Procrastination. It’s when, well, when….well let me take a few minutes to try and find the right words.
If procrastination is the act of delaying or stalling on completing tasks and projects till the very last minute, then we’re approaching the final minute on making our New Year’s resolutions. Depending on what your resolution is, you might have all of 2021 to complete it, but why wait till the last minute? Here’s why some people do:
Most people procrastinate because they feel, at the time, that they’re not inspired or motivated to best tackle the task at hand, and that they’ll do a much better job at it later, when they actually want to do it. With health & wellness resolutions, ie working out, while you may not feel motivated at the time, if you do get up and get after it, you’ll actually be more inspired to do so later, again, because you’ll be feeling so much better and getting conditioned to perform at higher levels.
I’ll give you one guess on which age group procrastinates the most. Yep, college kids. It’s somewhat ironic that those studying higher education are not the brightest when it comes to time management. Mainly, they underestimate how long projects actually take, and pay for it at the deadline. With health & wellness, even short workouts have big payback, as simply getting the heart pumping at least once a day, even for 10 minutes, has beneficial impacts on your entire performance.
It’s a bit of a vicious circle that procrastination can cause depression, and depression can cause procrastination. Exercise can help break this cycle. Studies have shown that aerobic and cardio exercise are the best exercises to help curb depression (one study even showing that cardio can be an effective antidepressant), so join the Y and get on that treadmill now…not later.
Some have a justified excuse. ADHD can be so distracting, you simply can’t focus on getting the task done. Youth Sports at the YMCA are a great way for kids to gain better focus, get a clearer mind, and learn how teamwork can be the best way to get projects, ie winning the big game, done right.
Poor health is another justified excuse for procrastination. If you have a bad back, a bum knee, trouble breathing or any other host of ailments, it can be really hard to get up and get after it. But exercise at the Y can help rejuvenate, recover, rehabilitate and renew attitudes and overall health, leading to more productivity in your day.
Some ways we can all battle procrastination:
Write it Down: Like, join the YMCA or go to the Y 3 days a week instead of two.
Keep at it: Don’t get down if it feel like you’re not seeing results. Stay the course, keep working, and you’re going to get better and it’s going to get done.
Focus: Keep your exercise goals simple and attainable, so you can see the finish line and get there in time.
Reward: When you’re there, embrace the feeling of accomplishment…it’ll help you stay motivated for the next project at hand.
The YMCA of Greater Omaha is here to help with your 2021 health & wellness goals…now.