I know I struggled with this, and I think some of you have struggled with this or currently are! That is procrastination!! This shows up in ALL areas of our life and I know that I am the QUEEN of procrastination! And yes, this can happen to the most organized person!
So, what is happening with this? Something is going on in our brain that is wired that way! Everyone likes that relaxed feeling, that job is well done, but when you get close to a due date, you have the panic set in, and you can’t relax so much. So, you then power through and once you complete the assignment, you are like, “Uhhhh relief! We got this job done, we are good, everything is good.” We feel a RUSH when we get to the end of a project and that release is a nice reward at the end, we get a hit of dopamine and that rush only happens when we wait until the last minute to do something! So, this gives you a reason to wait as long as you can, you want to get back into that rush, victory, etc.
I totally get this, I am that girl, I can sprint to the finish line. But the reason it’s a challenge is because you see the finish line as the endpoint. For many people that endpoint can cause you to get very fearful, it can change what the end goal looks like or causes you to fear nothing is good enough! So how do you look at your procrastination and how do you overcome the challenges so you can tackle them? I am going to give you a couple of tips on how to do this!
What are the things you find yourself procrastinating on? I see a lot, especially when it comes to fitness, is that if you are not excited about the process to lose weight, if you are not excited about the workout.. guess what, you are NOT going to do it!! Some of you don’t want to move forward with the plan out of fear it’s too hard, or you can’t be perfect at it.
One of the first steps is to figure out how do you break things down into manageable segments to minimize the overwhelm?
Where can you find these small victories and celebrate every single achievement?
Where can you break things down into smaller tasks and celebrate those wins when you get them? How can you stop getting caught up in the hustle and grind and actually hustle easily? I’m a recovering hustler and one of the biggest tips I had gotten was to only put 3 things on my to-do list. Then you just work on those so as to not try and do too much. You accomplish those daily and boom! Small victories!
You set a pace.
Pick a pace and make peace with it. Dial back where you are trying to go and make things simpler. Here are the things I am trying to accomplish, and I go with the easiest, which is helping me to break those tasks into manageable segments. This also helps me to set realistic goals! The biggest challenge I see with weight loss is the GOAL piece! So many people think, I just started dieting on Monday and by Friday I should be down 400 pounds. Come on! Let’s break up with that! Instead of saying how many pounds are on the scale, flip the script! What does your appearance look like? How does your energy feel? What is your realistic goal? Can you look at adding more proteins or good fats? Can you scale back on treats? Figure out those realistic goals and break them down! Let’s find a number that is scaled back and set something that is realistic.
Schedule it.
You are responsible for what gets scheduled tomorrow and another way to beat procrastination is – what gets scheduled gets done. A lot of women say they don’t have enough time, or they ran out of time. Did you run out of time, or did you plan your time?
I’m not asking you to be anal-retentive about it. But make a plan.
There are 2 ways to plan; 24 hours ahead of time, or a week ahead of time. Sit down at the beginning of the week and say what does my week look like? Where can I fit in those workouts? When it comes to food, look at your food and create a menu. I get it, some people want to be spontaneous, but however, I am going to ask that when you are looking at your menu, make some of your meals automatic.
Fear of failure.
Another MAIN reason why you procrastinate is fear of failure. Many of you are perfectionists. You fear failure. You get anxious you are not going to get it right. So rather than think you are going to fail, you rather not even try. Break down the tasks, this will be a game changer. When you face your fears, it will help you step out of your comfort zone!
Education.
I have this podcast, so you get straight information. Nowadays there is so much bullshit out there. I want you to understand how to truly lose the weight, keep it off, personal development, etc! And any area you need to boost your confidence to make informed decisions. I want to make sure you are educated so you can seek out further resources, and we can start a further conversation.
When we are in this procrastinating moment, we talk about our brains. Our brain wants to protect us. Our brain wants certainty. It wants certain safety. Here is where your brain doesn’t know the difference between what has actually happened and what you want to happen. Visualize what you want, what you want to do!
People think they are a loser if they don’t get it on the first try. Stop! How did you fail? Did you try to do too much? That is not a failure!
Reward yourself.
Throw out some milestones to yourself so you have those mini deadlines to get these mini dopamine hits. Do a little at a time and reward yourself for it. The reward is sitting here watching a hallmark movie, listening to a podcast, or just anything that brings you joy is your reward, so it reinforces your behavior and keeps you motivated.
Or, if you like to check the boxes, write it down and check it as you get it done. What can be this little reward for me so I can focus on what I want instead of being like, ugh gosh I have to make the time to create a plan! Just start with what are the little things I can start to do to face the fears, celebrate the small wins, and stop the negative self-talk going on in my mind!
Where is your motivation?
What is your why? Your why is your motivation! It is what is going to keep you going when shit gets hard. It’s always going to be a time issue and a motivation issue. What are the things that motivated you?
“The only person truly holding you back is you. No more excuses. It’s time to change. It’s time to live life at a new level. “ – Tony Robbins
How do you break up with that procrastination?
You are not living at this new level, you want this, but what are you willing to do to get to that new level? Change takes time. It’s ok if there are setbacks. But you have to be patient with yourself so you can stay committed to the goal. What can you do to build up to that goal? What support do you need to get you there? What are the steps you need to do to get there?
Consistent effort and a positive attitude will lead to the results that you desire. If you are done procrastinating, hit me up in the socials and say I AM DONE PROCRASTINATING!!
I know how hard it is to not do this…. But tomorrow never comes when you keep saying tomorrow!
LINKS
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https://www.facebook.com/kimbarnesjeffersoncoach
Facebook Group:
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Website:
https://www.kimbarnesjefferson.com/
Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fit-girl-magic-healthy-living-for-women-over-40/id1476883661
If you’re over 35 and curious about your menopausal status, I’ve got a handy checklist of symptoms to help clue you in. So grab this menopause tracker and take back the reins!
https://kimbarnesjefferson.lpages.co/menopause-checklist/
