Weight management is almost never easy, and for many of us, procrastination is a big hurdle.
How many times have you caught yourself thinking something along these lines?
- “I’ll go grocery shopping tomorrow when I have more energy to meal-plan.”
- “It’s been a long day. I’ll try to squeeze in a workout tomorrow.”
- “I’ve been meaning to go to the doctor. I’ll make an appointment soon.”
How do you know if you’re procrastinating? Chances are, you’re probably aware. It’s like a game of basketball where your goal is to get the ball in the hoop to score points, but instead, you keep dribbling around the court!
Is procrastination getting in the way of reaching your health goals? Consider these tips for building a proactive mindset and jumping into your action plan.
5 Tips to Beat Procrastination
Set Realistic Goals
Don’t set super high expectations or blow your “To-Do” list out of proportion. Your goals should be “SMART” goals: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-based. Try taking small steps at a time toward your smaller goals until some of your bigger goals are reached.
Focus on Your “Why”
Sometimes healthy behaviors can feel like a chore, but it’s easy to forget why you set these goals in the first place: to improve your health. Maybe you want to be more active in playing with your grandchildren, or you want more energy to make it through the day at your long job. Think about the reason you started on the journey with weight management to begin with.
Reward Yourself for Positive Behavior
You don’t always have to reward yourself with food. If you’ve hit your goals for the week or month – or if you’re just really proud of yourself – think about treating yourself to a new article of clothing or a fun day out. Maybe even take a mini-vacation. You put in the work… you earned it!
Break Down Your Tasks
If you have larger goals in mind, such as getting 150-200 minutes of physical activity per week, try to think deeper than the bigger picture. Maybe you break that task down into 30-40 minutes of physical activity a day. And if that sounds like too much to do at one time, try breaking those minutes down into 15-20 minutes in the morning and in the evening.
Keep Track of How You Spend Your Time
If procrastination is an issue in your life, consider keeping a journal to keep track of how you spend your time. That way, you can stay accountable with yourself and recognize when you need to get moving a change of pace.
Everyone procrastinates at one time or another. The trick is to not let procrastination get the best of you… get the best of IT!
