It is really popular to glorify putting something on the back burner. The average student does their homework last minute, while another person never takes up that hobby they always said they would. At some point, everyone wants to do something different. The struggle does not come from the idea, but more so the action. Procrastination sneaks up on almost every aspect of life, from work to school to possible life goals and achievements. One of the most important aspects of life people fail to prioritize is health. Instead of spending time to find a solution, they focus on the problem and continue doing it. Our body constantly fights in our favor to fight diseases, but if we do not give it the proper fuel to stay strong, it eventually becomes weak. It is common to see the elderly with many health issues, which are associated with old age. What's not publicized is that the majority of these health issues could have been completely prevented with proper lifestyle choices. Everything a person does now sets them up for what they will be able to do later. Here is where the fun part comes into play and how to start making a change.
Task #1: Choose ONE thing.
Task #2: Say goodbye to distractions and strict routines.
Social media can either make or break a person. A lot of people do not realize how addicted they actually are to posting what they are doing in their lives or finding out what other people posted. For a procrastinator, it usually is an excuse to avoid doing something they should be doing. The only way to handle distractions is with self control. Put yourself first before electronics and do not let the temptations on these devices persuade you to fall back. Change what you do on social media and follow people who are posting their progressions on goals you share with them. As you adapt your perspective on how you use social media and how you choose to let it affect you, also keep in mind your daily routine. It can be very helpful to schedule eating healthy and working out like a mandatory appointment. But do not let it become monotonous. There are things in life you can control to change and things in life you cannot. Sometimes you can't always work out at the same time or eat the same way, but do not let that frustrate you or set you back from your goal. Find a way to adapt to the new day without letting it take away from your goal.
Task #3: Research.
Let's get real, the library is not everyone's hot spot. Luckily, we have the world at our hands. With just the click of a button we can find out the measurement of cups to ounces or the latest outfit the Queen of England is wearing. There is so much information on the internet on any given topic. The key is finding the right website with factual advice. I usually trust any website ending in ".edu" or ".org," but at the end of the day you need to use your best judgement and common sense when looking things up. There are so many helpful YouTube videos and online articles that can give you new ideas or ways to help with your goal. The internet is not always the most useful resource, so sometimes going the old-fashioned way is just as good or better. Communicating with others is a tool that a lot of people forget about. Even if you'd think the person would not know, understand, or be able to relate, ask someone you trust. You'd be surprised how talking to others is actually so comforting and enriching.
Task #4: Make a plan.
So you've acknowledged you need to make a change, you've picked what you've wanted to change, and you've learned more about the problem and how to fix it. Now it's time to go through with it. Before we do so, congratulate yourself on making it this far. Little steps in the right direction are just as important as big ones. Remember, you can't just run a 5K out of nowhere. You need to come up with a strategy on how to build up your stamina and endurance to get there. The same rules apply to anything you have been procrastinating. Now it's time to set little goals or dates of when you want to accomplish things. No one is going to make the choice for you but yourself. Do not rush into the change, let it happen naturally and at your own pace.
Task #5: Keep yourself motivated. 
Write yourself little motivational notes or set reminders on your phone to tell you what you need to hear. Listen to positive music and watch shows with people that you aspire to be like. Little things like trying something different and getting out of your comfort zone add flavor to your life to keep you going. No one can help you as much as you can help yourself. You have full control to decide what you want to do. Choose to go forward with your goal and make it happen.
Friends love to joke around and laugh about how they are not doing what they need to be doing. In the end, they lose sleep, get angry, become unhappy, or become highly stressed when trying to do what they could have done a long time ago. This can be totally avoided by tackling it little by little and just finding a way to deal with the overall picture as soon as possible. We have to prioritize our goals first, and then we can have free time after. Imagine if everyone had this perspective towards life — they would save themselves from so much tension. Give these tasks a try and you will see how much better you feel after chasing your goals, making them happen, and then being able to binge watch your favorite TV show on Netflix.
