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PROGRAM D-8212
A simple but significant motto is this: Do it right and do it now. How important it is to do it right—to do it right the first time so you don’t have a do-over. Now, let’s look at the second part of that simple motto, which is do it now.
This addresses one of the deadliest, most destructive bad habits you or I could have—procrastination. Procrastination really gums up the works, not only in our own lives, but it affects the lives of many others, too.
For example, when you procrastinate on your job, it has a spill-over effect on coworkers and management—on the organization’s effectiveness. When you procrastinate at home, it affects your family members. When you procrastinate in your spiritual life, you miss all kinds of blessings God wants to bestow on you. Procrastination is self-inflicted suffering!
What makes us procrastinate? Lots of reasons, but to quote one person, “The trouble is that you think you have time.” I think of a college student I know who gets an assignment due in four weeks, thinks Oh, I’ve got plenty of time, and then puts it off until the last minute. As a result, she has to do it far too quickly and gets an unsatisfactory grade. She’s not an irresponsible person; she just doesn’t start a project until she is in crisis mode.
Waiting is a trap. Someone has said, “Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task.” Did you realize that one reason you may be tired a lot is that you are hanging on to a lot of uncompleted tasks, and they simply sap your energy?
Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” If you pray this into your life each day, it will start to cure you of procrastination. You will see a difference if you become intentional about putting procrastination behind you.
We have prepared a card that says simply, Do it right and do it now!, with this verse and reference from Colossians 3. I would love to send this to you if you will use it to remind you to stop procrastinating. I promise you this: Getting rid of procrastination is one of the best gifts you’ll ever give yourself.