It’s a wrap, former procrastinators! As 2021 ends, I’m looking back at things that help me most to lay aside weights that create drag and trap me in procrastination.
- Unforgiveness is poisonous. Giving and asking for forgiveness are critical steps in healing.
- Remove physical obstacles from my every day path. Train others.
- Do I act like my stuff is my identity? My security? Do I think it has eternal significance?
- Keeping things for their potential is robbing me of my potential.
- I develop new thinking through obedience to God. Mental assent is not obedience. Action lets me see God’s faithfulness and makes it easier to obey next time.
- Memorizing scripture is equipping myself to live well, knowing God, serving others. Scripture memory brings temporal and eternal rewards. The Holy Spirit meets needs through God’s Word within.
- Use what I have. Do what I can. Ask, What CAN I do?
- Lack of acceptance creates weight. Face facts, take my responsibility, exercise courage. Give up something to gain something better.
- Do not fight the need to change. Fight resentment, stubbornness, ingratitude.
- Avoiding the pain of doing what needs doing when it needs doing brings more pain.
- I cooperate with God’s design and am blessed when I combine priorities (the few most important things I should be doing), routine (makes priorities part of everyday pattern), and mini habits (provide easy action for daily progress on priorities).
- Determine priorities. Routine enables me to do those most important things, so base routine on priorities. Lack of routine creates constant drag and frustration. Use of routine builds confidence, minimizes workloads, frees my mind, builds skills and teamwork. When I drop routine, I drop priorities. When I get tangled in other things, I drop priorities. And vice versa.
- Determining priorities and building them into routine gives direction and power. I accomplish priorities because they get regular focus.
- If I discern that the Lord wants me to give attention now to certain interests, then I should build those into my routine.
- Doing a little bit consistently over time yields greater results than pouring a lot of time and energy into something occasionally. And I form a positive habit.
- Motivation is not effective for accomplishing goals. It is inconsistent and unreliable. Forcing myself to do something is more dependable than waiting for feelings. Strengthen willpower by using it.
- To form habits, deliberately repeat a new behavior over and over. This strengthens the neural pathway in the brain. The behavior becomes automatic.
- Mini habits generate motivation. They are simple, fit my routine, give constant success, relieve stress.
- Rewards last longer than training.
- Pray about what I read in the Bible that day. Listen to what the Lord is saying and respond.
- Create margin by allowing more time for tasks and more time between tasks.
- Cherish memories by reviewing them and sharing them.
What helped you in 2021?
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