If your tendency to procrastinate is related to perfectionism, you may need to consider your mindset. The fear of
making mistakes is associated with having a fixed mindset which is addressed in Carol Dwick's book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
In her work, Dwick explains those with a fixed mindset believe that their abilities are set in stone, so they only focus
on their current intelligence or talents, thinking more cannot be developed. This mindset can hinder one's ability to grow, learn, and make positive changes. This can play a major role especially if you have tried several times and not succeeded with weight loss in the past.
Whether you fear a negative outcome or fear failure, here are some questions to ask yourself next time you feel
procrastination setting in especially as it relates to starting a new weight loss program:
What am I afraid of?
What is the worst possible consequence that could happen?
What could happen if I ignore the situation?
Why am I putting this off?
What will I gain in the long run by putting this off?
How often do people actually die from doing this?
Am I trying to convince myself of something that is not true?
Am I scared of the process or the result?
Can I handle the outcome?
Am I trying to protect myself from a certain outcome?
Am I actually scared or was I just told this was scary?
You know that to-do list that’s growing? Add specific deadlines to each task, then arrange those tasks in an order that
will help to manage your workload.
Having specific deadlines will help you build a sense of momentum and build your confidence as you complete tasks.
Nothing fosters procrastination like a large daunting project. To avoid becoming overwhelmed and feeling defeated
before you even begin, break down tough jobs into bite-sized portions to make sure that they actually get done.
As you complete each small task, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and begin to see the pieces falling into place
as you go along.
When it comes to distractions, smartphones are the first thing to blame. If distractions are the cause of your
procrastination, it’s crucial to remove any temptation and only think about the task at hand.
Here are some tips for removing distractions:
Block certain websites
Delete games and apps on your smartphone
Record your temptations and directly address them
Remove yourself from or turn off wireless Internet
Put your smartphone on airplane mode
Wear noise-canceling headphones
Unplug your router
Close your door
The most productive people agree- to get ahead, start your toughest tasks first. When you complete the biggest part
of your workday first, this will give you a serious confidence boost!
The feeling of being productive can carry you into the next task, and having the hardest job complete, the rest of your
work will feel easy in comparison.
This is a great psychological trick! When faced with a task that you just really don’t want to do, thinking of only doing it
for 120 seconds becomes manageable. No matter how tough work might be, the idea of facing it head-on for only two
minutes can relieve a ton of pressure. Chances are just getting started is enough to keep you going. If telling yourself
you only have to work in 2-minute increments; you’re much more likely to dive in.
This is a big one! Accountability can be a significant motivator (or demotivator when it’s lacking).
Creating to-do-lists is enough for some people to hold themselves accountable. Check your list throughout the day to
make sure you are completing necessary tasks.
Another, perhaps more powerful form of accountability is being accountable to someone else.
Here’s how to do it.
Take a task you have been procrastinating on, break it into small pieces, and set deadlines for each step. Next, let
someone know your plan and ask them to check up on you and your progress. It could be a spouse, partner, parent,
neighbor, work buddy – anyone.
Accountability increases your desire to accomplish your tasks.
We all are prone to procrastination. It’s up to you to determine if your procrastination habits are getting in the way of
accomplishing your goals or even harming your health. We come up with all sorts of creative reasons why today just
isn’t the right time to start or finish x. Too busy. Too broke. Too stressed. Too risky. Too uncertain. Too
inexperienced. Too old. Too young. Too disruptive. Once in a while, those reasons are valid, but more often than not,
they’re merely excuses.It’s essential to examine your excuse. Ask yourself if it’s truly valid, or if there is a deeper
reason for putting off doing something, like fear. Once you identify the why behind your procrastination, you can find
the right solution to get you going again!
Procrastination can be confused with laziness; but as you now know, being lazy has nothing to do with it (most of the
time). At the fundamental core, we procrastinate when we allow emotion to influence our motivations.
Stop overthinking how much needs to be done, and simply start. Allow yourself to take breaks if needed and keep in
mind why tasks x, y, and z need to be completed to accomplish your goals.
I hope this helps you make a decision to take your weight loss goals to the next level today!
To Fast Tract your weight loss results, call or text our office for information on Dr. Weng's Weight Loss Made Easy
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