Procrastionation is putting off. Perserverance is don’t give in. It is to keep on keeping on. Perfection is the enemy of preserverance. Piddling can be a coping mechanism to avoid, to put off the hard or to allow thoughts to rest or wander.
Piddling may be the opposite of self discipline. Sometimes it is actually a healthy move. Sometimes it truly is just putting the hard thing off.
It describes my actions some days. Piddling can be a protective action when you are overwhelmed or feeling emotions that need some sorting through. Sometimes it is just plain avoidance. It can be restful and peaceful.
To be clear, sometimes piddling is actually productive as you meander through the house to do this and that. At those times, I actually have accomplished something with random tidying up and a little reorganization here and there.
But living without intentionality day to day can result in frustration and minimal productivity and that doesn’t even cover the loss of self esteem and confidence. It may mean a lack of purpose or a fear to not be perfect or of failure. It can be exhausting!
piddling, procrastination, praying
A seemingly easy choice for a ‘better’ life full of satifaction and joy. It is not. It is a clash of dicipline. I know what I should do but it is a struggle sometimes. A lack for consistancey in the practice of self discipline is not a path to a steady path.
I get a lot done. So much so that I don’t get the things I really want to accomplish done. I let myself get distracted and can also not make the best choices on how I spend my time or what I do. I wind up piddling.
what is piddling?
Piddling is putting off tasks and work you know needs to be done but you don’t want to do it. I do it, my kids do it. My very productive husband does it. I do it a lot! It is a distractor. We all do it, don’t we?
It means to do little things that don’t matter a hill of beans when overwhelmed or avoiding. It is putting off what needs to be done. Avoidance.
Piddling can be a good thing because it can be a mindless break in a busy time.
procastination is the bad friend of perfection
Procrastinating is putting off doing something you know you should; even what you want to do. I would say I’m not much of a perfectionist at all, but maybe I am. Because I procrastinate!
A couple of years ago I found out I am in denial.
I am a task person.
I went to counseling to help me in adjusting back to the US lifestyle after we moved back after years in China. It’s called ‘reentry’ into a familar culture that is no longer the same.
I retook some of those evaluative personality type tests. While I did not like nor did I totally agree with one particular evaluation, it did make some things about myself very clear. Because those triple P words are often my mantra to my disgust. I thought I was more of a people person.
Procrastination is the bad friend of perfection.
I hate that perfectionism causes me to stall. By the way, this isn’t time management I’m talkng about.
There is a problem. I need to be careful to not ignore people over getting tasks done. Add that to being an introvert. That’s a lot to push through.
Procrastination is my enemy. N O T my friend.
moving forward
How do I move forward? Well, praying. This is not a trite action but one with long term results in my walk.
I told someone recently I was praying about a situation e said but it won’t change which was true. I told him it was for my attitude. Guess what? I did feel at peace as I walked into a potential contentious meeting.
Other tips that work when I use them…
Realistic lists
Active listening to my children and husband
Edit daily for the necessary and vision
Praying to support perserverance
Persevere in pursuit of the godly life is not always easy. It is always good. It cannot be done without discipline, faithfulness and prayer.
…pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness…1 Timothy 6:11
This was on a desk sign one of our kids took to school as a reminder to persevere in hope. It was a terrible time for her and this verse was a help for her to persevere until the end of the school year. She made it.
perserverace in hope
What helps you to consistancy and perseverance?
I enjoyed reading this post! I used to be a terrible procrastinator but not anymore! However, I can piddle all day long, then at the end of the day, realize I didn’t do what I needed to!! Happy day!
I’m a huge procrastinator for the things I should do, but then I redirect my energy into unnecessary projects instead. So in a sense, I can still be productive for my blog while only digging myself in deeper. It is a clash of discipline I struggle with and have to work on!
I can so identify with that!! Sometimes I literally am saying to myself to stay focused.
Oh boy, can I ever piddle! I agree with you, sometimes piddling can be so productive. It can also help to get me motivated to do the real work. I love being productive, but sometimes being mindless is kinda nice too! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Linda!
Cindy, for sure you are one productive gal and I agree; we all need those quiet times.
I’m a procrastinator when I’m afraid of something new.
I have worked hard to overcome it.
Thanks for sharing that insight. I think knowing why we are procrastinating is part of help us to move forward.
I’m a piddler and a procrastinator!!
Is it too obvious to say, me too?
All these “p”‘ words apply to me. Sometimes I procrastinate if I am nervous to do something. Sometimes I procrastinate with tidying up and de-cluttering if I can’t think of storage solutions. And then once I get these things done I wonder why I didn’t just do it from the get go!
Great post and true for so many people. I am the opposite end of the spectrum. If I get the idea I must do it now or it keeps me awake until I do. I can never shut off once I get something into my head.
Thank you so much for sharing this post. I tend to procrastinate and can end up feeling stressed and overwhelmed. I am trying hard to be mindful of how I use my time. Realistic lists are helping me to stay focused and productive.
You are welcome. I like lists too.
This is a great post! I try to work on not procastinating. Its important to me to accomplish as much as I write down, i’m getting better.
irt can be a chore even with lists. Lists do help me.
I’m fighting procrastination every day!
It is a problem worth fighting against
I’m generally not a procrastinator unless it’s something that I really don’t want to do – then I’m the worst. Thanks for sharing these great tips.
That is true and there is spills over into everything. Depending on the day! Thanks for commenting.
I am someone that thinks long where I want to go or do or acquire, but once I decide and go all the way. I was fortunate to watch my mother never procrastinate. Sometimes fear makes us do it, those are the times I struggle.
Fear can hold us back in so many ways. Thanks for sharing your epxerience and observations with us.
So much truth. I can relate to it all…mix in overwhelm for me to that. Thank you for the beautiful post.
Thank you Leslie.
I am a huge procrastinator!
I’m surprised Paula. You seem to push through and get so much down! Thanks for sharing.
Oh gosh I think I am both a piddler and procrastinator! But at times I crank out lots of projects and then I feel burned out and have no desire to push through. Prayer is always the answer to receive direction… I love that!
Great post!
Karin
Karin, that is true for me too! Prayer is so important to me too.
So many things to think about and learn from this post. Thank you for the “food for thought.”
Thank you Elizabeth. Have a good week!
I think I’m a piddler sometimes, well a lot of the time. It’s I have good intentions but easily get distracted. Maybe I was cleaning out the refrigerator, but then suddenly my silverware needs cleaning. At least something gets done, maybe not the first intention.
Rabbit trails can be at least somewhat productive. LOL! It is so easy to do.
I feel like I’m constantly working on my procrastination problem. Unfortunately, I think I’ve trained myself to wait to the last minute because I work well under pressure. Now I see the same procrastination problems with my kids so I’m trying my hardest to be a good role model for them. Great blog post – lots to think about!
Shelley
i see it in a couple of my kids who are now grown. i just am not good at the last minute anymore! But sometimes, I forget that.
Kinda,
I want to thank you for this post….I read it and kept thinking that this is something that I could have wrote… Right now, I am at what I call a Turning Point, I think…There are things in my life that I need to re-evaluate and decide what to do about them…This post will be very helpful so I thank you….Have a good weekend!
Hugs,
Debbie
i’m so glad this is helpful. At those turning points come it isn’t easy to tackle those things. Changing it from procastination to thoughtful consideration and a process helps and to realise no decision or action is a decision and I have to say, sometimes for me not the one I want. Hope it goes well for you. Thank you for your kind comment,