Stop Procrastinating and Reclaim Your Life
If you are like many individuals in this world, I am sure you have many goals that sit eagerly in your heart waiting for you to bring them to fruition. But thanks to your busy job or schedule, plus the fear of possibly failing at your goals, I’m sure you have been procrastinating getting started or completed. Which is why I decided to write a blog to help you learn how to stop procrastinating.
I used to be the procrastination queen! The rush you get from barely turning a thesis on time was the best feeling ever to me. But when it comes to your health, it may have negative effects.
If you have trouble procrastinating making improvements on your diet, physical activity or stress management, then read the tips below to see if they can get you moving in the right direction.
How to Stop Procrastinating on Your Diet
We have to get out of this mindset that “I am going to eat whatever I want until the doctor tells me to change .” Learn HOW to eat the right foods and practice self control so you won’t have to go to the doctor for preventable diseases.
When you learn how to eat, you become aware of what foods your body can tolerate, and which foods make you gassy, bloated or lethargic. Also, when you know how to eat, you won’t feel guilty about indulging in “cheat meals” on occasions because you know that depriving yourself the joy of eating foods you love will only result in binge eating and the guilt and shame that comes along with letting yourself down.
In addition, when you learn how to eat, you will understand how to put together healthy balanced meals at home and when you’re eating out. Not to mention that learning how to eat meals will keep you energized while keeping your waistline small. I know I have watched my boyfriend struggle with his belly shrinking and growing depending on his stress levels and eating habits meanwhile my weight and remained consistent although we eat the same home cooked meals and go to the same restaurants. Other tips to avoid procrastinating on your dietary goals include:
- Meal prep your meals
- If you can’t meal prep entire meals, then at least pre-chop your veggies and fruits that you frequently use
- Keeping your favorite foods out of eye sight making your favorite foods not easily accessible
- Swap out your favorite snacks for healthier options.
If you need help learning how to eat, then be sure to download my free Nutrition Guide eBook that will help you learn how to create a personalized meal plan while also educating you on the nutrients and minerals your body needs to thrive and where to find them in food sources. I also have another free eBook called Diets Don’t Work that will show you how to break free from the binge eating cycle, how to dump restrictive diets and use intuitive eating to reach your fitness goals. You can download a copy of either of my books by clicking here.
Benefits of Taking Control of Your Eating Habits
Once you learn how to eat, you will feel less inclined to procrastinate on your health habits because you will no longer be confused what to eat, when to eat it and how much to eat. You won’t be tricked into these marketing schemes used to get you to invest in quick fixes or that promise to “solve all of your problems” because you will know what to do. I know I had one client tell me that “she can’t go back” to eating her old ways because her body will remind her how horrible that felt if she tries! That’s a another way to stay motivated lol. When you know what to do and know it will guarantee your desired results, you will be less inclined to procrastinate.
How to Stop Procrastinating Your Physical Activity Goals
Most of the reasons people procrastinate working out or being physically active is typically, but not limited to the following reasons:
- They don’t feel like it
- They are too tired
- They are stressed out
- They don’t feel good
- They have joint pain/ physical limitations
Now sure, I could give you a typical muscle head response and tell you “no excuses, do it anyway”, but this will only feed into the common problem in society, which is not listening to our bodies. When you listen to your body and address the reasoning behind your emotions to not exercise, then you will lower that resistance to exercise in the future.
This is why I offer online fitness programs that include personalized workouts. In these programs, I address my client’s mindset and nutritional habits first which will help them find the motivation and energy to take that next step towards exercising.
Another tip to help you stop procrastinating on your physical activity is to have different options in place so you can still reach your goals while being flexible with your methods. Its important to know your favorite form of physical activity, because you don’t necessarily need to go to the gym to improve your physique. In fact, I helped one client win 2nd place in a fitness challenge just by adjusting her diet and setting her up on a consistent walking plan! So if you are having one of those days where you don’t necessarily want to go to the gym by you still want to be active, having a few fun back up plans are always handy to have.
Other tips to stop procrastinating in this area include:
- Practice the 5-Second Rule when you feel yourself starting to back out of your exercise commitments. How it works is the minute you feel yourself backing out of your fitness commitment start counting down from 5 and start getting into the action of exercising, So it will look like this: 5- You get up from the couch… 4- You look for your exercise fit… 3- You find your keys… 2- You are heading out the door. 1- you are in the car… now just don’t drive to Krispy Kreme lol.
- Pack your workout bag at night and put it in your car. If you work from home, then just lay out your exercise gear so your fitness appointment will be in eye focus so you won’t forget your commitments.
- Try shifting your mindset about exercise. Remember that exercise comes in all forms so if one form doesn’t excite you, then find a modality that does. Another way to shift your mindset is to think about how you will be setting yourself BACK by putting off another workout. In the same sense, think about how you will be benefiting your body and life when you remain consistent in your wellness habits.
At the end of the day, it’s OK to not want to go to the gym, but don’t use that as an excuse to stay inside on social media. For more information about physical activity and different types that can contribute to your overall health, click here.
How to Stop Procrastinating on Your Stress Management Goals
Everything we do we do for a reason… we’re not random creatures… we’re always either trying to avoid pain or move toward pleasure. Always. Procrastination is when you know you should do something, but you don’t. The reason you’re not doing it is because you see doing it as creating more pain than not doing it. Then, once you get close enough to your deadline, the pain of not doing it seems greater, and so you finally do it.
So, you can overcome procrastination, and induce a feeling of motivation, by changing how you think about pleasure and pain. When we procrastinate or continue any other limiting behavior, it’s because we’re reacting to how we feel in the moment. If you want to stop procrastination, think about how it affected you in the past and how it will affect your present in the future. If in the MOMENT it isn’t causing you enough pain to stop procrastinating then you need to link it in your mind to the pain… failure, embarrassment, disappointment, heartache… that you’ll feel if you keep doing it.
Now before I get into the topic of procrastinating stress management, let me just say, that complaining will only lead to more complaining. So stop complaining about whatever that stresses you out and DO something about it!
Now, I understand that we may procrastinate handling the things that stress us out because we don’t want to possibly open a can of worms… (I mean, this is coming from somebody who used flex seal tape to hold her bald tires together because she was too afraid to buy new tires… I was a serious procrastinator!) but running from our problems won’t make them disappear. It only makes them worse. So…
If you want to take control of your stress in your life, do the following things:
- Make a list of your stressors and label them in terms of things you can control and things you can’t control
- For the things you can control, write down ways to can alleviate the problem, so that the issue won’t persist or return
- For the things you can’t control, try to shift your perspective about them and recognize that everything in your life is happening for you, not to you
- Exercise to boost your body with happy endorphins and to regulate your body’s stress response
- Eat healthy, nourishing foods to help your body resist the effects of chronic stress
Reducing your stress can include: distancing yourself, finding a new job, setting boundaries or simply changing your viewpoint about a situation. Do what you need to do because every moment you are choosing to stay stressed, angry or frustrated, you are missing out on happiness… and that is YOUR choice.
Say No to Buts
BUT is the word that usually precedes an excuse which is a catalyst for procrastination. The dictionary defines an excuse as: “self-justification; ‘a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise’.” “Buts” are simply what you use to self-justify why you are not living the life you truly desire. Below are common “buts” that many of us use. If you are honest with yourself, you will see that these are in fact excuses and not legitimate reasons.
But, it’s too hard. Is it really too hard? How would you know; have you done it? You have made it through so-called “hard” things before, haven’t you? Saying “but” gives the illusion that what you want is not possible so that you can avoid doing it.
But, it’s too risky. An intelligent decision based on a deep desire, good research, and a solid plan is not risky at all. You choose to fear risk instead of facing your other fears, like failure.
But, it’ll take too long. What is a “long time” anyway? For that matter, what is “time?” It is more accurate to look at time as an emotion, not a unit of measure. How “long” something takes has nothing to do with how much clock time passes and everything to do with how you feel. So, then why does it feel like it will take so “long?” Because you feel overwhelmed! In reality, time will pass anyway, regardless of whether or not you make the change. You say this as a way to put off making a decision. Really, you fear commitment, not time.
But, it’s overwhelming. If you are feeling overwhelmed it’s because you are thinking too big. It’s important to see the big picture, but you don’t want to “bite off more than you can chew.” Break it down into manageable chunks and stay focused on the positive.
But, I don’t have time. This is the most commonly used “but,” and it is totally bogus. We already discussed how time is simply an emotion. So, by saying you “don’t have time” you’re saying you feel overextended or inefficient. You may not want to admit it, but you have chosen your life situations. If you are overextended it was your choice. It’s a great reason not to take action. We all make time for what is important to us.
There are three solutions that can help you “make the time.”
- Organize your life to free up time
- Eliminate lesser important activities
- Change your perspective
We are all guilty of using “buts,” and we all suffer the consequences—not living the life we
really want. The question is, then, why do we use these “buts?” Each “but” serves its own purpose, but ultimately they all help us to remain safe— to stay where we’re comfortable.
I know we all fall victim to procrastination sometimes but its not ok to do nothing about it or to half ass your effort and expect maximum results. It’s YOUR life, make the most of it. See what your body is capable of when you are in the driver’s seat of your health. When you are are properly managing your mental health, nutrition and physical activity you will be amazed at the impact it can have on your life. It drastically changed my life as well as my clients’s lives as well.
Stop willingly giving your health away and waiting for people to fix you health or your life with a magic pill, waist trainer or diet. If you need help then let me know. I have a variety of coaching services that will allow you to improve your health, reduce your stress and sculpt your body goals. You can shop through them by clicking here. I hope this helps.
In Good Health,
Amber Stew BS,
Holistic Nutritionist
Certified Master Life Coach
ACSM Exercise Physiologist,
CTNC Mental Health Specialist
TBMM Corrective Exercise Specialist
Hi! My name is Amber and I’m a Body Goals Builder, Master Life Coach, Certified Health Coach, CTNC Mental Health Specialist, Stress Alchemist & Fear Conqueror
I used to be a people pleasing, work-a-holic who stressed herself out to climb the wellness industry’s corporate ladder, while obsessing over her self image. I soon realized that none of it mattered if I wasn’t happy with myself, inside and out, and surrounded around people who loved and respected me.
I now help individuals who are stressed out, out of shape and struggling to find balance in their lives learn how to ease their worries, improve their health, create 10x more joy in their lives and manifest the life of their dreams. At the STEW Project, we are maximizing our living potential by Simply Taking an Emphasis on Wellness.
