Turning Tomorrow into Today

Tomorrow.
What a lovely word.
Full of promise and opportunity.

I live in an old farm house with closets the size of your refrigerator.
Consequently, I only have room for in-season clothes.
Off-season clothing hibernates in the basement. 
Last weekend, I switched out the winter layers for summer outfits. 

And I discovered a problem!

My capris and skirts and shorts were TIGHT!

The obvious solution is to shed a few pounds so that
my summer clothes will fit comfortably again.

How hard can it be? 

Then I remember we have company coming for dinner and
it would be rude to serve them rabbit food and no dessert.

I’ll start my weight modification plan … tomorrow.

The next day I remember I’m invited to an Open House
and there will all kinds of delicacies I’ll want to sample in large quantities.

I’ll start my weight modification plan … tomorrow.

The same thing happens with 
my book writing and 
my house cleaning and
my thank you notes and
my reading list and
my Bible study and 
my … 
Well, you get the idea.

Maybe you do the same thing.

Tomorrow …
I’ll start my diet.

Tomorrow …
I’ll save some money.

Tomorrow …
I’ll exercise.

Tomorrow …
I’ll do the laundry.

Tomorrow …
I’ll read my Bible.

Tomorrow …
I’ll establish my prayer time.

What if tomorrow turns into tomorrow?

Then what?

Even the most diligent of us procrastinate what we 

FEAR

DREAD

DON’T KNOW OR

HATE TO DO.

Here is the best advice I can give you.

 

1.

Don’t wait till tomorrow!
Get after whatever is weighing you down or keeping you from living life!

2.

Do the yuckiest (part of the) job first.
When I do my Once A Month Cooking I always start with the most tedious recipe.
I learned the hard way that if I wait till the end of the day to face off with a labor intensive dish, I get very cranky.

3.

Shrink the task.
You can simplify a daunting task by
breaking it up into smaller more manageable pieces.

For example, I break my housekeeping chore list up and do a little each day. 
Monday is the kitchen,
Tuesday is the meal planning, making my grocery list, and cutting coupons,
Wednesday is for bathrooms,
Thursday is for laundry,
Friday is grocery shopping,
Saturday is for dusting and vacuuming.
Sunday is for resting.

4.

Offer yourself a bribe for completion.
Maybe you get to shop with the proceeds from the rummage sale you have after you clean out your closets/basement/garage/attic.
Maybe you take yourself out for ice cream after you finish paying the bills.
Maybe you get to admire a newly arranged closet or clean car.

5. 

Don’t wait till tomorrow!
Oh, I said that already.
But I want you to get it.

Today, I am starting my regime to get back into my summer clothes.

Today.
What a wonderful word.
Full of things to do and procrastination to conquer.

What about you?
Any procrastination tendencies you’re holding onto?
Let me know so I can encourage you as you encourage me!

Scripture Refresher:  Don’t put it off; do it now!
    Don’t rest until you do. Proverbs 6:4 (NLT)

Prayer: God, I don’t want to do what scares me or overwhelms me or is hard or is hateful. Inspire and encourage me to do what must be done and do it cheerfully.  Amen.