I’m not sure I’ve met anyone who doesn’t ever struggle with procrastination, but I know it’s definitely something I’ve struggled with. And I can see that those I know who have ADHD definitely struggle with procrastination. Some of that battle has to do with time blindness and time management, but there’s also a heart-battle involved. That heart-issue leading to procrastination is what caught my attention when I saw Barb Raveling’s book Freedom from Procrastination mentioned on instagram. She graciously provided a pdf copy for me to review and share with you. The book has been extremely helpful, as I’ve mulled over it for the last couple of months, working through the different “Renewal” questions and worksheets provided, and studying the devotional parts of the book. If procrastination is your struggle, and you are ready to get to the heart of the issue, this book is a tremendous resource.
Freedom from Procrastination review:
Getting to the Heart of What’s Holding You Back
Disclaimer: I received a pdf copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way for a positive review, and all opinions are strictly my own.
Barb’s book Freedom from Procrastination is a simple-to-read, conversational book with lots of honest reflection from the author on her personal journey. I didn’t feel like any of the chapters were too heavy or too long. And the tone of the book was gentle and inspirational: this isn’t one of those books that beats you upside the head with guilt. It honestly acknowledges the wrong thought patterns, but moves quickly to hopeful renewal. In her book, Barb beautifully balances two parts: Bible study and practical tools.
Freedom from Procrastination, part 1: the Bible study
For the Bible study component, Barb leads her reader through a study of God’s views on work and then Biblical examples of people who related to God and work with an aspect of procrastination. While you aren’t going to find chapter and verse on the topic of procrastination, these examples provide a glimpse into the heart attitudes of those who had excuses for not doing a job put before them, men like Jonah and Moses.
I wasn’t sure how Barb would handle these Biblical stories with such a specific application, but I felt like she handled the passages well without moralizing or stretching a particular passage out of context. Obviously, the point of the story of Jonah is not procrastination, and she acknowledges that. But in studying his heart and attitude toward what God called him to, we can draw certain applications. Obviously the point of Moses at the burning bush is not to teach us about excuses and overwhelm, but there are applications we can draw from the story that help us relate to God and to work properly. She has other examples she draws from as well, a total of 5 weeks of study. Each study is respectfully addressed with thoughtful reflection questions that help the reader discern what is at the heart of why a certain task isn’t getting done.
I love that she started with this devotional aspect. I have found for myself that for new goals and habits to really stick, I have to start with my beliefs—how I’m thinking. Changing how I think helps me to stay motivated to change how I’m responding. I found the Bible study portion of this book to be helpful and thought-provoking as I diagnosed the reasons behind my procrastination. And, she deals quite a bit with perfectionism as well, which (spoiler alert) can be one of those reasons behind our procrastination.
Freedom from Procrastination, part 2: the practical tools
Balanced within the devotional part of the book are Daily Renewal activities and practical priority planning worksheets to address the “getting it done” component. These activities and worksheets walk you through
- lies of procrastination and perfectionism
- the truths to battle procrastination and perfectionism
- charts for breaking large tasks into smaller steps
- planner pages for prioritizing what ought to get done in a day
- and more!
The “Daily Renewals” are in-depth evaluation questions for 7 specific excuses. Five of these relate specifically to the Bible study topics in the first half of the book. Within each of these “chapters” in the second half of the book, a Bible verse is given and 5-6 questions are provided to dig deep into why this particular excuse is leading to procrastination and how a specific truth will set you free to do the task before you.
The Daily Renewal section was my favorite part of the book. I found it very practical and focused, and it really did reveal the “why” behind my procrastination and perfectionism. And, I discovered, I wasn’t using the same excuse each time. There are probably three excuses that I find myself using most often. Discovering that not all tasks had me procrastinating for the same reasons was surprising! Discerning what was holding me back from completing a specific task really provided me with the grace, truth, and correct mindset to move forward with the tasks.
The Daily Renewal activities also had practical questions. For instance, in one renewal activity for “I don’t have time,” you are asked to track how much time you spent on a variety of leisure activities. In another, you are asked to list the people you will love by accomplishing the task you are procrastinating.
Freedom from Procrastination is not a lengthy book, and honestly I moved through the book pretty quickly the first time through, completing a study a day rather than a study a week. I’ve also gone back through the material about three times now as I really digest how these wrong thoughts affect me.
Though the book is available as both a ebook or hard copy, I would definitely recommend the hard copy. The pdf copy that I received was difficult to work through the questions in the way they are intended to be journaled and completed. Yes, I could print them out, but let’s be honest—this is a study on procrastination, and I didn’t get most of it printed. I did print off some of the planning worksheets, but not all of journaling pages. If procrastination is your struggle, trust me: you want the hard copy.
Additionally, the planning sheets and time management sheets (as well as some helpful videos) are available to download and print on her website. I recommend checking that out no matter which version you choose to purchase.
While I understand that not everyone who struggles with procrastination is a Bible-believer, this is definitely a resource for those who are. The book is rich with Scripture and Bible applications in every part of it. As Christians, we believe God’s truth sets us free, and this study is one very practical example of just that.
If you are tired of the piles and open tabs in your life (figuratively and literally), don’t procrastinate getting this resource. Freedom from Procrastination is not a magic cure, but it really will get you to the heart of what’s holding you back.
