Imagine having a superpower that lets you say to worry, anxiety, or pain: “Not today, thank you. I’ll worry about this tomorrow when I can actually do something about it.”
This isn’t denial or avoidance—it’s what I call positive procrastination, a simple yet profound spiritual practice that can transform your relationship with difficult emotions and thoughts.
The concept is beautifully straightforward: when faced with suffering that isn’t serving you right now, you consciously choose to postpone engaging with it. And here’s the magic—when tomorrow comes, you’ll often find that what seemed so urgent and painful has either resolved itself or diminished significantly.
A Personal Discovery of Peaceful Delay
I stumbled upon this practice during a particularly stressful period in my life. Financial deadlines were piling up, my rent was late, family issues back in Venezuela needed attention, and my mind was constantly racing with worst-case scenarios.
One morning, overwhelmed by anxiety about a situation I could do nothing about until a conversation later that week, I spontaneously told myself, “I’ll worry about this on Thursday when I actually have the conversation. Today, I choose peace.”
To my surprise, I felt immediate relief. The anxiety didn’t disappear completely, but it lost its grip on me. When Thursday arrived, I had clarity and presence that would have been impossible had I spent the previous days in constant worry. And best of all, the situation was resolved effectively.
As Mark Twain wisely observed, “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” This profound truth reminds us that much of our suffering comes from what we fear might happen—fears that often never materialize.
The Emotional Wear and Tear of Unnecessary Worry
The real cost of worry isn’t just mental—it’s deeply emotional and physical. Each time you engage with anxiety about something you can’t currently address, you’re subjecting yourself to emotional wear and tear that serves no productive purpose.
Physiologically, chronic worry triggers your body’s stress response, flooding your system with cortisol and other stress hormones. This biochemical cascade weakens your immune function, disrupts sleep patterns, impairs cognitive abilities, and even alters your brain’s structure over time. Your perception narrows, creativity diminishes, and your ability to see solutions becomes clouded—all while your body diverts precious energy away from healing and restoration.
As a coach, I learned a powerful distinction from Steve Chandler about the difference between worry and concern:
Worry is a constant state of fear and anticipation focused on what could go wrong. It’s like “praying to the devil,” as your attention and energy feed the very outcomes you’re afraid of. Worry drains your emotional resources without contributing to solutions.
Concern, on the other hand, means you’re observing a situation with awareness, hoping for the best outcome, and willing to take appropriate action when needed. Concern acknowledges reality without being consumed by it. It involves recognizing the emotion, welcoming it, surrendering it to a higher power or your deeper wisdom, and then moving forward with trust and clarity.
Positive procrastination helps us transform worry into concern by saying, “I choose not to worry about this today. I’ll address my concerns tomorrow when I can take meaningful action.”
Why This Simple Practice Works
The beauty of positive procrastination lies in its simplicity. It works because:
- Most suffering is premature: We often worry before we have all the information we need or can take meaningful action.
- The mind overestimates urgency: Your brain treats thoughts as emergencies when most are simply passing mental events.
- Time itself is healing: Given space, many problems resolve themselves or reveal solutions that weren’t initially visible.
- Presence is powerful: When you’re not caught in tomorrow’s worries, you access the clarity available only in the present moment.
- Emotional energy is precious: By postponing worry, you preserve your emotional resources for when they can be effectively used.
Self-Compassion, Not Spiritual Bypassing
Positive procrastination is not spiritual bypassing. Quite the opposite. Spiritual bypassing avoids challenging emotions, while positive procrastination is an act of deep self-compassion that acknowledges your emotions while protecting you from unnecessary suffering.
The distinction is crucial:
Spiritual bypassing says, “I shouldn’t feel this way at all because spiritually evolved people don’t have negative emotions.”
Positive procrastination says, “This feeling is valid, it’s okay to feel it, but I don’t need to let it control me, nor engage with it right now when I can’t do anything about it.”
A Spiritual Practice of Surrender
Each time you say: ‘I’ll worry about this tomorrow,’ you’re essentially placing your concerns in God’s hands until the right time when you can actually do something about them.This aligns with the practice of surrender, and with the wisdom found in many spiritual traditions:
- “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22)
- “Let go and let God” (Twelve-step recovery wisdom)
- “Surrender to what is” (Buddhist teaching)
By releasing our grip on problems we can’t solve in the moment, we open ourselves to guidance and solutions that often arrive naturally when we stop forcing them.
How To Practice Positive Procrastination: 7 Heart-Centered Steps
1) Notice the feeling as it arises
The moment you feel anxiety, worry, resentment, or any form of suffering, simply notice it with awareness. “Ah, there’s worry showing up.”
Example: You receive an ambiguous email from your boss asking to “talk soon,” and immediately feel your stomach tighten.
2) Welcome and acknowledge the feeling
Instead of pushing the feeling away, take a moment to acknowledge its presence with compassion. “I see you, worry. I understand you’re trying to protect me.”
Example: “I notice I’m feeling anxious about this email. That’s a natural response, and it’s okay to feel this way.”
3) Apply Heart Coherence to neutralize the emotional charge
Use HeartMath’s Quick Coherence Technique to shift into a more balanced state:
- Focus your attention on your heart area
- Breathe slowly, imagining your breath flowing through your heart
- Activate a positive feeling like appreciation or love
Example: Take three heart-focused breaths while recalling a moment of gratitude.
4. Ask yourself: “Can I take meaningful action right now?”
From this more coherent state, assess whether this is the right time to address the issue or if it would be better handled later.
Example: You recognize it’s 8 PM, your boss has gone home, and you won’t know what the meeting is about until tomorrow anyway.
5. Set a specific time to address it later
Make a clear appointment with yourself to revisit the issue when you can actually do something about it.
Example: “I’ll think about this tomorrow at 9 AM when I can prepare for whatever the meeting might be about.”
6. Give yourself permission to be present
Explicitly tell yourself it’s okay to let go of this concern for now and focus on what’s actually happening in this moment.
Example: “Right now, I give myself permission to enjoy this evening without this worry clouding my mind.”
7. Choose the most loving action for yourself
Ask yourself, “What would be the most loving thing I could do for myself right now?” Then take that action, whether it’s going for a walk, calling a friend, making a cup of tea, or simply resting.
Example: “The most loving thing I can do right now is to put on music that uplifts me and prepare a nourishing dinner.”
When the postponed thought inevitably returns, repeat the heart coherence technique and gently remind yourself, “I already decided to think about this tomorrow. Now is not the time.”
This approach ensures we’re not suppressing emotions but rather acknowledging them, bringing ourselves to a state of coherence, and then consciously choosing when to engage with them. It honors both the feeling and our need for emotional well-being.
Positive Procrastination in Practice: Real-Life Examples
In Personal Well-being
Instead of: Lying awake at 2 AM worrying about health symptoms
Try: “I choose not to worry about this now. I’ll address these concerns tomorrow when I can call my doctor. Right now is for rest.”
Instead of: Feeling anxious about finances while at a family gathering
Try: “I choose not to worry about money right now. I’ll review my finances on Tuesday. Right now, I choose to be present with the people I love.”
In Work Situations
Instead of: Panicking about a deadline while in the middle of another task
Try: “I choose not to worry about that deadline right now. I’ll focus on it during my planning session. Right now, my attention belongs here.”
Instead of: Stressing about potential restructuring based on rumors
Try: “I choose not to worry about these rumors now. I’ll wait for official information. Today, I’ll focus on my current responsibilities.”
In Relationships
Instead of: Replaying an argument with your partner while trying to work
Try: “I choose not to worry about this conflict right now. I’ll reflect on it tonight when we can talk. Right now, I need to focus on my work.”
Instead of: Worrying about your child’s academic struggles while making dinner
Try: “I choose not to worry about these challenges now. I’ll discuss them at our scheduled conference. Right now, I’ll prepare this meal with care.”
In Spiritual Growth
Instead of: Questioning your spiritual path while trying to complete daily tasks
Try: “I choose not to worry about these big questions now. I’ll journal about them during my reflection time. Right now, I’ll bring presence to what’s before me.”
Simple Questions for When Anxiety or Fear Appears
Keep these questions handy:
- “Can I do anything productive about this situation right now?”
- “Do I have all the information I need to address this properly?”
- “Will worrying about this now improve the situation or just steal my peace?”
- “What would be the most loving way to care for myself in this moment?”
The Benefits I’ve Discovered
Since adopting this practice, I’ve noticed:
- Better sleep: When I postpone worries until morning, my mind rests more peacefully.
- More joy in simple moments: I can actually taste my food, hear birds singing, and feel the sun on my face.
- Clearer thinking: Problems addressed with a fresh mind often reveal solutions that weren’t visible through anxiety’s fog.
- Stronger relationships: Being present with people has deepened my connections.
- Reduced overall anxiety: Many postponed worries simply dissolve, never requiring the attention I thought they would.
- Physical health benefits: Less time in stress response means less cortisol flooding my system.
- Emotional resilience: By not depleting my emotional reserves on unnecessary worry, I have more emotional energy available when truly needed.
When NOT to Use Positive Procrastination
Don’t use this practice when:
- You’re using it to avoid taking responsibility or accountability
- You’re facing a genuine emergency requiring immediate action
- You’re using it to avoid necessary but uncomfortable growth
- The same issue keeps returning because you never address it at all
- You’re dealing with serious mental health challenges requiring professional support
Final Thoughts
In our complex world, we often overlook simple solutions. Positive procrastination isn’t complicated spiritual gymnastics—it’s just the gentle art of telling your suffering, “Not now, thank you. I have a better time scheduled for you, when I can actually do something about it. Right now, I choose peace.”
What makes this practice truly spiritual is how it creates space for presence, peace, and perspective—the very qualities that connect us to our deeper wisdom.
In Buddhism, the Bodhisattva vow centers on the commitment to reduce suffering—both our own and that of all beings. When you practice positive procrastination, you’re fulfilling this sacred promise in a practical way. By choosing not to engage with unnecessary suffering, you’re reducing the total amount of pain in the world, starting with your own heart. This ripples outward, as your newfound peace naturally affects everyone around you.
I think the Buddha would approve of this simple yet profound practice! I have a feeling he probably taught it to his disciples.
