I thrive under pressure. Anybody with me? I mean deadlines coming in- those are the hours when the creativity really flows. Am I right? So what do I do when I've waited until the last minute to write my article for Odyssey? I write about procrastination.

Oh geez.

I know what you're thinking: "Here's another 'do as I say, not as I do' spill." But, eh, I tend to think of it as "preaching to myself." That's fair, right? If I need this, chances are someone else does too.

But in all seriousness, procrastination can be detrimental. Here are a few reasons/examples.

1. Deadlines aren't just for you.

Last week I put off my article (just like I have done now, sigh) and had technical difficulties so that I thought I might not get it published. Thankfully my handy dandy iPhone pulled me through, but the point is that I took an unnecessary risk. To be honest, if I had failed to get my article submitted, it wouldn't be a super big deal to me. I mean, there's millions of articles online, is mine going to hold any sort of significance compared to the plethora of information that web-surfers will take in that week? But that view is selfish. Even if no one reads what I say, I made a commitment to be on this writing team and put out one article a week. To not follow through with that is a failure on my part, no matter how important or unimportant I deem my words to be. Not only is it a failure to my team, but a failure to a potential reader. What if I had said something they really needed to hear?

Okay, enough about my writing, let's take this to where you live.

Your school assignments? Your teacher is expecting you to complete them, or else it makes his or her class seem unimportant.

Your work project? Your boss needs those on time for a reason.

Your dog's water bowl? Come on, he's thirsty.

Your family's dishes (when it's your turn)? Well, they've gotta eat off of something, and you don't want to attract flies.

The point is: When you procrastinate, you risk meeting the deadline. And deadlines effect more than just you.

2. Quality Control

Let's face it. When you're in a rush, sometimes things get sloppy. You waited till the the bus was honking to make Jimmy's sandwich and as he climbs on you remember he doesn't like mayo. You miss some typos on a paper because you stayed up watching Netflix. You screw up some dude's carburetor because you put it off and now he's mad that you've had his car in your shop for too long. You've put off the big question too long, so you throw together a corny proposal because she's threatened to leave you. Whatever it is, we know that things usually turn out better when we start early and take our time. When you start early, you might finish early, and then you have time to start something else or polish your work. When you don't, you don't. Just like I'm not exactly getting to do much polishing on this article. Ha. Haha. Ha ha ha.

3. Roadside Assistance

So let's say you're on a road trip, maybe you're headed to a meeting, and you kind of know where you're going. You know the general area. Think back to before the days when your phone had a GPS (if you're old enough). So you get to the right city, but you've never been there before, and you don't know how to get to the building you need to go to. Maybe you can call someone who knows the area and explain where you are and have them direct you, but wouldn't have been much more efficient to have the directions mapped out in advance? What if the person you call doesn't answer? Then what? I know this illustration sort of hints to the two items I have listed above, but my main point here is about asking for help.

A friend with directions is more likely to be able to help you if you get them in advance. If you're writing a paper for school and you get stuck, a professor (or even classmate, friend, parent, tutor) is much more likely to help you if you're stuck a week before the due date than 2 hours before the due date. Work project: same deal. The boss will be more flexible when you come to him or her early. In so many circumstances: help is easier to find with more available time.

So, those are my main three points on why we shouldn't procrastinate: the importance of deadlines, the effect on quality, and the availability of assistance.

But as a Christian, I couldn't help but make this plug:

4. Jesus Christ

While we can often get away with procrastinating in this life, there is one thing I advise above all else that you do not procrastinate, and that is faith in Jesus Christ. See, we are all sinful, and sin separates us from God. God himself, as the man Christ Jesus, took upon himself the penalty of sin on the cross in order to bridge the gap between God and humanity. Faith in Jesus and what he did for us is the only way to God (John 14:6). If you check out the parable of the 10 Young Women in Matthew 25 you will see the folley of the 5 that procrastinated gathering their oil. They missed their deadline, the coming of the bridegroom. By default, they also missed the wedding. The 5 that had gathered their oil were prepared and got to be a part of it. This is symbolic of when Christ comes for those who are his. Some will be prepared in faith, others may be procrastinating until a more convenient time to put their trust in Him. I pray they "gather their oil" in time. If you are not currently following Jesus, I challenge you to believe in him as the Son of God and God in the flesh who died in your place, admit your sinfulness to Him (for we all sin), and join a local body of New Testament believers. As the young women in Matthew 25 didn't know when the bridegroom would come, neither do we know the deadline on this life. So it is best to be prepared.