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." (KJV)
So when we do something in opposition of God, then it is a sin. 1 John 3:4 says, "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (KJV)




> Why do we procrastinate?


 
It is a desire of our flesh.  It is a part of our sinful nature to want what we want and not what God wants.  That is of course until we learn to submit to God.  Jeremiah 17:9 says this about our nature, "The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?"(KJV)  Still, there is hope in Jeremiah 17:7 which says, "Blessed [is] the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is." (KJV)



> Did Jesus ever procrastinate?


 
No.  I can't find an example of Jesus procrastinating.  



> How do you conquer procrastination?


 
Learn to do everything for the glory and purpose of God.  Work on your job as though you are working directly for God.  Keep your home and family in order as though you are doing it to please God.

Acts 13:22 says, "And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the [son] of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." (KJV)


When we work to please God, then we put ourselves in his will and we become a living testimony of his word.

Isaiah 55:11 says, "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it."  (KJV)


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## HeChangedMyName (Jul 24, 2008)

I personally have had a love hate relationship with procrastination for years.  I know how to overcome it, but as a procrastinator, I still fall back into it from time to time.  daephae, I'm like you.  I will start something with all the passion and gumption that is needed, but I usually end up burning myself out too soon and eventually stop.  I would love to be a person who is always effective and takes the initiative to start and finish things that need to be done.



kweenameena said:


> Procrastination has caused me to put off school, not lose weight, not clean up sometimes. Because I haven't gone back to school yet...I've become stifled in my career. I'm working on not being a procrastinator.



You and I sound a lot alike.  Do you know what you would like to go to school for?  Do you ever find that when you have to do something for someone else that it is easier than doing something for your own benefit?


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## victorious (Jul 24, 2008)

Wow! Talk about conviction. 

I keep a to do list, and I've been dismissing and postponing many things lately. I need to get it together. I need to follow up on important stuff, but I don't feel like tackling it because it's a little overwhelming.

Good thread.


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## kweenameena (Jul 24, 2008)

My pastor has been discussing this verse for the past couple of weeks and it is so powerful to me. It's about struggling with sin. But for me, it was symbolic of my struggle with procrastination.
*Romans 7;14-23*
14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 

18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 

21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 

24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! 
      So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.


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## kweenameena (Jul 24, 2008)

SuperNova said:


> You and I sound a lot alike. Do you know what you would like to go to school for? Do you ever find that when you have to do something for someone else that it is easier than doing something for your own benefit?


I know what I want to go to school for. I've been telling myself...as soon as my husband gets out of the army and gets a job that can support us..I will go to school. Now guess what....it is happening and I have so much fear in my heart that I can't even bring myself to go to the school's website anymore. My problem is that I don't know how to take things one step at a time. So I become overwhelmed before I begin. Also, I have thoughts that tell me "what if you don't do well in college like you didn't do well in highschool". I struggle with my doubts.

My pastor preached that a lot of our procrastination comes from thinking that Good Intention = Obedience to God's commands.
I think that sometimes I feel good that I have the intention to do something. I pat myself on the back for "being on the right path" and "having a plan". But I never actually walk down that path or execute that plan. And I become complacent with just "intending" to do something. But where is my follow-thru? I have none right now.
Or it's easy for me to make excuses of why I can't do that thing right now.....I'll do it when I have time, when I have the money...I'll lose weight once I joined that gym or get that treadmill.
Having good intentions is not enough!


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## HeChangedMyName (Jul 24, 2008)

kweenameena said:


> My pastor has been discussing this verse for the past couple of weeks and it is so powerful to me. It's about struggling with sin. But for me, it was symbolic of my struggle with procrastination.
> *Romans 7;14-23*
> 14We know that *the law is spiritual*; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.
> 
> ...


 

Praise God for his word.  Through our salvation through Jesus Christ, we can learn to become obedient to the spiritual laws.


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## HeChangedMyName (Jul 24, 2008)

kweenameena said:


> I know what I want to go to school for. I've been telling myself...as soon as my husband gets out of the army and gets a job that can support us..I will go to school. Now guess what....it is happening and I have so much fear in my heart that I can't even bring myself to go to the school's website anymore. *My problem is that I don't know how to take things one step at a time.* So I become *overwhelmed before I begin*. Also, I have thoughts that tell me "what if you don't do well in college like you didn't do well in highschool". I struggle with my doubts.
> 
> My pastor preached that a lot of our procrastination comes from thinking that Good Intention = Obedience to God's commands.
> I think that sometimes I feel good that I have the intention to do something. *I pat myself on the back for "being on the right path" and "having a plan"*. But I never actually walk down that path or execute that plan. And I become *complacent with just "intending"* to do something. But where is my follow-thru? I have none right now.
> ...




BTW:  you started this thread, and you are following through with it.  That's an accomplishment.  A great one too because it is about God's Word.


e-hug.  It is like you are speaking right out of my life.  I thought I was the only person like this.  Are you like this:  get an idea, plan the whole thing out from start to finish, weigh the pros and cons, prepare to begin and then that evil monster doubt creeps in and starts telling you that "you can't possibly pull that off.  It is too simple that it must be wrong.  No one else could do that so why even bother"

I pat my self on the back too.  I have become complacent with the ideas of grandure that I have.  It is like, I feel like I am doing something by even dreaming the dream because I am surrounded by people who don't even know how to dream the dream.  

You can do this.  you can go back to school.  I did it.  I got my associates degree last May and went directly to school last July online to obtain my bachelor.  In one of my classed we read a book by Stephen Covey called First Things First. It has made a difference in that it has helped me organize things in a way that is not so over-the-top.  I can take bite sizes of accomplishments and work on them.  I will pray for you and please pray for me that we can both overcome this issue with God's help.


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## kweenameena (Jul 24, 2008)

SuperNova said:


> BTW: you started this thread, and you are following through with it. That's an accomplishment. A great one too because it is about God's Word.
> 
> 
> e-hug. It is like you are speaking right out of my life. I thought I was the only person like this. Are you like this: get an idea, plan the whole thing out from start to finish, weigh the pros and cons, prepare to begin and then that evil monster doubt creeps in and starts telling you that "you can't possibly pull that off. It is too simple that it must be wrong. No one else could do that so why even bother"
> ...


 
Girl, Yes!!! Everything you described is me!! It's like I'm afraid to move. Sometimes we don't realize the power that God has given us. I can encourage/motivate others all day long...but when it comes to encouraging myself...I can't do it.

Not to continuously talk about my pastor, but I don't want to take credit where it isn't due....He spoke on how our parents reactions to our mistakes affect us today. I remember how my mother reacted/overreacted to my mistakes. So instead of being taught how to work out or deal with a problem...I've learned just to stay away from things that would cause that problem from happening again. It's almost like I fear that someone might have the same reaction she did. Part of becoming an adult is actually facing your problems head-on, dealing with them, and learning from them. Not learning how I should handle failure makes failing a fearful thing for me. This is also where self-doubt and a lack of faith in God to provide comes in. Not doing what God has put on your heart for you to do causes discontentedness (sp?). I will def. be teaching my daughter how to fail/fall. And how to get up again and still excel!
Procrastination to me seems to stem from self-loathing as well.

SuperNova,
Thanks so much for the encouragement. I will continuously pray for you as well. We WILL overcome this spirit of procrastination and fear!


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## tmichelle (Jul 24, 2008)

SuperNova said:


> Procrastination is the opposition of initiative because they both come down to a choice to either "do" something or "not do" something. One example of procrastination comes from Matthew 25:14-30. Verses 25-26 sum it up saying, "And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, [there] thou hast [that is] thine. His lord answered and said unto him, [Thou] wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:" (KJV)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
I like the scripture references.


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## Nefertiti0906 (Jul 24, 2008)

kweenameena said:


> My thoughts on why I procrastinate:
> I think a lot of my procrastination stems from a fear of failure.
> I sometimes don't begin things because I'm afraid of a negative outcome.
> So it can be easier to convince myself that it's not worth starting it/trying it at all. I'm sure that this is also showing a lack of trust in God to provide and take care of me.
> ...


 
With the exception of the weight issue, I could have written everything else you wrote!

Great thread by the way


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## NewYorkgyrl (Jul 24, 2008)

Oh wow!  This topic is right on target with what I am going through right now.  I am suffering from *severe* procrastination in studying for a huge exam I have coming up.

But I think I know the reason why I am procrastinating right now.....FEAR!

I will come back to comment more after I have read the rest of the thread and the readings that some of you have given.


Great thread!


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## NewYorkgyrl (Jul 24, 2008)

kweenameena said:


> What does it mean to procrastinate?
> 
> 
> How do you conquer procrastination?


 
1. Procrastination (for me) is putting a task on hold in attempt so I do not have to face the reality of what has to be done.  It is also not initiating or completing a task out of fear of the outcome/unknown results.

2.  I have been trying to find a way to conquer this for years. So far I think the only answer I have (and that other people give me) is to pray about it......and although I think prayer does work I feel that most people use it in the acte situation - at the actual time they are procrastinating.
I think people who are *chronic* procrastinators (like myself) should include this in their daily prayer ALL THE TIME, because it can become a weekly/monthly struggle.


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## NewYorkgyrl (Jul 24, 2008)

kweenameena said:


> Here's a verse about procrastination that I found:
> Proverbs 6:6-11 (New International Version)
> 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard;
> consider its ways and be wise!
> ...


 
I feel like this scripture describes the extreme procrastinator that is more of a borderline lazy person.  I guess it is possible for procrastination to get that extreme.


After reading this I feel as though there are different kinds of procrastinators.  I feel as though I work really really hard and can get an excellent job done (unlike the lazy person described above) I think the problem is the initiation...better yet the motivation that drives to do the work we have to do.


Random questions:
Is it possible that a procrastinator is only lacking motivation?  Does procrastination coincide with depression.  Should someone who is always procrastinating be looking deeper to find the root of the problem?  Is it possible to have good work ethics and still be a procrastinator about certain tasks?


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## NewYorkgyrl (Jul 24, 2008)

cocoberry10 said:


> * so even if you are not sure how you will accomplish something, trust God and let him work out the details*




I try to keep telling myself this.
 


cocoberry10 said:


> *How do you conquer procrastination? I think that you must trust God and keep prayer and communication with Him, especially when you are struggling. God doesn't expect us to be perfect IMO, but He does expect us to TRY*


 
I agree!


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## kayte (Jul 24, 2008)

Excellent topic..SO relevant in my life.
I posted in this in the Career Forum sometimeo ago ..I'll look it up ..about how as a self employed with a home office I was waking up at noon and later and later and not making outreach calls & marketing to support myself and my business until it was late in the day 
and the days were slipping....I'd still be in my pjs 
I got lot of support after posting  I will say now..after much prayer...anguish.....and support 
I am up now no later than 9am ... I get dressed as if going to a 9-5.
(alright ..a wee bit casual for 9-5..maybe a sari skirt and t-shirt)
but at least I'm out of the nightclothes!

I pray...read my bible ...go into my sweet lil office check emails and run out for my breakfast/coffee ..on the phone by 10:30am... that's my rule. When schools starts I will need to be on the phone by 8am 

I was telling a bf this afternoon.how I had to establish a routine as a work discipline..and it's working .... I told him my entire routine..and I as I told him..realized ..as that routine evolved out of procrastination ..it did not come naturally. I've got one of my most important appearances this weekend...that came from diligent phone calls months ago 
after workng through some HEAVY PROCRASTINATON
Coming back to this thread with bible verses and what I am currently procastinating over...
(hope that coming back instead of doing it now does not mean more procrastination .lol )

God bless


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## BrooklynSouth (Jul 24, 2008)

kweenameena said:


> Welcome Ladies to our first LHCF Bible Study!!!!!
> This week's topic is: Conquering Procrastination
> 
> Please feel free to post your questions, scriptures, testimonies, etc.. regarding conquering procrastination. And what the bible says about procrastination.
> ...


*That is the question I need to find the answer forerplexed.*

*Excellent verse to start to find the answer.*


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## kayte (Jul 25, 2008)

Psalm 119:60
I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands. 

love this verse below!

  Then the Lord said to Moses, _“Why are you crying out to me?_ Tell the people *to get moving!* Exodus 14:15 (NLT) ...
 They started crying out to God to save them. What did God do? In GENESIS 14:15 God said,. ‘Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on!’ ...

and of course,James the  great-in-your-face
tell-it-like-it-is pragmatist
James 2 from the Message Bible

Faith in Action
 14-17Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? 
 18I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, "Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I'll handle the works department." 

   Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove. 

 19-20Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That's just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them? Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands? 

 21-24Wasn't our ancestor Abraham "made right with God by works" when he placed his son Isaac on the sacrificial altar? Isn't it obvious that faith and works are yoked partners, that faith expresses itself in works? That the works are "works of faith"? The full meaning of "believe" in the Scripture sentence, "Abraham believed God and was set right with God," includes his action. It's that mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named "God's friend." Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works? 

 25-26The same with Rahab, the Jericho harlot. Wasn't her action in hiding God's spies and helping them escape—that seamless unity of believing and doing—what counted with God? The very moment you separate body and spirit, you end up with a corpse. Separate faith and works and you get the same thing: a corpse. 

I'll be back!!
 ..I slept on this thread last night 
and guess what? I was making calls by 8:30 am


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## kweenameena (Jul 26, 2008)

bump bump bump bump


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## Pink_diamond (Jul 27, 2008)

This thread was right on time for me--Thanks ladies!


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## upandcoming (Jul 29, 2008)

Love it, love it, love it...


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## HeChangedMyName (Jul 29, 2008)

Ladies, I think a prayer to help us all with procrastination is in order.

Father God,
I pray in the name of Jesus that we are all loosed from the grasp of procrastination.  I pray that God releases an abundance of his power to bolster up our own will power and motivation to "do" and "be" the best at everything that we attempt.  I pray that we not fall to the negative talk that plagues us and keeps us from even starting a new thing or finishing an old thing.  I pray that God will use us all as examples of initiative, persistence, and determination.  I pray that we will all continue to lean on God and open up to his ability to help us to continually overcome the battle with procrastination.  In Jesus' name I pray AMEN!


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## kweenameena (Jul 29, 2008)

I know wikipedia isn't the best source to cite things from, but I found this interesting:

*Types of procrastinators:*

* The relaxed type*

The relaxed type of procrastinators view their responsibilities negatively and avoid them by directing energy into other tasks. It is common, for example, for relaxed type procrastinating children to abandon schoolwork but not their social lives. Students often see projects as a whole rather than breaking them into smaller parts. This type of procrastination is a form of denial or cover-up; therefore, typically no help is being sought. Furthermore, they are also unable to defer gratification. The procrastinator avoids situations that would cause displeasure, indulging instead in more enjoyable activities. In Freudian terms, such procrastinators refuse to renounce the pleasure principle, instead sacrificing the reality principle. They may not appear to be worried about work and deadlines, but this is simply an evasion.[7]

*The tense-afraid type*

The tense-afraid type of procrastinator usually feels overwhelmed with pressure, unrealistic about time, uncertain about goals and many other negative feelings. Feeling that they lack the ability or focus to successfully complete their work, they tell themselves that they need to unwind and relax, that it's better to take it easy for the afternoon, for example, and start afresh in the morning. They usually have grandiose plans that aren't realistic. Their 'relaxing' is often temporary and ineffective, and leads to even more stress as time runs out, deadlines approach and the person feels increasingly guilty and apprehensive. This behavior becomes a cycle of failure and delay, as plans and goals are put off, penciled into the following day or week in the diary again and again. It can also have a debilitating effect on their personal lives and relationships. Since they are uncertain about their goals, they often feel awkward with people who appear confident and goal-oriented, which can lead to depression. Tense-afraid procrastinators often withdraw from social life, avoiding contact even with close friends.


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## kweenameena (Jul 29, 2008)

*Found this on how to deal with procrastination:*

Don't be discouraged by setbacks. Realize that you are human and try again.
Estimate the amount of time you think it will take you to complete a task, then increase that amount by 100%.
Visualize how much easier it is to do a job in smaller chunks. If you do it bit by bit, it will be done painlessly before you know it.
Announce your goals to family and friends. This will put some pressure on you to actually do what you claim. Post your goals on the fridge, around your workspace...
Give yourself rewards for jobs completed


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## *KP* (Jul 29, 2008)

I really needed this today. I procrastinate tooooo much these days - I put off going to bed, I put off waking up, I put off having breakfast, making dinner, checking emails - it's a nightmare because I know I wasn't always like this erplexed

I have an assignment at work I have been putting off. I'm not really sure why but my motivation has been up and down (more down so far this week)- it has been a real struggle to keep it up to be honest. Last week I was praying, reading my bible and reading my self help books several times a day but this week I guess I am slacking a bit.



> Originally Posted by *cocoberry10*
> _*so even if you are not sure how you will accomplish something, trust God and let him work out the details*_


 

I really like this Cocoberry, I need to trust God more and not hold on so tight.
Thank you all for you inspiring words, I'm going to pray some more now - I really want to complete this assignment tomorrow!!


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## kayte (Jul 29, 2008)

wow.....I mean really wow
_Thank you_ for breaking it down 

A speaker's group I am thinking about joining has its first assignment to prepare a speech on this very subject ..using index cards
and this thread will be one means to test my thoughts and arrive a workable spiritual solutions ..hopefully a speech



> *The tense-afraid type*
> *The tense-afraid type of procrastinator usually feels overwhelmed with pressure, unrealistic about time, uncertain about goals and many other negative feelings. Feeling that they lack the ability or focus to successfully complete their work, they tell themselves that they need to unwind and relax, that it's better to take it easy for the afternoon, for example, and start afresh in the morning. *


 
Role call! This is me ..

I didn't include the second half of the paragraph as it does not apply
While my plans are in the huge vision category they are not  grandiose...realistic..and I'm pretty certain about my goals and leaving the out come to God while trying to be pro-active

and I am social...not as much as I'd like ...my business is at a crucial point and that's taking a lot of my focus..but been dating .. I have a date this weekend....and contemplating a happy hour get together this week with girls.... if ..my biz behaves...and I am actually inspired by goal-oriented people..it spurs me on  

That list is great

checking back to name other majors ways I procrastinate
what the biggest projects are that I am procratinating on
And specific biblical verses to address these
and finally spiritually grounded solution actions 
So grateful for this thread 

I like the rewards idea..Natalie Goldberg(writer ) used to promise herself if she wrote for a block of time ..say one hour..she could have a cooky 
okay..first of all no cookies..but ....hmmm food for thought


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## Country gal (Jul 29, 2008)

Bumping so I can read and contribute later on.


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## Evolving78 (Jul 29, 2008)

kweenameena said:


> I know what I want to go to school for. I've been telling myself...as soon as my husband gets out of the army and gets a job that can support us..I will go to school. Now guess what....it is happening and I have so much fear in my heart that I can't even bring myself to go to the school's website anymore. My problem is that I don't know how to take things one step at a time. So I become overwhelmed before I begin. Also, I have thoughts that tell me "what if you don't do well in college like you didn't do well in highschool". I struggle with my doubts.
> 
> My pastor preached that a lot of our procrastination comes from thinking that Good Intention = Obedience to God's commands.
> I think that sometimes I feel good that I have the intention to do something. I pat myself on the back for "being on the right path" and "having a plan". But I never actually walk down that path or execute that plan. And I become complacent with just "intending" to do something. But where is my follow-thru? I have none right now.
> ...



you said it right there for me with taking it a step at a time.
i have trouble with doing everything in my life a step at a time, that everything becomes overwhelming, like a spirit trying to bring me down.  i get really crazy when things are out of order and i feel like a failure sometimes.  I want to become a makeup artist.  I'm scared about getting into this industry.  i don't know if i have what it takes, am i too old to start something like this, will i still have time for my family?,or i don't want to overshadow my dh because he is having to put his dreams aside for us.  i procastinate with my bible studying as well as praying, always putting it off later.  i just want to learn how to do things in steps and stop trying to do it all at once only to get burned out and give up.


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## Duchesse (Jul 30, 2008)

kweenameena said:


> I know wikipedia isn't the best source to cite things from, but I found this interesting:
> 
> 
> *The tense-afraid type*
> ...



Wow, this is me to a T.

thank you ladies for this thread. I've prayed in the past for help in my procrastnation..I've been putting off writing my grad.school statement of purpose for weeks now, now I see it's fear of actually going back to school and becoming  professional.  

I know I need to trust God that He will work everything out if I just put forth the initiative in my duties.


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## kweenameena (Jul 31, 2008)

Okay Ladies....the time will be coming up for a new topic later today.

But I wonder if we have really discovered how to actually conquer procrastination????

What do you all think?

Off to find some tips on dealing with procrastination


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## Highly Favored8 (Jul 31, 2008)

What does it mean to procrastinate?
*When you know you have something to do  for example, prepare your resume to receive an interview for a job and you need to have it done 1 year from now and instead of tackling it head on. You do it at the last minuet and get  frustrated.
*Is procrastination a sin?
*I think so.
*Why do we procrastinate?
*Out of laziness
*Did Jesus ever procrastinate?
*I do not think so.
*How do you conquer procrastination?
*I will by setting a to do list and sticking to it.*


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## Highly Favored8 (Jul 31, 2008)

kweenameena said:


> Okay Ladies....the time will be coming up for a new topic later today.
> 
> But I wonder if we have really discovered how to actually conquer procrastination????
> 
> ...


 

I think that procrastination is a very bad habit and like any bad habit it has to be broken over time.

Making a to- do list with a deadlines to help deal with procrastination.


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## HeChangedMyName (Jul 31, 2008)

It seems like there is a link between procrastination and fear that keeps us from doing what we need to do.  I found this info online

*Since fear is the number one way the devil gains access to our lives, we need to get rid of it! *People steal and cheat because they fear. They lie because they fear the truth won’t be enough. They gossip for the fear of being left out. Let me give you the simple steps to breaking out of the cycle of fear:

*1. Confess your fear to God.
*Fear is sin. I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

*2. You have to seek Him.
*Psalm 34:4 says, "Seek Him while He may be found." Hebrews 11:6 says, "Believe He is a rewarder of Him who diligently seeks Him." Spend time with Him – fellowship with Him. He’s a rewarder – when you believe that, you’ll be rid of fear. 

*3. Confess the Word.
*Psalm 118:24 says, "This is the day the Lord has made." Confess it many times daily - "God never made anything bad. Therefore I expect this day to be a great day. I will be glad in it." 

*4. Break free from worry.
*I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me (Phil 4:13), but “without Him I can do nothing” (John 15:5). Worry is a subtracting force that will drain you. Which of you can add a single cubit to your life by worrying? Attack worry as a thought that contradicts the Word of God. 


Here is the rest of the article with more scriptural references to overcoming fear and putting our TOTAL trust in God.
http://www.changinglives.org/life_solutions/fear.htm


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## HeChangedMyName (Jul 31, 2008)

Found this too:

The opposite of spunk is procrastination. Procrastination is a tremendous destroyer of His church. It distorts our abilities and call; it distorts our opportunity and the gifts He has given us. Procrastination wastes the precious short time we were given to do our call, and this is “Pew Sitting” at its best or I should say worst. The problem with this destructive force is, it is addictive. When the leaders procrastinate, it quickly catches on to the rest of the congregation. If you have a lazy boss at work that expects little of you, then little is usually what you give in return. I cannot count the times I heard over the years, “let us wait on that” or “well, we do not need to do that” or “I do not see why we should do that” and “ well, we've never done it that way before.” These are the destructive procrastination diseases that sit down the church and neuter its ability to serve and please God. Yes, we do need to be careful and plan ahead with wisdom and discernment and not be reckless, but too many people in the church do not have a discernment problem, but a “getting off the pew and doing something problem!”                
_“Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.”_ Ecclesiastes 11:4  

found it at http://www.intothyword.org/articles_view.asp?articleid=32749&columnid=3881


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## *KP* (Jul 31, 2008)

kweenameena said:


> Okay Ladies....the time will be coming up for a new topic later today.
> 
> But I wonder if we have really discovered how to actually conquer procrastination????
> 
> ...


 

What really helped me this week was not only making a today list but also assigning my tasks to different hours in the day.  The last couple of days were really productive


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## KnottyGurl (Jul 31, 2008)

kweenameena said:


> Welcome Ladies to our first LHCF Bible Study!!!!!
> This week's topic is: Conquering Procrastination
> 
> Please feel free to post your questions, scriptures, testimonies, etc.. regarding conquering procrastination. And what the bible says about procrastination.
> ...



*I realize that this is a religious forum, and I'm definitely not taking God out of the equation. He knows our issues before we even have them. So, if it's a situation that's bigger than what you feel God has equipped you to handle, definitely pray about it. That's just my 2 cents though. Really good thread. I need to be reminded of this type of stuff constantly.*


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## KnottyGurl (Jul 31, 2008)

*I found these tips in a textbook. It's kind of long, but useful.


___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Seven-Day Antiprocrastination Plan

Monday: Make it meaningful. What is important about the task you've been putting off? List all the benefits of completing it. Look at it in relation to you short-, mid-, or long-term goals. Be specific about the rewards for getting it done, including how you will feel when the task is completed. To remember this strategy, keep in mind that it starts with the letter M (Make it meaningful), like the word Monday.

Tuesday: Take it apart. Break big jobs into a series of small ones you can do in 15 minutes or less. If a long reading assignment intimidates you, divide it into two-page or three-page sections. Make a list of the sections and cross them off as you complete them so you can see your progress. Even the biggest projects can be broken down into a series of small tasks. This strategy starts with the letter T (Take it apart), so mentally tie it to Tuesday.

Wednesday: Write an Intention Statement. For example, if you can't get started on a term paper, you might write, "I intend to write a list of at least 10 possible topics by 9 p.m. I will reward myself with an hour of guilt-free recreational reading." Write your intention on a 3x5 card and carry it with you, or post it in your study area where you can see it often. In your memo**ry, file the first word in this strategy "Write" with Wednesday.

Thursday: Tell everyone. Publicly announce your intention to get a task done. Tell a friend that you intend to learn 10 irregular French verbs by Saturday. Tell your spouse, roommate, parents, and children. Include anyone who will ask whether you've completed the assignment or who will suggest ways to get it done. Make the world your support group. Associate "Tell" with Thursday.

Friday: Find a reward. Construct rewards to yourself carefully. Be willing to withhold them if you do not complete the task. Don't pick a movie as a reward for studying biology if you plan to go to the movie anyway. And when you legitimately reap your reward, notice how it feels. Remember that friday is a fine day to find a reward. (Of course, you can find a reward on any day of the week. Rhyming Friday with "Fine Day" is just a memory trick.)

Saturday: Settle it now. Do it now. The minute you notice yourself procrastinating, plunge into the task. Imagine yourself at a cold mountain lake, poised to dive. Gradual immersion would be slow torture. It's often less painful to leap. Then be sure to savor the feeling of having the task behind you. Link "Settle" with Saturday.

Sunday: Say no. When you keep pushing a task into a low-priority category, re-examine your purpose for doing it at all. If you realize that you really don't intend to do something, quit telling yourself that you will. That's procrastinating. Just say no. Then you're not procrastinating. You don't have to carry around the baggage of an undone task. Sunday - the last day of this seven-day plan- is a great day to finally let go and just say no.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I've got lots of this type of information hanging around cause I NEED it!
*


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## cocochanty (Jul 31, 2008)

*3. Confess the Word.
Psalm 118:24 says, "This is the day the Lord has made." Confess it many times daily - "God never made anything bad. Therefore I expect this day to be a great day. I will be glad in it." 
* 
*4. Break free from worry.
*I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me (Phil 4:13), but “without Him I can do nothing” (John 15:5). Worry is a subtracting force that will drain you. Which of you can add a single cubit to your life by worrying? Attack worry as a thought that contradicts the Word of God. 


It is interesting that I was reading some chapters in Genesis and I saw where is said that God created everything and it was good.

And I am stuggling with the sin of fear and I asked God to forgive me and I repented and somehow this sneaks back into my life . I dont want my salvation lost because of _*fear*_ of something I cannot control. 

please pray for me 


Thank you for this


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## HeChangedMyName (Jul 31, 2008)

cocochanty said:


> *3. Confess the Word.*
> *Psalm 118:24 says, "This is the day the Lord has made." Confess it many times daily - "God never made anything bad. Therefore I expect this day to be a great day. I will be glad in it." *
> 
> *4. Break free from worry.*
> ...


 
Praying for you.  I have been battling with fear of "stuff" for years.  Fear of success, fear of failure, fear of mediocrity and it all led to SEVERE procrastination because I was so torn.  I feel you about not wanting your salvation lost because of fear.  But that in itself is a fear that, IMHO is a trick of the devil.  God knows your true heart desire and regardless of what your flesh is trying to convince you of, God is dealing with you on a spiritual level.  salvation can't be taken away unless it you remove it from your heart and stop repenting and believing.  



GeechyGurl said:


> *I found these tips in a textbook. It's kind of long, but useful.*
> 
> 
> *___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
> ...


 
I am printing this---maybe several copies(one for each room of my house)


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## kweenameena (Jul 31, 2008)

Ladies, Week 2 Bible Study has been posted in a new thread here:
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=262601

Feel free to continue this conversation as well

I'm enjoying these bible studies with you all! I'm learning a lot!


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