Shoot for progress, not perfection

It’s been another disappointing, unproductive day. Soon it will be bedtime, and you sorely wish you had done the day better. 

Ignoring the grammatical incorrectness of that last sentence, isn’t this the way you feel, day after day when you’re stuck in a procrastination season? So discouraged that you’ve given up hope of redeeming the few remaining hours of yet another day? 

But… what if, right now, you were to recall 2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV) “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” and tore yourself away from the TV or the internet and… got something done? 

Wouldn’t that be awesome?

You still have a few hours left. These hours can be the best ones of your day – if you want them to be. In light of 2 Timothy 1:7, imagine how a person who has been given a spirit of self-control would use these hours. Pray and ask God to help you be self-disciplined. Then, with the Holy Spirit’s help, act like a self-disciplined person.

We will soon be celebrating Labor Day. In honor of the holiday, tackle that task you’ve been putting off or at least put a good-sized dent into it. Get up and wash the car, make those business calls, empty the dishwasher or start a load of laundry. And before you lay your head down to sleep, make a list of what you hope to accomplish tomorrow in the first hour at home or the office.

Shoot for progress, not perfection.

Even with the best intentions, you’ll most likely slack off again. But don’t let it spiral into a perpetual problem. When you mess up, repent. Literally. Ask God to forgive you for wasting the time He has given you. Each day commit again to do better. Resolve to work hard. Determine to honor God with your time and all you do.

Several years ago, I struggled to complete even the smallest tasks. Desperate, I began setting my timer for five minutes. It was almost miraculous how motivated I suddenly became. I was amazed at how much I accomplished before the timer dinged.

Try it. Set your timer for 60, 30, 15, or even five minutes, then start a project or continue one you’ve been working on. When you get moving and experience the good feelings productivity brings, you’ll kick your procrastinating season in the teeth and, maybe for the first time, really celebrate Labor Day!

And at the end of each productive day following, you’ll go to bed feeling encouraged because you did the day better.

Sheryl H. Boldt, a Franklin County resident, is the author of the blog, www.TodayCanBeDifferent.net. Connect with her at SherylHBoldt@gmail.com.