How to Deal with Procrastination

Do you want to change something in your life? Quit smoking, eat healthier, start exercising, go to bed on time… But it just doesn’t work out. As my grandmother, who loved pickled herring, used to say: “I’m switching to dairy on Monday.”Sounds familiar?

There are always excuses: “No time,” “I don’t feel well today,” and so on. What are your favorites? And then comes the Inner Critic:“I have no willpower. I’m lazy. I’m worthless…” And self-esteem drops.That precious self-esteem!

But in reality, you’re not lazy.It’s just basic neurophysiology. If you’ve been under stress for a long time, your brain switches to survival mode. That means it resists change because it doesn’t feel safe. Of course it’s easier and more pleasant to lie on the couch and scroll through your feed than to get up at 6 a.m. for a jog. The brain is designed to conserve energy. It will resist your noble intentions in every way. And that’s completely normal.

So don’t wait for the right mood or the perfect moment. They will never come.

What’s important to understand is that you are not just biology.People run on meaning.A car runs on fuel.A human — on meaning.When we are connected to what truly matters, strength appears. Even in places where it wasn’t before.

How to break this vicious cycle?

Here are 3 questions I ask myself and my clients when change is the goal:

1) Why am I doing this? What is behind it? What value does it hold? What do I want not only to eliminate, but to gain? For example:I want to quit smoking — because it’s important to me to set a good example for my kids.I want to read daily — because I want to feel that I’m growing.

2) What will help me when things get tough and I want to quit? When that moment of weakness comes — what thought, phrase, or image will remind me why I started? Find something personal that lights you up from the inside.

3) What’s the smallest step I can take today? So small it’s not scary or overwhelming.Just one action, one movement toward the goal. Remember: no change happens without action.

When you do something regularly, it becomes a habit. And a habit is when it’s easier to do than not to do. Then a completely different mechanism kicks in — you no longer need to motivate yourself.

Try it. Find what ignites that inner fire.

For me, it’s sharing knowledge and experience in somatic and psychological practices — the things that help me and my clients. That’s why I write posts, make videos, lead sessions and group classes. That’s what drives me. That’s my meaning.It makes my life and the lives of those I work with better.

Now it’s your turn. Share — what do you want to start or change? Why does it matter to you?What supports you when you’re about to give up?Let’s inspire each other!