This post was prepared and submitted by Br. Taha Ghayyur

“We still have half an hour to the next prayer”
“I can start the assignment next week”
“The early bird deadline is tomorrow. Insha Allah, I will try to purchase them soon”
“Last minute Eid shopping is so exciting!”

These are some examples of excuses we make to put off important responsibilities and tasks to a later time. This is called procrastination, which is usually accompanied by shifting our focus to some other distraction.

10 Reasons Why People Procrastinate

There are many reasons people procrastinate, some more dangerous than others. Here are common causes of procrastination cited by psychologists:

1. Anxiety (it’s too overwhelming a task to even attempt!).
2. Low sense of self-worth and self-defeating mentality (what difference can I make? I am not capable of contributing something useful to this project).
3. Under-estimation (it’s an insignificant thing to waste time on. I have better things to do).
4. Distractive and disorganized environment (a messy desk or unproductive company of people).
5. Perfectionism (a tendency to negatively evaluate outcomes and one’s own performance. The thinking that, “since I can’t achieve perfection, why bother trying?”)
6. Heightened social self-consciousness (intense fear and avoidance of evaluation of one’s abilities by others)
7. Recurrent low mood and laziness (life is horrible. No need to do work on this project)
8. Workaholism (I am too busy with ‘work’, I don’t have time for this right now!)
9. Love for last minute thrill (my creative juices begin to flow only when I am forced to write my essay!)
10. Indecisiveness (Not making a decision right now would absolve me of responsibility for the outcome of events!)

How Procrastinators Work

Here are insights into the workings of procrastinators by two leading experts on procrastination, Dr. Joseph Ferrari (De Paul University, Chicago) and Dr. Timorthy Pychyl, Ph.D. (Carleton University, Ottawa). [i]

20% of people are chronic procrastinators. For them procrastination is a lifestyle. And it cuts across all domains of their life. They don’t pay bills on time. They miss opportunities for buying tickets to concerts. They don’t cash gift certificates or checks. They file income tax returns late.

Procrastinators are not born. Procrastination is usually learned in the family environment. It is one response to an authoritarian parenting style. Having a harsh, controlling parent hinders children from developing the ability to regulate themselves, from articulating their intentions, and from making life decision for themselves.

Procrastinators tell lies to themselves. These include, “I’ll feel more like doing this tomorrow” and “I work best under pressure.” But in fact they do not get the urge the next day or work well under pressure.

Procrastinators actively look for distractions, particularly ones that don’t take a lot of commitment on their part. Checking e-mail is a good example. They distract themselves to manage emotions like the fear of failure.

Dangers of Procrastination

Those who are used to delaying things till a later time or like doing things last minute don’t realize the costs of procrastination.

Chronic procrastinators suffer from multiple health problems. Just over the course of a single academic term, procrastinating college students had such evidence of compromised immune systems as more colds and flu, more gastrointestinal problems. Moreover, they had insomnia. [ii]

Procrastination has a high cost to others as well as to oneself; it shifts the burden of responsibilities onto others, who become resentful. Procrastination destroys teamwork in the workplace and private relationships.

Procrastinators think that tomorrow is guaranteed to them. How can they put off an immediate priority, an obligatory act, or a good deed till a time when they may not even be alive?

Even if they live till tomorrow, they cannot be certain that their day will free of obstacles and distractions. How can they be sure they will have the time and energy to carry out that action? The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, used to call on Muslims to take the initiative to do good deeds before any problems arise.

For instance, he said, “Lose no time to do good deeds before you are caught up by one of seven calamities awaiting you:

1. a starvation which may impair your wisdom;
2. a prosperity which may mislead you;
3. an ailment which may damage your health;
4. an old age which may harm your senses;
5. a sudden death;
6. the Dajjal (Antichrist);
7. or Doomsday, which is indeed the hardest and most bitter.”
(at-Tirmidhi, al-Baihaqi)

Procrastinators don’t appreciate the time, means, and opportunity Allah gives them to be productive. As Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, once stated, “Good health and spare time are two of the blessings of Allah with respect to which many people are deceived.” (Al-Bukhari)

Each day has its own share of work and each time has its own share of obligations. Therefore there is no such thing as idle time.

Postponement of good deeds and delaying of charitable acts leads people to become accustomed to ignoring them gradually. After a while they don’t even feel what good they are missing. Procrastination can eventually lead to sinning.

[i] Hara Estroff Marano, Procrastination: Ten Things To Know:  http://www.psychologytoday.com/rss/pto-20030823-000001.html

[ii]  H. Marano, Procrastination: Ten Things To Know.

I hate routine. Except when it comes to morning routines :). That’s something I try and stick to! ;)

There’s something about starting your day on a set of pre-planned actions that really set your day straight. Below I describe the “ideal” ProductiveMuslim morning routine. (Note: I assume that Fajr athan is at 5.00am and that work starts at 8am, feel free to “adjust” the routine below to suit your timetable inshaAllah)

 4.00AM - 5.00AM: 5 essential actions: 

1. Wake up! 

Perhaps the first and most important step to starting a great morning routine is waking up early! And it is in that moment of indecision of whether you should wake up immediately, or enjoy your nice comfy bed for “5 more minutes” lies the secret to either a great day or crazy one. Here’s a tip that always works with me for waking up: You know how shaytaan whispers in your ears “just sleep for 5 more minutes”...I simply whisper back to myself “just wake up for 5 minutes" ;)...yup, you can imagine the rest, as soon as you’re awake and are reciting the athkar and making wudhu, you can imagine what happens to sleep...(gone! nada! left the building..lol).

 2. Make the Dua(s) for waking up and recite last 10 verses of Surah Al-Imran:

Al-hamdulillah, we have a beautiful set of waking up supplications which Prophet Muhammad(Peace be upon him) taught us. Here's a collection of all of them: Wake  Up Supplications. My favorite one has to be reciting the last 10 verses of Aal-Imran (Chapter 3 in the Quran). You can literally feel your heart coming to life and getting “juiced” when the first thing you do as soon as you wake up is remember Allah & recite Quran. 

 3. Wudhu 

Something about wudhu that really focuses your positive energy and cleanses you inwardly as well as outwardly. I had a friend who used to call this feeling "WuBuzz!" short for the "Buzz" you feel after wuddhu ;). Don’t forget to say Bismillah before starting wudhu and the dua after finishing the wudhu! The 8 gates of heaven will be opened for you if you do that (not a bad way to start your day ;)).

4. Tahajjud & Witr

Tahajjud or Qiyaam has been described as the “honour of the believer”, because who else would go through what you just did (wake up, wudhu..etc) just to stand and pray. The beauty of tahajjud is hard to describe; from the feeling of “peacefulness” (salam) in your heart, to understanding Quran better, to feeling closer to Allah and wishing that you never get up from that sujood, to the self-reflection moments that we rarely get a chance to do in our busy world, all of them and more come from tahajjud. Finally, praying witr and making dua sincerely to Allah is a true booster to your day!

5. Istighfar moments

Don’t forget to use the last 5-10 minutes before fajr asking Allah for forgiveness and making lots of istighfar so that you’re of those Allah mentioned in the Quran: "And in the hour of early dawn, they (were found) praying for Forgiveness" (Quran, Chapter 51, Verse 18).

5.00AM - 5.05AM: Fajr Athan

Say as the moathin (The person who calls to Prayer) says and don’t forget the Dua after athan: Supplications Related to Athaan

5.05AM - 5.30AM: Between Athan & Iqama

1. Pray 2 rak’ah - the Sunnah of Fajr

 Don’t miss this! Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said: "The two rakah before the dawn (Fajr) prayer are better than this world and all that it contains."(Riyad-us-Saliheen (Hadith # 1102)). Just think about this hadeeth for a moment; 5 minutes of your time to pray 2 simple rak'ah is better than this whole wide world with all its lands, people, treasures, nature and beyond! SubhanaAllah!

Also, if this is the importance and merit of the sunnah of Fajr, what about the obligatory Fajr prayer itself? (This is a heartwarming reminder to those who neglect Fajr Salat: "Are you neglecting the Fajr Prayer?" )

2. Dua

Did you know that the time between Athan & Iqama is prime dua time?! Make most of it! Narrated Anas ibn Malik: The supplication made between the adhan and the iqamah is not rejected.  (Sunan Abu Dawood, Book #2, Hadith #0521)

3. Lie on your right side

Narrated 'Aisha: Allah's Messenger (Peace be upon him) used to pray two light Rakat before the morning (compulsory) prayer after the day dawned and the Mu'adhdhin had finished his adhan. He then would lie on his right side till the Mu'adhdhin came to pronounce the Iqama. (Sahih Bukhari, Book #11, Hadith #599)

4. Brainstorm session

I sometimes use this time to either plan my day, or brainstorm ideas for ProductiveMuslim/articles. You’ll be surprised how active your brain is at this time! You're alert, awake and kicking ;)

5. Quran memorization

Speaking of active, memorizing Quran at this time is incredible as well. I have tried memorizing Quran after asr/maghreb when I’m tired and back from work vs. after fajr.. the difference, SubhanaAllah! After fajr, your brain truly is like a sponge :).

5.30AM - 6.00am: Fajr Salat &Thikr

If you are a brother, and can get to a mosque no matter how far..go for it! The beauty of praying fajr in the masjid is hard to describe. I prefer walking to the Masjid vs. driving (cycling is good as well ;)), since you get a chance to breath in the fresh morning air, Allah says in the Quran: "And the Dawn as it breathes away the darkness" (Chapter 81, Verse 18)

After fajr salat, sit back, relax and enjoy the after salaat thikr and morning supplications. 

6.00 - 6.30am: Recite, Read or Exercise

1. Quran Memorization/Recitation  - Recite and/or Memorize Quran, and if you have a good tafsir book, then reading the meaning of at least one page of Quran is a great bonus!

2. Reading - Spend this time with general Islamic Reading, I stress that the reading must be Islamic, since as I said before, your mind is like a sponge at this time and is highly active. You want whatever you’re reading to truly embed in your mind & soul inshaAllah.

Suggested books to read: Hadeeth books, Stories of the Prophets, Seerah...etc. (Or join our Book Club to get exposed to some great books & minds!)

3. Exercise: Another option for this time is a quick 30 minute exercise. This could be jogging around the block, cycling, using a treadmill, some aerobics/cardiovascular exercises..etc.

6.30AM  - 6.45: Plan your day

This is where I plan the rest of my day, of course, using the Taskinator ;). Sometimes I check/send e-mails around this time as well to help me plan my day or set out tasks for myself and/or team members.

6.45AM - 7.00: Get ready for work

Shower/dress..etc

7.00AM - 7.10: Duha Prayers. 

Nothing sets your day straight like Duha prayer. Nu`aym ibn Hammar (Allah be pleased with him) relates that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say, “Allah Most High says: O child of Adam, don’t fail to perform four rakats in the beginning of your day, and I shall be your sufficiency at its end.” [Abu Dawud (1289) and Tirmidhi (475)].

7.15AM - 7.30AM: Breakfast. 

Reward yourself for a ProductiveMorning with a big FAT hearty (healthy) breakfast! :D. 

7.30AM - 8.00AM: Commute to work. 

Don’t forget my tips about commuting ProductiveMuslim style! ;)

Imagine if all your mornings were like the above, how much will you gain spiritually? How much knowledge will you acquire? What will your mood be like for the rest of the day, each day? Try the above, just for one day, and let me know how it goes inshaAllah.

This post was kindly prepared and submitted by Br. Taha Ghayyur

Whether you consider yourself a positive, easy-going person or a demanding, hard to please person, these tips can help you become a more grateful, caring, and content individual.

There is much more to gratitude and Shukr (thankfulness) in Islam than a mere “Thank You” that our ears have become so used to ignoring. Discover how you can be more thankful to Allah and His creation.

1. Stop Complaining and be positive! This is the first step towards being thankful to Allah and people around you. We have become a community of complainers and whiners, which has lead to a collective psychology of negativity and unproductively.Stop complaining about the economy, weather, politicians, traffic, or ‘the system’. Refrain from blaming your Masjid, Imams, parents, spouse, in-laws, children, or boss. If you think with an open mind, you may find more positives in your circumstances and the people around you than negatives.
2. Say “Al-hamdulillah” (All thanks and praise belongs to Allah) often: A constant utterance of this phrase reminds you of the source of all blessings and happiness in this life. This practice of attributing all good actions to Allah keeps you humble and content and has a positive affect on your relations with people.Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, has instructed us to say “Al-hamdulillah” on daily basis: “Allah is pleased with His servant if, when he eats something he thanks Allah for it, and when he drinks something he thanks Allah for it” (Muslim).
3. Respect others’ time and schedule: Part of ungratefulness is wastage of time. As a scholar once said, “Time is not just money. It is more expensive than gold, diamonds and pearls. Time is life itself!”Arriving late at a meeting or a class, cancelling appointments last minute, or starting off a program late, are not only a big waste of time and disrespectful to others, but also a lack of appreciation of others’ time on your part.
4. Seize the opportunity while you can. Procrastination in offering your prayers, delaying a donation to a humanitarian cause, or filling your leisure time with unproductive or unlawful activities is ingratitude to Allah for the limited time and opportunity He has given you to do good and to achieve Paradise.Prophet Muhammad warned us, “Good health and spare time are two of the blessings of Allah with respect to which many people are deceived.” (Bukhari)Even if you live till tomorrow, what guarantee do you have that there won’t be any obstacles in carrying out a good action. The Prophet used to call on Muslims to take the initiative to do good deeds before any problems arise.
5. Spend 15 minutes daily to think about things that you should be thankful for: Recall people in your life, whom you may have taken for granted like your parents, spouse, children, co-worker, or teacher, who were caring and loving.List some of Allah’s gifts that are not tangible or were not obvious to you before. Sulayman, a follower of the Prophet’s Companions, once said: “Remembering His blessings makes one love Allah.”This simple mental exercise not only makes you a grateful person, but also a healthy one. According to a 2001 research bythe Institute for Research on Unlimited Love (IRUL), based in Ohio, just 15 minutes a day focusing on the things you are grateful for will significantly increase your body’s natural antibodies, will make you less vulnerable to clinical depression, and will keep your blood pressure and heart rate stable.
6. Be patient and grateful when disasters strike: The depth and strength of your gratitude is tested in difficult times. Allah wants to see how thankful you truly are when you loose your job or a loved one, or when you feel ill and or get injured.It helps to know that in times of calamity and distress, there will be some good for you, provided you respond appropriately. The Prophet said, “How wonderful is the case of a Believer! There is good for him in whatever happens to him -and none, apart from him, enjoys this blessing.” (Muslim)Sufyan al-Thawri, a famous early scholar of Islam, said, “He does not understand religion properly who does not count affliction as a blessing and ease as a trial.”
7. Donate your time, talent, money, and advice to social work and non-profit efforts: In our profit-driven culture, it is burdensome to squeeze out time and wealth for others. Your selfless service and generosity towards people in need and non-profit organizations is a sure way of showing gratitude to Allah and to your community.The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him said, “People are dependants of Allah; the closest to Him are those who are most useful to His dependants” (Muslim).”As the blessings from Allah to a servant increase, so will the people’s needs of that blessed servant’s services. If the servant ignores their needs, it will cause those blessings to be removed” (lbn Hibban).
8. Visit the sick, the terminally ill, and the disabled: Frequenting patients and families of the deceased, not only brings comfort to them and brings multiple rewards from Allah to you, it also helps you appreciate your own good health and opportunities you have in life to serve others.
9. Share the message of Islam: If you appreciate the guidance of Islam as your most precious treasure, don’t hesitate to share it with others. If Islam has changed your life for the better, what’s holding you back from inviting your friends, family, neighbours, and co-workers to explore this message of hope and positive transformation?
10. Recite and memorize the Duas of Prophet Muhammad: The most natural and beautiful way to thank Allah is the words of the Prophet himself.The Prophet told Muadh, “By Allah, I love you, so do not forget to say at the end of every prayer, ‘O Allah, help me to remember You and to give thanks to You and to worship You well’” (Ahmad and At-Tirmidhî).
11. Fall in Prostration (Sajda) when you receive a blessing from Allah:Prophet Muhammad used to prostrate (Sajda) to Allah whenever he received something pleasant or was told good news to thank Allah for the grace he had received.
12. Don’t consider any blessing too small: Treat all gifts of Allah with equal respect and gratitude, lest you lose it one day for good. Aishah said that the Prophet entered upon her one day and saw a small piece of bread on the floor, so he picked it up and wiped it, then told her: “O Aishah, treat the blessings of Allah with respect, for when it departs from a household it may never come back to them” (Abud Dunya).
13. Use and display Allah’s blessings moderately. Part of being grateful to Allah is to look presentable and clean, and spend money on yourself with moderation.Abul-Akhwas nar­rated that his father said: “I came to the Messenger of Allah looking dishevelled and scruffy. He asked me, ‘Do you have any possessions?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He asked me what sort, and I told him, ‘I have all sorts. Allah has given me camels, horses, slaves and sheep.’ The Prophet said: ‘If Allah has given you all of that, then let Him see His blessing on you.’”
14. Don’t be too picky and accommodate others! Some people express their discomfort (perhaps unintentionally) with anything that they are not used to. They may be too picky about their taste of food, clothing and furniture; they may get irritated easily in new environments; they may like meeting only a certain type of people; they may not like working with others.This insensitivity to other people’s preferences and inability to accommodate others is a sign of selfishness, arrogance, and ungratefulness. Be content in every situation and you will become grateful.
15. Admire those below you and keep your expectations low:  A lot of times the reason for our ungrateful behaviour is that we are constantly comparing our material success with the wealthier, healthier, and more accomplished. In our race to ‘keep-up-with-the-Ahmad-family’ next door, we forget so many obvious blessings that others may not enjoy and we should be thankful for.The Prophet admonished us, “Look at those people who have less than you and never look at those who have more grants than you, this will ensure that you will not depreciate Allah’s favours” (Muslim).
16. Thank people for littlest things: People like to be appreciated for little favours they do for us, which often get ignored in our busy routines. When was the last time you thanked your little son for taking care of simple chore for you? Has your husband heard a compliment from you lately?Take the time to thank them for their thoughtfulness. As the Prophet stated, “The one who does not give thanks for a small blessing will not give thanks for a great blessing, and the one who does not give thanks to people will not give thanks to Allah” (Abud Dunya).
17. Compliments & recognition and motivate team members: Whether you are an employer or a manager at work, or lead a volunteer based project, or simply a team player, a personal recognition significantly boosts the employee or volunteer morale.As Stephen Robbins in his book “The Truth about Managing People” explains, several organizational behaviour studies have indicated employees and volunteers rate personal thanks and recognition from a superior for a job well-done as the most motivating of a variety of incentives; yet not many team leaders use this simple, cost-effective technique that works like magic! What kinds of personal recognition and group success incentives does your organization have in place?
18. When you thank someone, make sure you mean it: When you say “Jazakallahu Khayran” (May Allah reward you the best) to your wife, does it come from your heart? Or is it received as another cold cliché?Be a little creative when you really want to express your gratitude to someone. Say it with a personal thank you card. Show it with flowers. Accompany it with a genuine smile. Charge it with emotions. Enhance it with a meal or a meaningful gift.

This post was prepared and submitted by Br. Taha Ghayyur

“Oh my God. I am running late, again! Well, it’s all good. No one is going to be there on time anyway.”

How many times have you heard this and similar phrases in the Muslim community? Perhaps you are guilty of uttering them yourself as a habit.

Sadly, starting off late, arriving late, and delaying our programs has become a norm for many of us.

It’s gotten so bad that we no longer even feel guilty about arriving late to a class, function, meeting, Jumah prayer or appointment. Many don’t even bother to apologize. We fail to realize how much time and resources of others we waste due to our own insensitivity and indifference.

I remember arriving at a wedding last summer about two hours late (due to a pre-planned legitimate reason), only to find over half the wedding hall full of non-Muslim guests still waiting for the bride and groom and their families to arrive. The most heartrending scene was of a group of non-Muslim friends laying on the ground asleep. It turned out they were out-of-town guests who had arrived a couple of hours prior to the “official’ start time.

Of course the blame goes both to the organizers of the events and the attendees. It’s easy to criticize the organizers, but we have to do our part of making the program or meeting professional. It begins with arriving on time and respecting everyone else’s time.

As Muslims, every time we arrive late we lose respect in the sight of others. Imam al-Ghazali, in his commentary to a Hadith describing the characteristics of hypocrites, states that the trait “when he makes a promise, he never fufills it” includes specially those who consistently say ‘In-sha-Allah’ and arrive late.

I know of  a great contemporary Muslim scholar who, when he used to enter a conference, meeting, or dinner, the audience or members would match and reset their watches to the minute he was supposed to arrive at because he was reputed to be strict with time-management. 

What can you and your family do and how can you prepare to arrive on time at any event:

1. Get the directions to where you are going in advance. The common excuse for arriving late we often present is “got lost” or “I didn’t have correct directions.”
2. Arrange your ride at least two days in advance. Call around and find out who can give you a ride. Always have a backup plan for rides. “I didn’t get a ride” is one excuse given, to which I ask: did you ask around early enough? Don’t wait for others to offer you a ride.
3. Start getting ready at least 30-45 min. before leaving home. Don’t run into the shower, squeeze in three Rak’at of Maghrib, or iron your clothes just three minutes before you are supposed to step out!
4. Have a realistic estimate of travel time. If you know it takes 25 minutes to get to a place, you have to leave your home at least 35 minutes before arrival time.
5. Consider weather and traffic conditions. Listen to the local news or watch the weather report before getting behind the wheel.
6. The 10-minute Rule works! No matter what the occasion, always aim to get to the destination 10 minutes ahead of time. This allows you to accommodate any last-minute uncertainties: “Oh, I forgot my wallet at home,” “”Man, I have to pick Brother x on the way,” “Oops! I have to pray my ‘Asr before I get to….” etc.
7. If it helps you, set your personal watch, cellphone or car time five minutes ahead.
8. “Well it’s a typical Muslim party or conference! There is no way they will start on time!” Well, guess what, if we ALL adopt this attitude, no one would ever arrive on time and let the program start on time. We have to change this thinking and make a point to arrive on time. Being people of principle, we must remain consistent in all circumstances.
9. Be honest! Be honest to yourself and others. If you know you are going to be late to a party or Halaqa, clearly set that expectation with your host, coordinator or meeting leader. What does it take to drop a message or call to let the other person know that you will be 10 to 15 minutes late (whether it’s due to expected or unexpected reasons).
10. Don’t succumb to the “In-sha-Allah Syndrome.” Use In-sha-Allah only when you know you mean it.

Assalamu'alaikum all, 

I’m starting a ProductiveMuslim Book Club! A simple club that basically helps us explore and share the great books out there related to Productivity and Islam. These can be classical books, modern books, Arabic/English, you name it, as long as it’s related to ProductiveMuslim.com, it’s part of the club!

Here’s how the club would work:

• Step 1: Send me an e-mail via the Contact Me page with the subject: Book Club!
• Step 2: You’ll be added to a google group called: ProductiveMuslim Book Club!
• Step 3: Once a month, we can either a) meet online via skype and share our reviews OR b) once a week, one of us gets assigned to send a review about a book they read via e-mail (so if there’s 4 of us in a group, you only have to send us a review once per month) - we can decide how to do this once everyone signs in.

 If we get 5+ members, we can start right away! And more can join us as the word spreads inshaAllah.

Great reviews will feature on the special ProductiveMuslim Book Club section! Also, there’ll be competitions and other special offers for Book Club members inshaAllah!

 That’s all folks. So, who’s in?! 

-ProductiveMuslim