PROCRASTINATION - The Bane Of Writers

How many times have you decided or determined to put pen to paper and never did. The idea is fresh and hot and you plan to write it down later or tomorrow; but you and I know that later and tomorrow will only cool the zeal until you are no longer inspired to do anything about it.
If you ask many writers why they have not concluded the works they've been writing for years; the reason is not farfetched. PROCRASTINATION!

You know what I'm saying.
When you face a big task, it can sometimes feel like you're trying to move a mountain. The longer you stare up at the mountain, the more overwhelming your task seems. In this situation, it's very easy to start procrastinating by finding other things to do.
Procrastination is one of the major obstacles you need to overcome in order to be an accomplished writer.

"What did you do with My gifts and talents?"

Remember time waits not. God is waiting for us to publish the books He has put in our minds to write. He has already decided the people He wants to save, deliver and bless by our published works. The world is waiting for those words of life we have abandoned in a file somewhere. Imagine if some of the books that impacted our lives were never published!
Well, God won't wait forever. If we don't get to work, He has someone else He will use. And we will have to account for the way we handled His gifts and time when we meet Him in eternity.

So let's stop procrastinating.

The secret to overcoming procrastination is to stop looking at the big task and start focusing on taking the very first step. Take the first step. It doesn't have to be a stride; a shuffle would do, as long as you are moving in the right direction.
Looking at the book or the article you want to write in its entirety can put you out of action. You get discouraged and avoid the work all together. The way to overcome this inaction is to change your focus and stop thinking about the overall task you need to complete. You don't climb a mountain from the top, but from the base and its one step at a time. So break the task down and start taking it one after the other.

Anthony Fernando, the author of Dare To Dream, gave an illustration I think we might find useful.

“Peter is facing the 'mountain' of writing a phD thesis. When he thinks about writing a 500 page document, it just seems too overwhelming and so day-after-day he procrastinates and avoids getting started.
Each morning, Peter asks himself, “Can I write a 500 page document?” and his internal answer is “NO WAY!” So he procrastinates and looks around for other things to do. He takes his kids to school, goes to the gym, does the shopping; anything to avoid the mountain that is sitting in his study.
Finally, Peter realizes that the best way to overcome procrastination is to stop looking up at the mountain and start looking down at his wheelbarrow.
Instead of asking himself, “Can I write a 500 page document?” he begins his day by asking, “Can I work on my PhD without being distracted for 1 hour?”
His internal answer to this question is, “Yes, I can easily do 1 hour”
Peter blocks out all distractions and works on his PhD for 1 hour. At the end of the hour he feels like he has made a small amount of progress.
He asks himself again, “Can I work on my PhD without being distracted for 1 hour?”  Since he has already done this, he knows the answer is 'Yes' so he does it again.
By the end of the day, Peter has completed four hours of effective work on his PhD…
After a month of following this routine, Peter takes a look at his mountain and sees that his 1 hour blocks of action have made a dramatic impact. This gives him even more confidence and momentum to keep moving forward. Step-by-step, one hour at a time, Peter moves his mountain."

If you are currently trying to pin yourself down to write, here are the steps you need to take in order to overcome procrastination and get the job done!

Action Steps

• Stop thinking about the whole work or book you need to complete. Instead, focus on a paragraph, a page or a chapter at a time. 
• Ask yourself like Peter did, “Can I write without interruption or distraction for 1 hour?”
• Forget about everything else other than writing for 1 hour. At the end of the hour, ask yourself the same question again.
• Get at it and you will be amazed at how much progress you would make in a day.

Fellow writers, I think this is something we can all try. Bring out those manuscripts from under the pile, plan your work, set a realistic target and work it out. You will be surprised at the amazing progress you will make in one week.

“Procrastination is the thief of time.  It steals away our life.  And if we knew the hour of our death, we should be no more prepared for it than we are now.” - Charles Spurgeon

Keep Writing for the Lord!