I keep putting things off

1. क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते।क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप ॥2.3॥

   klaibyaṃ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitattvayyupapadyatekṣudraṃ hṛdayadaurbalyaṃ tyaktvottiṣṭha parantapa

   Krishna says: do not give in to this cowardice, Arjuna; it is not worthy of you. Throw off this petty weakness of heart and stand up, you who defeat your enemies.

   Try this today

   Pick the one small step you have been putting off out of nervousness and do it before noon, even if it is only the first five minutes.

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   Study 2.3 in depth →

2. नियतं कुरु कर्म त्वं कर्म ज्यायो ह्यकर्मणः।शरीरयात्रापि च ते न प्रसिद्ध्येदकर्मणः ॥3.8॥

   niyataṃ kuru karma tvaṃ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥśarīrayātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyedakarmaṇaḥ

   Do the work that is yours to do, for action is better than inaction. Without action you could not even keep your body going.

   Try this today

   List the three duties that are truly yours today, at home, study or work. Finish at least one fully before anything optional.

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   Study 3.8 in depth →

3. न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत्।कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः ॥3.5॥

   na hi kaścitkṣaṇamapi jātu tiṣṭhatyakarmakṛtkāryate hyavaśaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛtijairguṇaiḥ

   No one can stay without acting even for a moment. Everyone is driven to act, whether they wish it or not, by the gunas (basic qualities) of nature.

   Try this today

   Since you will be doing something every moment anyway, choose three moments today and ask: "Is this what I want to be doing right now?"

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4. उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्।आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥6.5॥

   uddharedātmanā''tmānaṃ nātmānamavasādayetātmaiva hyātmano bandhurātmaiva ripurātmanaḥ

   Lift yourself up by your own effort; do not let yourself sink down. For you alone are your own friend, and you alone are your own enemy.

   Try this today

   When you hear yourself say "I can't" or "I'm useless" today, stop and replace it with one sentence a good friend would say to you, then take one small step.

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5. तमस्त्वज्ञानजं विद्धि मोहनं सर्वदेहिनाम्।प्रमादालस्यनिद्राभिस्तन्निबध्नाति भारत ॥14.8॥

   tamastvajñānajaṃ viddhi mohanaṃ sarvadehināmpramādālasyanidrābhistannibadhnāti bhārata

   Know tamas as born of ignorance, deluding every embodied being. It binds through carelessness, laziness and too much sleep, Arjuna.

   Try this today

   Choose one small task you have been putting off and do just its first two minutes today, right after your next meal.

   Study 14.8 in depth →

6. अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैष्कृतिकोऽलसः।विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस उच्यते ॥18.28॥

   ayuktaḥ prākṛtaḥ stabdhaḥ śaṭho naiṣkṛtiko'lasaḥviṣādī dīrghasūtrī ca kartā tāmasa ucyate

   The doer who is undisciplined, crude, stubborn, deceitful, spiteful, lazy, gloomy and always postponing is called tamasic.

   Try this today

   Pick the one task you have postponed longest and finish its first step before lunch today.

   Study 18.28 in depth →

7. यदग्रे चानुबन्धे च सुखं मोहनमात्मनः।निद्रालस्यप्रमादोत्थं तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥18.39॥

   yadagre cānubandhe ca sukhaṃ mohanamātmanaḥnidrālasyapramādotthaṃ tattāmasamudāhṛtam

   The happiness that deludes the self from beginning to end, arising from excess sleep, laziness and carelessness, is called tamasic.

   Try this today

   Set a fixed time to get up tomorrow and to put your phone away tonight. Keep both.

   Study 18.39 in depth →

If you are in deep distress or having thoughts of harming yourself, please talk to someone you trust or call India's free Tele-MANAS helpline on 14416.