Why Do We Put Off Doing Things That We Know Are Good For Us?

How many times have you sat down to watch another episode on Netflix instead of vacuuming the floor, or scrolled on your phone instead of adding more words to your neglected work in progress? (Oops!) Why do we do that? And how do we fight against it? Let's discuss.

I know there are so many other things I could be doing right now…

I could be doing so many productive and beneficial things. I could be writing, cleaning, making art, exercising, reading. But instead, I just ate a bowl of custard (that I didn't need) while scrolling on my phone (epic waste of time). Good one, Marley! So, why? Why did I choose to scroll? Here are some thoughts:

1. I didn’t choose.

   The absence of choosing to do anything productive left me doing, well, nothing; eating and scrolling.

2. I took the easy option.

   It was much easier to eat and scroll than to clean or exercise. I chose the lazy option.

3. Instant gratification.

   Eating and scrolling makes me feel pretty good at the time. It’s not until afterwards that I regret wasting the time.

4. Prioritisation.

   I didn’t prioritise the beneficial options.

5. Doubting outcomes.

   I didn’t trust that the effort and time I put into doing other things would be worth it.

6. Self-centredness.

   I put myself and my own feelings and desires above any benefits for anybody else from the other tasks.

And now for some facts:

FACT 1: If I keep putting off the things that I know are good for me, then I will never be the best that I can be.

FACT 2: What’s ‘good’ for one person may not be good for another. Part of the journey of life is determining what the good things are for you. That being said, exercising is a universal good thing that applies to everyone (and it’s also probably the thing I suck at most).

FACT 3: It takes effort and self-control to do good things.

FACT 4: Doing nothing is pretty much the same thing as choosing a bad option. If you need to relax, then choose to do something relaxing; don't lose your time to the abyss.

FACT 5: Setting goals helps us choose to do the ‘good’ things. Having S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) goals keeps us motivated by enabling us to track our progress, see how far we’ve come, and reward ourselves when we achieve (even if it is just a pat on our own back. The feelings of achievement are often reward enough).

FACT 6. Accountability helps.

Solution

Okay, so I don't have a solution for you. Sorry. Do I have the answers to solve this age-old problem of time-wasting? Heck no! I just wasted time scrolling and eating, don't listen to me! I lose time to the abyss all of the time. BUT the first step to a solution has to be making yourself aware of the fact that you're wasting time, and that you need to prioritise the right things.

How do you keep yourself on track?

I'm a big goal-setter, and in the past it has worked well for me, but these days I am finding it works less well. I set myself the goal of writing 15,000 words this month; So far I have written 4,449. That being said, I have also been rather, um, obsessive (?) in the past, and would have neglected all other lifely duties to meet the goals that I set, to the detriment of my family and self-care. So, perhaps I am just getting more balanced in my middle age.

This is not Paul

It's not just you

There is one last thing that I want to mention. There was a man named Paul who had the same struggles that I've been writing about. He once wrote, "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." This is ripped straight from the bible! (Romans 7:15). This shows that, unfortunately, this struggle is human nature. How the heck are we supposed to battle against human nature? I think that the key lies in FACT 4. We need to be aware of the struggle within, and deliberately and purposefully choose to do the things that are good for us. We need to take control of our time and not just allow it to pass us by, and to do that, we need to remember FACT 3: It takes effort and self-control. It is not the easy option.

Okay, I know, that doesn't really help much at all. But hopefully it does help to know that we're all in the same boat, together. So, let's go and do good things!

Go on! Go and do something good and useful with your time...

Happy choosing,

Much love,

Marley x