TOMORROW
Procrastination is a basic human impulse and has been at the root for many of our problems. The irrationality behind procrastination is unexplainable but yet it still pokes its ugly head. From 1978-2002, the percentage of people who admit problems with procrastination has quadrupled. The impulse to tell ourselves “we will do it tomorrow” assumes you will have no problems motivating yourself the following the day. What happens when you say “we will do it tomorrow” every day? Herein lays the problem. Procrastination is a failure of the will. If you strengthen your will power, you will prevent any further atrophy and gain control of the situation.
With the New Year coming around, I want some of you to think back at all the times you set a resolution to drop a few pounds, go on a diet, or begin a regular workout routine. The next step is to identify what were the main reasons that you were not able to adhere to your new program or diet. If procrastination was the main cause than I have a few tips to change that. There is one basis tool that eliminates procrastination: DEADLINES. Write down some of the goals you are looking to accomplish and include a deadline with each. Set smaller goals that will ultimately lead to your overall goal.
This will give you frequent deadlines that you need to adhere to. Accomplishment is just as addicting as procrastination. As you begin to accomplish more things on your own, your will power to adhere will increase and you will feel much better both physically and mentally. After all, I do not know many people who feel happy after they spent the day procrastinating. If you still do not trust your will power, there are still options. Try making a bet with a friend. Competition is a great motivator and will give you some bragging rights when you win that bet. If you still lack motivation and the will to be healthy then I would recommend working with a personal trainer. If you lack the funds to hire one full-time, then try to meet with one every few weeks. That way the trainer can track progress for you and it sets a deadline. With the overweight percentage now over 60%, we can not live in the tomorrow. We need to live in the NOW!
Chris Fluck
