Joyful Witness / Kimberly Pohovey

Harnessing the spirituality of procrastination

I’m a champion procrastinator from way back when. Throughout schooling and into my professional career, I tend to put off big projects until the last minute, telling myself I work better under pressure. I have validated this approach time and again when waiting until a deadline has produced my best work. But I’m also left with a feeling of negativity as I beat myself up over being a procrastinator in the first place.

I know well the tell-tale signs of procrastination. I just need a minute (which turns into many minutes) to check my e-mail. I’m suddenly very hungry so I better grab a snack. Let me reorganize my project priorities list and bargain for more time to complete the assignment.

Wanting to understand the pros and cons of procrastination, I read quite a few articles on the topic. Depending on the author, procrastination can have negative consequences such as breeding self-doubt, causing stress or poor results. Other authors extol the benefits of procrastination such as “going with the flow,” allowing time to process and unleashing your creativity.

I learned a few important things about my procrastination. To understand why I procrastinate, I needed to look deeper at the root cause. While some may simply be lazy or they fear the project because of lack of knowledge, I determined my root cause is perfectionism. I want to get it right—whether it be a project, writing an article or making a decision. I put things off because of a fear of failure.

However, I also learned that my procrastination has evolved. While in college, I most often would pull “all-nighters” having procrastinated to the very last minute because I simply didn’t want to do the work, or I had more important things I’d rather be doing.

Today, my procrastination is more intentional. I still wait until projects are about due, but I factor in a little breathing room such as writing this column two days before the deadline. And I am purposeful in waiting until near the end to do a project so that I have ample time to mull it over. Articles have enlightened me that this is known as “managed delay” as opposed to procrastination.

As I procrastinated writing this column to ponder procrastination, I came to the conclusion that I reap benefits from procrastinating. It definitely allows me the time to think through solutions, to percolate ideas longer and to involve God.

Taking the time to approach a project or decision makes room for God in the process. Putting off a project until closer to the deadline allows me maximum time to pray for guidance and to allow God to inspire my best work according to his will.

For example, if I have a month to complete a project, I will have an ongoing, open dialogue with God about my approach. Sometimes, it develops into a better thought-out solution. Other times, God helps me see that my whole hypothesis is ill-conceived, and he sends me in a completely different and better direction.

As I shift my perception, I have to ask myself, am I procrastinating? Or am I procrastinating well?
 

(Kimberly Pohovey is a member of St. Jude Parish in Indianapolis. She is the director of major and planned gifts for the archdiocese.) †