A friend recently told me about his daily 4:00 p.m. medication routine—or rather, his
struggle with it. He has an alarm set on his phone, so the reminder is there. But when it goes off while he’s deep into work, he quickly taps it off, tells himself he’ll take the meds in “just 10 minutes,” and gets back to his task.
The problem is, by the time he
remembers again, it’s often much later—sometimes not until the evening.
It’s easy to do. That 10-minute delay feels harmless in the moment, but it opens the door to forgetting completely.
So, what can help?
Solution 1: Pair the Task with a Physical Trigger: Instead of relying solely on the alarm, add something visual and physical. My friend could place his medication bottle on his desk a few minutes before 4:00, so when the alarm goes off, there’s a visible cue that says “this matters.”
Solution 2: Use an Unmissable Alarm: Some apps allow you to snooze but not dismiss an alarm until the task is marked done. Others can speak aloud: “Take your 4 p.m. meds now.” A persistent or talking reminder is harder to ignore—and easier to act on.
Solution 3: Tie It to a Task Transition: Create a small routine. When the alarm sounds, stand up, stretch, and walk to the kitchen. The physical act of moving helps anchor the reminder and pulls it out of the mental TO DO list into action.
The Bigger Picture: We All Put Things
Off
Whether it’s meds, laundry, or life admin, procrastination is a part of being human. But small delays often snowball, and before we know it, a week has passed.
Here are a few common “I’ll do it later” moments—and how to fight
back.
1. Folding Laundry
You meant to fold it after lunch. Then after dinner. Now it’s the next day, and everyone’s fishing for
socks.
Try this: Don’t let it sit in the basket. Toss it on your bed instead. You can’t go to sleep without dealing with it—built-in motivation.
2. Paying
Bills
You glance at the email, plan to pay it “when you have a minute,” and then get hit with a late fee.
Try this: Schedule a weekly “Money Monday” or
“Finance Friday”—a set time to pay bills and check your accounts. Put it on your calendar so it’s non-negotiable.
3. Making a Health Appointment
You’ve been
meaning to schedule that check-up, but the day slips by. Then the week. Then the month.
Try this: Write it on a sticky note and place it somewhere unavoidable—your computer monitor, your coffee maker, your steering wheel.
Procrastination doesn’t mean you’re lazy. It usually means your plate is full, or your brain is occupied elsewhere. But tackling small tasks right away builds momentum—and lightens the load.
One rule to remember: If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it now. If it takes
longer, block out a time for it and stick to it.
You don’t have to conquer everything at once. Just choose one thing you’ve been putting off—and do it today.
On another note...
Soak up every moment of summer with these handpicked essentials...
