Procrastination!

How hard is it to get off the couch? Is it human nature? Is it inertia? Is it the devil? Why is it that “bad” habits seem to develop sooo easily and for the “good” habits we often times have to muster up all the determination we have?
One life habit that is often neglected and difficult to start is the habit of daily exercise and training. There are several reasons for this: too hard, too painful or the ever popular, “I'll do it later, when I have time”. Of course if we have a health crisis or look at ourselves in the mirror and suddenly realize that we have 50 extra pounds and the “meal replacement shake diet” ain’t working, the habit of taking care of ourselves may be easier to start. We would probably all advise our friends and family to develop good health habits before the situation becomes critical. The trick is to apply this wisdom to ourselves.
In order for an activity to develop into a habit, such as exercise, it has to be repeated a large number of times. Research claims that any activity repeated for 21 days slowly becomes a habit. I'm not sure of this 21-day deadline, but habits do develop in a month or two if the activity is repeatedly performed. It's not that habits need a large amount of effort and hard work to be formed, there just needs to be the repetition. Habits take time to develop because the "activity" has to be repeated over and over again for it to be stored in our subconscious mind and hence become a habit. The most important reason for the repetition is to give yourself the opportunity to experience the “benefit”. It’s the “benefit” of exercise, which is simply feeling better, that establishes the habit. It’s the “benefit” (or lack of it) that keeps us coming back.
So start a new habit today! Whether it’s an exercise habit, a dietary habit, or an educational habit, establish a goal that you can visualize for yourself and do it!